Chess Review
Encyclopedia
Chess Review is a U.S. chess
magazine that was published from January 1933 until October 1969 (Volume 37 Number 10). Until April 1941 it was called The Chess Review. Published in New York, it began on a schedule of at least ten issues a year but later became a monthly. Isaac Kashdan
was the editor for the first year, with Al Horowitz and Fred Reinfeld
as associate editors. After one year Kashdan left and Al Horowitz became editor, a position he retained for the remainder of the magazine's existence. Chess Review was virtually unchallenged as the premier U.S. chess periodical from its start in 1933 until a rival emerged in 1961 after a major revamp of the official United States Chess Federation
magazine, Chess Life
. The two magazines remained in competition until November 1969 when Horowitz retired and the magazines were merged to become Chess Life & Review.
composed by Otto Wurzburg (1875–1951), a Grand Rapids, Michigan
, postal worker.
Kashdan was one of the world's premier problem solvers of the 1920s and 1930s.
His interest in compositions influenced the magazine for years after he left, and the cover would feature a chess problem every issue until May 1941.
Wurzburg served as problem editor and contributed a monthly column.
The magazine staff also included art director Bertram Kadish who contributed cartoons and illustrations.
An unusual feature of the first issue was a bridge column written by George Reith.
Horowitz and Reinfeld were contract bridge
devotees, but the column was dropped after three issues.
Horowitz became the editor for the November-December 1933 issue when Kashdan left the magazine to focus more on his playing career. In 1934 it became the first chess periodical to be sold on newsstands and leading department stores. For that reason, no June issue was printed and the magazine dated ahead one month.
In December 1935 the magazine began to put "The Official Organ of the American Chess Federation" on the cover.
The American Chess Federation was a predecessor of the United States Chess Federation
(USCF), established in 1939.
Reinfeld would temporarily leave in 1936 to concentrate on his book writing.
The August-September 1941 issue featured a new column by Reuben Fine
, "Game of the Month".
(His rival Samuel Reshevsky
would not write for the magazine until some years later.)
This column and format would later be continued by Max Euwe
and Svetozar Gligorić
.
In the same issue, Irving Chernev
started the column "Chess Quiz".
Chernev had begun to contribute to the magazine in its first year but this marked the beginning of a larger role.
Jack Collins
and Albert Pinkus
joined the staff in 1943.
In 1944 Chess Review began billing itself "The Picture Chess Magazine."
Reinfeld returned to the magazine in 1945 as Executive Editor, and Horowitz and Kenneth Harkness
were listed as Editors and Publishers.
Hans Kmoch
joined in 1948, contributing coverage of international tournaments, chess opening theory, and eulogies of great chess players.
Fine retired from chess and his "Game of the Month" column in November 1949.
Euwe resurrected the column in 1952.
Savielly Tartakower
also joined the magazine that year, providing portions of his memoirs at intermittent intervals.
Contributors later included Walter Korn
(1953), Arthur Bisguier
(1957), and Petar Trifunovic
(1963).
From its beginning in 1933, Chess Review had been the leading U.S. chess periodical.
In 1961 Frank Brady redesigned Chess Life, the official USCF publication, changing it from a newspaper format to a glossy magazine.
The magazines would compete until November 1969 when Horowitz retired and the USCF purchased Chess Review to merge the magazines to form Chess Life & Review
.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
magazine that was published from January 1933 until October 1969 (Volume 37 Number 10). Until April 1941 it was called The Chess Review. Published in New York, it began on a schedule of at least ten issues a year but later became a monthly. Isaac Kashdan
Isaac Kashdan
Isaac Kashdan was an American chess grandmaster and chess writer. Kashdan was one of the world's best players in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He was twice U.S. Open champion...
was the editor for the first year, with Al Horowitz and Fred Reinfeld
Fred Reinfeld
Fred Reinfeld was an American chess master and a prolific writer on chess and many other subjects, whose books are still read today.-Biography:...
as associate editors. After one year Kashdan left and Al Horowitz became editor, a position he retained for the remainder of the magazine's existence. Chess Review was virtually unchallenged as the premier U.S. chess periodical from its start in 1933 until a rival emerged in 1961 after a major revamp of the official United States Chess Federation
United States Chess Federation
The United States Chess Federation is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership...
magazine, Chess Life
Chess Life
Chess Life is a monthly chess magazine published in the United States. The official publication of the United States Chess Federation , it reaches more than a quarter of a million readers every month. A subscription to Chess Life is one of the benefits of Full Adult, Youth, or Life membership in...
. The two magazines remained in competition until November 1969 when Horowitz retired and the magazines were merged to become Chess Life & Review.
History
The cover of the first issue featured a chess problemChess problem
A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using chess pieces on a chess board, that presents the solver with a particular task to be achieved. For instance, a position might be given with the instruction that White is to move first, and checkmate Black in two...
composed by Otto Wurzburg (1875–1951), a Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, postal worker.
