Immigrant ready to spar
Topekan recounts the forced labor his family endured in Russia; his lifelong love of chess

By Taylor Atkins
The Capital-Journal
Published Monday, January 29, 2007

Al Braun, a Ukrainian by birth, never forgets his weekly game of chess.

Braun, 83, on some days forgets portions of the five languages he has learned in his lifetime. And on other days, the details of his time in communist Russia or his forced labor during World War II get somewhat hazy.

But every Saturday, without fail, Braun shows up at the Classic Bean in Fairlawn Plaza to face a new opponent.

“I’ve been playing chess since I was 9,” he said, remembering back to the early 1930s. “Chess was popular back then, especially in Russia and Europe.”

Braun has faced more than his fair share of opponents. He was born in the midst of conflict. His family’s land in Ukraine was seized by the communist government. The family was forced to work the land and turn all products over to the state.

Click here to read the rest of the fascinating story.

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