Reshevsky, Samuel Herman (Rzeszewski) Schmul)

Reshevsky was known as "The Pious Prodigy." Pious, because he would rather forfeit a game—even a match—than break the Jewish sabbath. Prodigy, because he won his first-ever chess match, against his father— at the age of four! By the age of eight, he was touring Europe and the USA, defeating numerous opponents in simultaneous exhibitions. As a teenager, he went to the University of Chicago, obtaining a degree in 1933, but played little serious chess there. Returning to the game's top levels after college, Sammy won several tournaments (defeating Jose Capablanca in one of them). In 1936, he won the U.S. Championship.

Botvinnik characterized Reshevsky as "a flamboyant, self-made chess player. He was excellent at knowing his options and possessed uncommon understanding of positioning."

Birth and Death Dates:
Nov. 26, 1911-1992

Career Highlights:

Reshevsky played in seven Olympiads on the USSR team starting in 1937, when he scored 9.5 points out of 16, and ending in 1974 with the score of 7 out of 11.

From his first appearance in the international competition in 1938, he never lost a two-man contest and never finished lower than third in any inernational tournament. Reshevsky competed for the World Championship three times: 1948, 1953, 1968.

His first U.S. Championship win was in 1936, his last in 1971.

Origin:
USA since 1920 (b. Ozorkow, Poland)

Category:
Challenger (International Grand Master: 1950)

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