Kashdan was one of the world's premier problem solvers of the 1920s and 1930s.
His interest in compositions influenced the magazine for years after he left, and the cover would feature a chess problem every issue until May 1941.
Wurzburg served as problem editor and contributed a monthly column.
The magazine staff also included art director Bertram Kadish who contributed cartoons and illustrations.
An unusual feature of the first issue was a bridge column written by George Reith.
Horowitz and Reinfeld were contract bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
devotees, but the column was dropped after three issues.
Horowitz became the editor for the November-December 1933 issue when Kashdan left the magazine to focus more on his playing career. In 1934 it became the first chess periodical to be sold on newsstands and leading department stores. For that reason, no June issue was printed and the magazine dated ahead one month.
In December 1935 the magazine began to put "The Official Organ of the American Chess Federation" on the cover.
The American Chess Federation was a predecessor of the United States Chess Federation
United States Chess Federation
The United States Chess Federation is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership...
(USCF), established in 1939.
Reinfeld would temporarily leave in 1936 to concentrate on his book writing.
The August-September 1941 issue featured a new column by Reuben Fine
Reuben Fine
Reuben Fine was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the early 1930s through the 1940s, an International Grandmaster, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology.Fine won five medals in three chess Olympiads. Fine won the U.S...
, "Game of the Month".
(His rival Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel "Sammy" Herman Reshevsky was a famous chess prodigy and later a leading American chess Grandmaster...
would not write for the magazine until some years later.)
This column and format would later be continued by Max Euwe
Max Euwe
Machgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
and Svetozar Gligorić
Svetozar Gligoric
Svetozar Gligorić is a Serbian chess grandmaster. He won the championship of Yugoslavia a record twelve times, and is considered the best player ever from Serbia...
.
In the same issue, Irving Chernev
Irving Chernev
Irving Chernev was a prolific Russian-American chess author. He was born in Priluki in the Russian Empire and emigrated to the United States in 1920. Chernev was a national master strength player, and was obsessed with chess...
started the column "Chess Quiz".
Chernev had begun to contribute to the magazine in its first year but this marked the beginning of a larger role.
Jack Collins
John W. Collins
John William Collins or Jack Collins, was an influential American teacher of chess.Collins was born and raised in Newburgh, New York, but lived most of his life in New York City. He became a chess master in the 1930s...
and Albert Pinkus
Albert Pinkus
Albert Sidney Pinkus was an American chess master and author. In 1943 and 1944, he published an analysis of the Two Knights Defense in Chess Review.-Chess career:...
joined the staff in 1943.
In 1944 Chess Review began billing itself "The Picture Chess Magazine."
Reinfeld returned to the magazine in 1945 as Executive Editor, and Horowitz and Kenneth Harkness
Kenneth Harkness
Kenneth Harkness was a chess organizer. He is the creator of the Harkness rating system.-Life and career:...
were listed as Editors and Publishers.
Hans Kmoch
Hans Kmoch
Johann "Hans" Joseph Kmoch was an Austrian-Dutch-American chess International Master , International Arbiter , and a chess journalist and author, for which he is best known....
joined in 1948, contributing coverage of international tournaments, chess opening theory, and eulogies of great chess players.
Fine retired from chess and his "Game of the Month" column in November 1949.
Euwe resurrected the column in 1952.
Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...
also joined the magazine that year, providing portions of his memoirs at intermittent intervals.
Contributors later included Walter Korn
Walter Korn
Walter Korn was an author of books and magazine articles about chess. Despite his status as a writer, there is no known record of him playing tournament chess, and few chess players ever met him...
(1953), Arthur Bisguier
Arthur Bisguier
Arthur Bernard Bisguier is an American chess Grandmaster, chess promoter, and writer. Bisguier won two U.S. Junior Championships , three U.S. Open Chess Championship titles , and the 1954 United States Chess Championship title. He played for the United States in five chess Olympiads...
(1957), and Petar Trifunovic
Petar Trifunovic
Dr. Petar Trifunović was an International Grandmaster and Serbian Champion of chess...
(1963).
From its beginning in 1933, Chess Review had been the leading U.S. chess periodical.
In 1961 Frank Brady redesigned Chess Life, the official USCF publication, changing it from a newspaper format to a glossy magazine.
The magazines would compete until November 1969 when Horowitz retired and the USCF purchased Chess Review to merge the magazines to form Chess Life & Review
Chess Life
Chess Life is a monthly chess magazine published in the United States. The official publication of the United States Chess Federation , it reaches more than a quarter of a million readers every month. A subscription to Chess Life is one of the benefits of Full Adult, Youth, or Life membership in...
.
External links
- Cleveland Public Library catalog details from the John G. White Chess Collection