<47th US Open
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 8-20, 1946>
The end of World War II marked a rejuvenation in the US Open, as the 1946 tournament set a record with 58 players. Two other features marked a new transition in its history.
First, the Swiss System was used for the first time in a U.S. Open (after the first two rounds were paired by lot) to determine qualifiers for the various final sections. Beginning in 1947, it would be used for the entire tournament and the number of players began to grow. This helped solve the scheduling problems which had plagued previous Opens, when two or three games would have to be played every day for an extended period.
Also, 1946 saw the first appearance of a new generation of US players who would become the masters of the future. Making their debut, among others, were Larry Evans, Robert Byrne, Arthur Bisguier, Hans Berliner, Donald Byrne, Walter Shipman, and George Kramer. With several veterans and former champions participating as well, plus an appearance by Georges Koltanowski in a playing role, the tournament offers an interesting generational conflict.
The Preliminary tournament was played as an eight-round Swiss. Afterwards, the players were divided into groups of 8-10 by order of finish, with ties broken by Sonnenborg-Berger. Each finals group then played a round robin, with scores from the preliminary section carried over.
Preliminary Swiss
NOTE: Colors are indicated in this crosstable. If the result appears first, the player had White; if the opponent's number appears first, the player had Black.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 Olaf Ulvestad 58W W24 36L W17 10D W13 8 W W 2 6.5 Championship
2 Herman Steiner 39W W53 15D W20 W 7 5 D W 3 1 L 6.0 Championship
3 Abraham Kupchik 46W W39 19W D 4 6 D W23 2 L W 9 6.0 Championship
4 Gerald Katz 55W W54 W27 3 D D 5 7 D D12 15W 6.0 Championship
5 Donald Byrne 32W W33 10D W 8 4 D D 2 D19 7 D 5.5 Championship
6 Walter Shipman W17 41W D22 25W D 3 19D D 7 12D 5.5 Championship
7 Harry Fajans 35W W34 13W W36 2 L D 4 6 D D 5 5.5 Championship
8 Herbert Seidman 14W W43 W11 5 L W21 12D L 1 23W 5.5 Championship
9 Arthur Bisguier 37L W50 14W W16 19D W20 W11 3 L 5.5 Championship
10 Frank J Yerhoff 28W W35 D 5 23D D 1 11L W27 22W 5.5 Championship
11 Weaver Warren Adams 48W W32 8 L W30 13D W10 9 L W19 5.5 Premier Reservies
12 Miguel Aleman Dovo 43D W51 30D W26 36W D 8 4 D D 6 5.5 Premier Reservies
13 Robert Eugene Byrne 29W W55 L 7 27W D11 1 L 20W W26 5.5 Premier Reservies
14 Hyman Gordon L 8 42W L 9 47D W49 41W W51 21W 5.5 Premier Reservies
15 Georges Koltanowski 26W W48 D 2 21D L23 16W 29W L 4 5.0 Withdrew
16 Eugene Levin 53W L20 34W 9 L W25 L15 31W W28 5.0 Premier Reservies
17 Arpad Elo 6 L W44 40W 1 L W43 L28 50W W33 5.0 Withdrew
18 Sven Elias Almgren 36L W40 26L W51 L29 47W W42 30W 5.0 Premier Reservies
19 Karl Forster W41 47W L 3 22W D 9 D 6 5 D 11L 4.5 Premier Reservies
20 Larry Melvyn Evans W25 16W D21 2 L W37 9 L L13 42W 4.5 Premier Reservies
21 George Mortimer Kramer 24W W46 20D D15 8 L D26 28W L14 4.5 Premier Reservies
22 Anthony Santasiere 33W D29 6 D L19 38W W36 23D L10 4.5 Premier Reservies
23 Oscar Shapiro 30D W58 28W D10 15W 3 L D22 L 8 4.5 Major
24 James Cross L21 1 L W46 42W 28L W39 36D W29 4.5 Major
25 Albert Sandrin 20L W38 51W L 6 16L D48 53W W36 4.5 Major
26 Hans Berliner L15 49W W18 12L W39 21D D30 13L 4.0 Major
27 Glenn E Hartleb 50W W31 4 L L13 30D W38 10L D34 4.0 Major
28 Milton Finkelstein L10 56W L23 54W W24 17W L21 16L 4.0 Major
29 Julius Paal L13 22D D47 W55 18W 37W L15 24L 4.0 Major
30 Mark Surgies D23 57W D12 11L D27 45W 26D L18 4.0 Withdrew
31 Bertram Claude Jenkines W49 27L L37 41W L47 32W L16 54W 4.0 Major
32 Donald J Sibbett L 5 11L 48D W40 44D L31 W45 52W 4.0 Major Reserves
33 William Grossman L22 5 L D52 57D W54 43W W37 17L 4.0 Major Reserves
