Samuel Factor
Encyclopedia
Samuel Factor (Faktor) (22 September 1883, Łódź – 11 January 1949, Chicago
) was a Polish-American chess
master.
, and Teodor Regedziński
. In 1917/18, he took 2nd, behind Regedziński. In 1919, he won the Łódź Chess Club Championship. Then, he emigrated, via Holland, to America.
In the end of 1919, he drew a mini-match with Richard Réti
(+1 –1 =0) in Rotterdam
. In March 1920, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Abraham Speijer
, behind Akiba Rubinstein
, in Rotterdam. In July 1921, Factor tied for 5-7th in Atlantic City (8th American Chess Congress
). The event was won by Dawid Janowski
. In October 1921, he took 2nd, behond Edward Lasker
, in Cleveland, Ohio (22nd WCA). In August/September 1922, he won in Louisville, Kentucky
(23rd WCA). In 1922, Factor won the Championship of Chicago.
In 1928, Factor represented USA at third board (+4 –2 =5) in the 2nd Chess Olympiad
in The Hague
. He won team silver medal.
In August 1932, he tied for 7–10th in Pasadena, California
(Alexander Alekhine
won).
According to his obituary in the January 20, 1949 issue of Chess Life
, Factor died after a brief illness. The article highlights that Factor won the Western Chess Association Championship
twice—at Louisville in 1922 and at Chicago in 1930 (tied with N. T. Whitaker
in the later). The obituary further notes:
Factor was survived by his wife Hazel and his children Barbara and Phyllis.
Samuel Factor is the nephew of Max Factor
in that Samuel Factor's father Daniel was a brother of Max.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) was a Polish-American chess
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...
master.
Biography
During World War I, Faktor was one of the strongest chess players in Łódź . In 1916, he lost a match to Hirszbajn (+2 –4 =4). In 1917, he took 3rd, behind Gersz SalweGersz Salwe
Gersz Salwe was a Polish chess player.-Biography:Salwe was born into a Jewish family in Warsaw ....
, and Teodor Regedziński
Teodor Regedzinski
Teodor Regedziński was a Polish chess master.-Biography:Born Polish , Regedziński was of German origin as his father, named Reger. He had lived in Łódź since 1908, enrolling in the Łódź Association of Devotees of the Game of Chess...
. In 1917/18, he took 2nd, behind Regedziński. In 1919, he won the Łódź Chess Club Championship. Then, he emigrated, via Holland, to America.
In the end of 1919, he drew a mini-match with Richard Réti
Richard Réti
Réti composed one of the most famous chess studies, shown in this diagram. It was published in Ostrauer Morgenzeitung 4 December 1921. It seems impossible for the white king to catch the advanced black pawn, while the white pawn can be easily stopped by the black king...
(+1 –1 =0) in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. In March 1920, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Abraham Speijer
Abraham Speijer
Abraham Speijer was a Dutch chess master.Speijer tied for 1st with Adolf Olland in the 1st Dutch Chess Championship at Leiden 1909, although Olland was recognized as the Champion....
, behind Akiba Rubinstein
Akiba Rubinstein
Akiba Kiwelowicz Rubinstein was a famous Polish chess Grandmaster at the beginning of the 20th century. He was scheduled to play a match with Emanuel Lasker for the world championship in 1914, but it was cancelled because of the outbreak of World War I...
, in Rotterdam. In July 1921, Factor tied for 5-7th in Atlantic City (8th American Chess Congress
American Chess Congress
The American Chess Congress was a series of chess tournaments held in the United States, a predecessor to the current U.S. Chess Championship. It had nine editions, the first played in 1857 and the last in 1923.-First American Chess Congress :...
). The event was won by Dawid Janowski
Dawid Janowski
Dawid Markelowicz Janowski was a leading Polish chess master and subsequent French citizen....
. In October 1921, he took 2nd, behond Edward Lasker
Edward Lasker
Edward Lasker was a leading German-American chess and Go player. He was awarded the title of International Master of chess by FIDE. Lasker was an engineer by profession, and an author.-Background:...
, in Cleveland, Ohio (22nd WCA). In August/September 1922, he won in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
(23rd WCA). In 1922, Factor won the Championship of Chicago.
In 1928, Factor represented USA at third board (+4 –2 =5) in the 2nd Chess Olympiad
2nd Chess Olympiad
The 2nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 21 and August 6, 1928 in The Hague, Netherlands.The final results were as...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. He won team silver medal.
In August 1932, he tied for 7–10th in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
(Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
won).
According to his obituary in the January 20, 1949 issue of 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...
, Factor died after a brief illness. The article highlights that Factor won the Western Chess Association Championship
U.S. Open Chess Championship
The U.S. Open Championship is an open national chess championship that has been held in the United States annually since 1900.-History:Through 1938, the tournaments were organized by the Western Chess Association and its successor, the American Chess Federation .The United States Chess Federation ...
twice—at Louisville in 1922 and at Chicago in 1930 (tied with N. T. Whitaker
Norman Tweed Whitaker
Norman Tweed Whitaker was an International Master of chess. After more than ten years of campaigning, he was awarded the title by FIDE in 1965 , based on his earlier play . He was involved in a confidence trick involving the Lindbergh kidnapping and went to prison several times...
in the later). The obituary further notes:
As an organizer of chess Factor was prominent. He had a hand in the development of the original Western Chess Association; he was one of the organizers of the National Chess Federation, and later of the American Chess Federation; and lived to see these three begin to realize his dreams in the final form of the United States Chess Federation of which he was a most valued Director.
It is difficult to be objective in cataloguing a few of Sam Factor's many contributions to chess, for in many respects his own personality was his greatest contribution. Few master players have won as modestly, lost as graciously, or been as unostentatiously helpful and unselfish with their time and talent.
Factor was survived by his wife Hazel and his children Barbara and Phyllis.
Samuel Factor is the nephew of Max Factor
Max Factor
Max Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
in that Samuel Factor's father Daniel was a brother of Max.
Notable chess games
- Samuel Faktor vs Richard Réti, Rotterdam 1919, Dutch Defence, A85, 1-0
- Samuel Factor vs Samuel Reshevsky, Detroit 1924, 25th WCA, Queen’s Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav, D46, 1-0
- Samuel Factor vs Karl Gilg (CSR), The Hague 1928, 2nd Olympiad, Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, Classical, D68, 1-0
- Nietsche vs Samuel Factor, Chicago 1942, King's Gambit Accepted, Bishop's Gambit, Lopez Variation, C33, 0-1