For links to other post-Marshall and pre-Fischer US championship collections, see Game Collection: US championship tournaments (meta).

Round 5 Kashdan-Woliston was a unplayed forfeit.

Held in New York, 27 Apr - 19 May 1940 at the Hotel Astor. Time control was 36 moves in 2 hours and 18 moves per hour thereafter. Play was scheduled for two sessions per day, five days a week. L. Walter Stephens directed.

As in 1936 and 1938, some players were directly seeded into the tournament and others had to earn a spot by finishing in the top two places in qualifying sections. Reshevsky, Fine, Kashdan, Simonson, Polland, Adams, Hanauer, Woliston, and Littman were directly seeded into the tournament. The preliminary events were more closely contested than in prior years. Shainswit won Section A, but Pinkus tied with Hallman for second and had to win a two-game tiebreaker match to advance to the finals. Bernstein won Section B, but Green and Soudakoff tied for second and decided on a coin toss to determine who advanced. Green won the toss and advanced to the finals. Seidman won Section C, and Reinfeld and Olaf Ulvestad tied for second and also decided on a coin toss, which Reinfeld won. Denker found at the last minute that he was available to play after all and the players voted to allow him to be seeded in as an entry.

THE PLAYERS

Samuel Reshevsky -- Reshevsky was a famous child prodigy who gave up competitive play for several years to focus on his education. After returning to active play in the 1930s, Reshevsky dominated the US championship until the ascendence of Robert James Fischer in the late 1950s. Reshevsky had an unusually long playing career. Reshevsky played on eight US Olympiad teams, winning one team gold, one team bronze, and one individual bronze medal (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/mg...).

Reuben Fine -- Fine was a world-class player that never won the US championship. His best international result would be equal first with Paul Keres at AVRO 1938. He was invited to the world championship tournament organized in 1948 to pick a successor to Alexander Alekhine, who died while holding the title. Fine decided not to play. He was involved in his graduate work in psychology and only played competitive chess for a few more years after earning his degree. Fine played on three US Olympiad teams, winning three team and one individual gold medal and one individual silver medal (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/rn...).

Isaac Kashdan -- Despite being a world-class player in his day, Kashdan was never able to negotiate a championship match with Marshall and once the tournament began he would never win the US championship. He was robbed of the title in 1942 by an incorrect ruling in a critical game between Reshevsky and Denker, which meant Reshevsky tied Kashdan for first instead of Kashdan winning the tournament outright. Kashdan lost the playoff match to Reshevsky, and that was as close as he would ever come to being US champion. Kashdan took over as chess editor for the <Los Angeles Times> after Steiner's death. Kashdan became an International Arbiter after his active playing days and directed both Game Collection: First Piatigorsky Cup 1963 and Game Collection: Second Piatigorsky Cup 1966. Kashdan played on five US Olympiad teams, winning three team and two individual gold medals, one team and one individual silver medal, and two individual bronze medals (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/vx...).

Albert Pinkus -- Pinkus was Manhattan Chess club champion twice, and NY state champion once. Pinkus played in the 1945 USA v USSR radio match. He played in five US championships.

Albert Simonson -- Simonson was the reserve on the gold-medal US team at the 1933 Folkstone Olympiad (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/ks...). Simonson also finished second in the 1936 US championship, a half point behind Reshevsky and a half point ahead of Fine.

Abraham Kupchik -- Two of Kupchik's best results were at Lake Hopatcong; 1923, where he tied with Marshall for first, and 1926, where he finished second behind Capablanca. He also drew a match (+1 -1 =4) with Carlos Torre Repetto in New York in 1924. Kupchik played on one US Olympiad team, winning a team gold and an individual bronze medal (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/3z...). A brief summary of Kupchik's career along with a photo of him playing Capablanca at Lake Hopatcong is at: http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/...

Arnold Denker -- Denker would win the 1944 US championship ahead of Fine, Horowitz and Steiner. He successfully defended his title in 1946 in a match with Herman Steiner. Later in life he became very active in chess organization in the US and the <Denker Tournament of High School Champions> is named in his honor.

Sidney Norman Bernstein -- Bernstein was active in and around New York City and played in eight US championship tournaments.

David S Polland -- Polland won both the NY state championship and the US Open (4th American Chess Federation) in 1937. In 1938, he tied for 1st with Frank Marshall in the Marshall Chess Club championship.

Fred Reinfeld -- Reinfeld is mostly remembered today for his numerous beginner's books, but he won the NY state championship twice and played in several US championships.