34 Paul Poschel W45 7 L L16 39L D41 56W W48 27D 4.0 Major Reserves
35 Durwood Hatch L 7 10L L49 56W W46 42L W47 43W 4.0 Major Reserves
36 Joseph Lyon Rauch W18 52W W 1 7 L L12 22L D24 25L 3.5 Major Reserves
37 Edgar Thomas McCormick W 9 45L 31W W44 20L L29 33L D38 3.5 Major Reserves
38 Edmund Nash D47 25L W54 45W L22 27L 39D 37D 3.5 Withdrew
39 John T Westbrock L 2 3 L W57 W34 26L 24L D38 51W 3.5 Major Reserves
40 H Grant W56 18L L17 32L L42 46W D54 48W 3.5 Major Reserves
41 Paul Dietz 19L L 6 58W L31 34D L14 W49 W47 3.5 Minor
42 Alexander Spitzer 44L L14 50W L24 40W W35 18L L20 3.0 Minor
43 Ernest W Strang D12 8 L W53 49D 17L L33 W44 L35 3.0 Withdrew
44 Anthony R Wisniewski W42 17L D45 37L D32 51L 43L W53 3.0 Minor
45 Albert J Ozgo 34L W37 44D L38 48D L30 32L W58 3.0 Minor
46 Thomas B Eckenrode L 3 21L 24L W58 35L L40 W56 57W 3.0 Minor
47 Fred H Stoppel 38D L19 29D D14 31W L18 35L 41L 2.5 Minor
48 Morton Schaffer L11 15L D32 52W D45 D25 34L L40 2.5 Minor
49 LeRoy Guthridge 31L L26 35W D43 14L L50 41L W55 2.5 Withdrew
50 James Bennett McCord L27 9 L L42 53D W52 49W L17 56L 2.5 Minor Reserves
51 Llewellyn Walter Stephens W52 12L L25 18L 55D W44 14L L39 2.5 Withdrew
52 Jack Gilbert 51L L36 33D L48 50L W57 55W L32 2.5 Minor Reserves
53 Ambrose Gring L16 2 L 43L D50 57W W55 L25 44L 2.5 Minor Reserves
54 Richar Grimm W57 4 L 38L L28 33L W58 40D L31 2.5 Minor Reserves
55 Byron B Price L 4 13L W56 29L D51 53L L52 49L 1.5 Minor Reserves
56 Charles Deaktor 40L L28 55L L35 58D L34 46L W50 1.5 Withdrew
57 Karl E Ertzman 54L L30 39L D33 L53 52L 58W L46 1.5 Minor Reserves
58 Jack Yeager L 1 23L L41 46L D56 54L 57L 45L 0.5 Minor Reserves
The kids were not outclassed. Teenagers Donald Byrne, Bisguier, and Shipman made it to the Championship final while Robert Byrne, Kramer and Evans made the Premier Reserves. A big surprise were the failures of Adams, Santasiere and Koltanowski to qualify for the top section; indeed, Georges couldn't see playing any further and withdrew.Again, in the round-robin sections the player's score was added to the preliminary score, the total determining final place. For example, Steiner scored 7.5 in the finals, 6.0 in the prelims, for a total of 13.5.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts Pre Total
1 Steiner * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 7.5 6.0 13.5
2 Seidman ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 7.0 5.5 12.5
3 Kupchik ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 6.0 6.0 12.0
4 Byrne, D ½ ½ 0 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 5.0 5.5 10.5
5 Ulvestad 0 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 4.0 6.5 10.5
6 Bisguier 0 0 ½ 1 ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 4.0 5.5 9.5
7 Fajans 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 3.0 5.5 8.5
8 Katz 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 2.5 6.0 8.5
9 Shipman 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 3.0 5.5 8.5
10 Yerhoff 0 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 1 * 3.0 5.5 8.5
The crucial game was O Ulvestad vs H Steiner, 1946 from round 3. Ulvestad was a point ahead and had Steiner on the ropes, but ended up losing. He faded after that, while Steiner made a fine score of 7.5/9 in the Finals to win by a point. Herbert Seidman was a strong second, while Donald Byrne proved the best of the young breed.PREMIER RESERVES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts Pre Total
1 Byrne, R * 1 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 6.0 5.5 11.5
2 Kramer 0 * 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 7.0 4.5 11.5
3 Santasiere 1 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 6.5 4.5 11.0
4 Almgren 1 0 ½ * 0 0 1 1 1 1 5.5 5.0 10.5
5 Adams 0 0 0 1 * 1 0 ½ 1 1 4.5 5.5 10.0
6 Dovo 0 0 0 1 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ 4.0 5.5 9.5
