1938: Chess

Activities at home and abroad gripped the interest of chess enthusiasts from start to finish and 1938 will go down in chess history as an outstanding year. It was ushered in by the traditional Invitation Masters Tournament sponsored by the Hastings and St. Leonard's Chess Club (England). In one of the strongest fields of recent years. United States Champion, Samuel Reshevsky, finished first, half a point ahead of C. H. O'D, Alexander (the British champion) and Paul Keres of Esthonia.

The center of interest then turned to the United States, which staged the biennial United States Chess Championship Tournament. Seventeen of the country's outstanding players battled for three weeks to determine the question of supremacy. The scene of action was the R.C.A. Building in New York City and Samuel Reshevsky repeated his fine performance of 1936 by retaining the title for another two years. Pressing him closely were Reuben Fine (who finished second. half a point behind), Albert C. Simonson (runner-up two years ago at the Hotel Astor), I. A. Horowitz (fourth), and I. Kashdan (fifth).

Easter week was featured by the Margate Congress (England). Dr. Alexander Alekhine, the World Champion, took premier honors a full point ahead of Rudolf Spielman, the Austrian grandmaster.

Chess interest focussed on Holland during the month of June. This was occasioned by the Noordwijk International Masters Tournament in which Erich Eliskases of Austria scored a well-merited triumph a point ahead of Paul Keres of Esthonia, two points ahead of V. Pire of Jugoslavia, and 2 points in front of Holland's pride, Dr. Max Euwe, former World Champion.

July witnessed the annual American Chess Federation Congress, held this year in Boston. The first prize was shared by I. A. Horowitz and I. Kashdan, who finished in a tie, 1 points in front of B. Blumin (Canadian Champion) and D. Polland (winner of the 1937 tournament held in Chicago).

In the fall of 1938 Holland was the scene of one of the greatest tournaments ever held. The eight participants in the A.V.R.O. Tournament included Dr. Alexander Alekhine (present world champion), Dr. Max Euwe and Jose R. Capablanca (former champions), Samuel Reshevsky (United States Champion), Mikahil Botwinnik (Russian Champion), Salo Flohr (Czechoslovakia), Paul Keres (Esthonia), and Reuben Fine (U.S.A.). The tournament was a double round affair in which every player met every other player twice; once with the White pieces and once with the Black. There have been other tournaments in which renowned players vied with one another for supremacy, but none with such concentrated playing strength. To the surprise of the chess world the two youngest competitors (Fine, 24 and Keres, 22) finished in a tie for premier honors. Keres accomplished the remarkable feat of going through the schedule undefeated. Third place went to Botwinnik. Alekhine, Euwe and Reshevsky tied for fourth.