George Shainswit -- Shainswit played in five US championships and was a member of the 1950 US Olympiad team (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/b7...).

Weaver Adams -- Although a strong US master of his day, Adams is most remembered for his controversial ideas about White's opening advantage. He won the 1946 US Open and played in five US championships.

Herbert Seidman -- Seidman played in several US championships. He was NY state champion twice and played in the 1945 USA v USSR radio match (board 8).

Matthew Green -- Green

Milton Loeb Hanauer -- Hanauer played on one US Olympiad team, winning a team silver medal (http://www.olimpbase.org/players/7x...).

Philip Reinhold Geffe (Woliston) --Woliston was California state champion. He later changed his name to Philip Geffe.

Gustav Littman -- Littman was seeded into the tournament by virtue of being the Southern Chess Association champion. He later changed his name to Gustave Drexel.

THE CROSSTABLE

          R F K P S K D B P R S A S G H W L
Reshevsky X = 1 1 = 1 1 1 1 = = 1 = = 1 1 1 13
Fine      = X = = 1 0 = 1 = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12.5
Kashdan   0 = X = 1 1 1 = = = 1 0 1 = 1 1 = 10.5
Pinkus    0 = = X 1 = 0 = = = 1 = 1 = 1 1 1 10
Simonson  = 0 0 0 X 1 = 0 1 = = 1 1 1 1 1 1 10
Kupchik   0 1 0 = 0 X = = = = = 1 1 1 = 1 1  9.5
Denker    0 = 0 1 = = X 1 0 = 0 1 1 1 = 1 1  9.5
Bernstein 0 0 = = 1 = 0 X 1 = = 0 0 1 0 1 1  7.5
Polland   0 = = = 0 = 1 0 X 1 = 1 = 0 1 0 =  7.5
Reinfeld  = 0 = = = = = = 0 X = = = = = = 1  7.5
Shainswit = 0 0 0 = = 1 = = = X = = = = 1 =  7.5
Adams     0 0 1 = 0 0 0 1 0 = = X 0 1 = 1 1  7
Seidman   = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 = = = 1 X = = 1 1  7
Green     = 0 = = 0 0 0 0 1 = = 0 = X = 1 =  6
Hanauer   0 0 0 0 0 = = 1 0 = = = = = X = 1  6
Woliston  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 = 0 0 0 0 = X 1  3
Littman   0 0 = 0 0 0 0 0 = 0 = 0 0 = 0 0 X  2

ROUND 1

With an odd number of players, there was a bye each round. Bernstein drew the first bye. Fine won against Adams, Kashdan won against Kupchik, and Simonson won against Polland. The other four games were drawn, with Reshevsky starting slowly with a draw against Seidman, who would not have a particularly good tournament.

ROUND 2

Reinfeld had the second round bye. Seidman won against Adams, Woliston beat Polland, and Denker won against Littman. Five of the eight games were drawn, the two most important being Fine-Kashdan and Simonson-Reshevsky. This put Fine, Kashdan, Simonson, Seidman, Woliston, and Shainswit in the lead at 1.5. Reshevsky, Pinkus, Denker, Green, and Hanauer trailed a half point back with 1.0.

ROUND 3

Shainswit had the bye. Reshevsky scored his first win of the tournament by beating Woliston. Kashdan won against Seidman. Simonson scored against Adams when Adams overlooked a forced mate with a double Rook sacrifice (W Adams vs A Simonson, 1940 27. Rxg7+ Kf8 28. Rg8+ Kxg8 29. Rg1+ Kf8 30. Bg7+ Kg8 31. Bf6+ Kf8 32. Rg8+ Kxg8 33. Qg2+). Green won against Polland. Fine could only draw against Pinkus, so this left Kashdan and Simonson in the lead with 2.5 and Reshevsky, Fine, and Green in the second group with 2.0.

ROUND 4

Kupchik had the bye. Kashdan won against Seidman, putting Kashdan alone in first place with 3.5. Fine won against Reinfeld, Pinkus beat Seidman, Hanauer won against Bernstein, Polland won against Denker, and Adams scored the quickest win of the tournament against Woliston in 14 moves. Reshevsky had to settle for another draw, this time against Green. Fine was now in second at 3.0 and Reshevsky, Simonson, Pinkus, Green and Hanauer were a full point behind Kashdan at 2.5.

