CHESS LIFE

(Volume 2, Number 2, September 20, 1947)

Who's Who In American Chess

Isaac Kashdan

Among American chess players Isaac Kashdan is one of the most distinguished and in Europe, is counted as one of the Big Three of American experts. His continental record, beginning with yeoman service on the U. S. Teams which brought the Hamilton-Russell Team Trophy to these shores, included many important victories. Among these were his first in the 1930 Berlin Tournament and his first in the 1930 Stockholm Tournament.

In 1932 Kashdan tied for first with Alekhine in the International Tournament at Mexico City, and was seriously considered as the possible successor of Mr. Frank Marshall as U. S. Champion. But plans for a Championship Match between the two did not materialize. In all American Tournaments in his earlier days his record was equally enviable with a second behind Alekhine in the Pasadena International Tournament of 1932 and a second behind Capablanca and ahead of Frank Marshall in the New York International Tournament of the same year.

In 1938 Kashdan tied with Horowitz for first in the U. S. Open Tournament at Boston; in 1940 he placed third behind Reshevsky and Fine in the U. S. Championship Tournament at New York. In 1943 he tied for first with Reshevsky in the U. S. Championship Tournament, but lost in a hard-fought playoff match.

After a vacation from tournament chess Kashdan returned in 1945 to place fourth in the Pan-American Tournament at Hollywood behind Fine, Reshevsky and Pilnick. And in 1946 gave a very convincing performance in the U. S. Championship Tournament when he placed second behind Reshevsky. His victory at Corpus Christi in the 1947 Open Tournament shows that he has indeed regained the form of earlier years.

As an international team player, Kashdan has always given a superlative performance. At Folkstone in 1933 he went through the series of team matches without a loss. And while he lost to Kotov in the 1945 Radio Match with Russia, he avenged the defeat in his over-the-board encounter with Kotov in Moscow in 1946 with a victory and a draw.