7 Levin ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ * 0 ½ 1 4.5 5.0 9.5
8 Forster ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * ½ 1 4.5 4.5 9.0
9 Gordon 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1.5 5.5 7.0
10 Evans 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * 1.0 4.5 5.5
Youth was also served in this section, with youngsters Robert Byrne and George Kramer tying for first ahead of Santasiere and Adams. Evans, the youngest of the bunch, obviously wasn't quite ready yet.MAJOR SECTION
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts Pre Total
1 Sandrin * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 5.5 4.5 10.0
2 Shapiro ½ * 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 5.0 4.5 9.5
3 Cross ½ 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 5.0 4.5 9.5
4 Finkelstein ½ 1 ½ * ½ 0 1 1 4.5 4.0 8.5
5 Hartleb 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 1 1 4.0 4.0 8.0
6 Berliner 0 0 0 1 0 * 1 1 3.0 4.0 7.0
7 Jenkines 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 1 1.0 4.0 5.0
8 Paal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 0.0 4.0 4.0
Albert Sandrin would go on to win the US Open in 1949.MAJOR RESERVES SECTION
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts Pre Total
1 Poschel * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 5.0 4.0 9.0
2 Rauch ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 5.0 3.5 8.5
3 Sibbett 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 1 4.5 4.0 8.5
4 Hatch ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 3.5 4.0 7.5
5 Grant 0 0 0 ½ * 1 1 1 3.5 3.5 7.0
6 Grossman 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 2.5 4.0 6.5
7 Westbrook ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 * 0 2.0 3.5 5.5
8 McCormick ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 2.0 3.5 5.5
The fifteen-year-old Poschel would go on to play a major role in future Opens. McCormick was playing in his first Open of what would turn out to be nearly forty.MINOR SECTION
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pts Pre Total
1 Stoppel * 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 5.5 2.5 8.0
2 Schaffer 0 * 1 1 1 1 1 5.0 2.5 7.5
3 Spitzer 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 3.5 3.0 6.5
4 Dietz 0 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 3.0 3.5 6.5
5 Eckenrode ½ 0 0 0 * 0 1 1.5 3.0 4.5
6 Ozgo 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 0 1.5 3.0 4.5
7 Wisniewski 0 0 0 0 0 1 * 1.0 3.0 4.0
Interesting how the players who scored the fewest points in the Preliminary Section wound up at the top here.MINOR RESERVES SECTION
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pts Pre Total
1 Gring * 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 4.5 2.5 7.0
2 McCord 0 * 1 0 1 1 1 4.0 2.5 6.5
3 Grimm ½ 0 * 0 1 1 1 3.5 2.5 6.0
4 Price 0 1 1 * 1 1 ½ 4.5 1.5 6.0
5 Ertzman 1 0 0 0 * 1 ½ 2.5 1.5 4.0
6 Gilbert 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0.0 2.5 2.5
7 Yeager 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * 2.0 0.5 2.5
Ambrose Gring was better known as a problem composer than a player.A tournament book was published which contained all 17 games of each of the 20 players in the Championship Finals and Premier Reserves, plus a smattering of other games. All these games are available in this collection.
Sources
American Chess Bulletin, July/August 1946, p. 74.
The Book of the United States Chess Federation 47th Open Tournament, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 8-20, 1946 / edited by Wm. R. Hamilton.
PREVIOUS: Game Collection: US Open 1945, Peoria.
NEXT: Game Collection: US Open 1947, Corpus Christi.
SEE ALSO: Game Collection: US Open Tournament Index.
Original Collection : Game Collection: US Open 1946, Pittsburgh byUser: Phony Benoni.
Kibitzing