ROUND 5

Littman had the bye. Kashdan score a forfeit win when Woliston was mistakenly under the impression that no game was scheduled and did not appear. Reshevsky won against Denker and, in what would prove to be an important upset, Kupchik beat Fine. Pinkus won against Simonson. Kashdan was still in first with 4.5, followed by Reshevsky and Pinkus at 3.5, and Fine, Hanauer, and Green at 3.0.

ROUND 6

Fine was the first front-runner with the bye, so he temporarily lost ground in the race for first. Reshevsky won against Bernstein but Kashdan could only draw against Green and Simonson drew against Reinfeld, who was to be the drawing master of the tournament, eventually drawing 13 of 16 games. Hanauer won against Littman. Kashdan still lead with 5.0, but now Reshevsky and Pinkus trailed by only a half point at 4.5, followed by Hanauer at 4.0.

ROUND 7

Hanauer had the bye. Kashdan won against Denker, Simonson beat Kupchik, and Fine won against Seidman. Pinkus drew with Green. Kashdan was still alone in first at 6.0, with Reshevsky at 5.0, Pinkus at 4.5, and Fine, Simonson, and Hanauer at 4.0.

ROUND 8

Seidman had the bye. Reshevsky won against Littman and Fine beat Simonson. Denker won against Pinkus. Kashdan could only draw against Bernstein. This was good enough to hold the lead at 6.5. Reshevsky remained close, a half point behind Kashdan at 6.0. While tied with Pinkus at 5.0, Fine was still within striking distance, as he was the only front-runner to have taken his bye. Seidman and Hanauer were tied at 4.0.

ROUND 9

Polland had the bye. Kashdan won against Shainswit, Fine beat Woliston, Reshevsky won against Hanauer, and Simonson beat Seidman. Pinkus drew with Bernstein. Kashdan lead with 7.5, followed by Reshevsky at 7.0, Fine at 6.0, Pinkus at 5.5, and Simonson at 5.0.

ROUND 10

Simonson had the bye. Fine won against Green, Reshevsky beat Polland, and Pinkus won against Shainswit. Kashdan slipped again, only drawing against the tailender Littman, who would not win a single game in the tournament. Kashdan was now tied for first with Reshevsky at 8.0, with Fine at 7.0, Pinkus at 6.5, and Simonson and Adams at 5.0.

ROUND 11

Reshevsky had the bye. Kashdan won against Hanauer, but Fine could only draw against Denker, so Kashdan regained his one and a half point lead over Fine. With no played game, Reshevsky temporarily dropped a point off the pace. Polland beat Adams, Pinkus won against Littman, and Simonson beat Woliston. Kashdan was at 9.0, Reshevsky at 8.0, Fine and Pinkus at 7.5, and Simonson at 6.0.

ROUND 12

Woliston had the bye. Fine won against Bernstein and Reshevsky beat Adams. Kashdan gave up another draw, this time to Polland. Simonson beat Green and Pinkus won against Hanauer. Kashdan was still first by a point at 9.5, but he had yet to sit out a round for his bye. Reshevsky was second at 9.0. Fine and Pinkus were third, at 8.5. Simonson was fourth, at 7.0.

ROUND 13

Adams had the bye. In one of the most important games of the tournament, Reshevsky beat Kashdan (Kashdan vs Reshevsky, 1940). Fine won against Shainswit. Simonson drew against Denker and Pinkus drew with Polland. Reshevsky was now first at 10.0. Fine and Kashdan were tied for second at 9.5, but both Reshevsky and Fine had taken their byes while Kashdan's bye was not scheduled until Round 15. Pinkus was at 9.0 and Simonson was at 7.5.

ROUND 14

Green had the bye. Reshevsky won against Pinkus, Fine beat Littman, but in a critical upset, Adams beat Kashdan (W Adams vs Kashdan, 1940). As Kashdan would take his bye in the next round, this loss ended Kashdan's hopes for first. Simonson lost on time to Bernstein. Reshevsky was first with 11, Fine was second with 10.5, and Kashdan and Pinkus were third with 9.5. Simonson and Denker were at 7.5.

ROUND 15

Kashdan had the bye. Fine won against Hanauer, while Reshevsky could only draw against Reinfeld. Simonson drew with Shainswit and Pinkus drew with Adams. Denker won against Green. Reshevsky was tied for first with Fine at 11.5, while Kashdan and Pinkus were tied for third with 9.5. Simonson was at 8.0.

ROUND 16

Denker had the bye. Reshevsky won against Kupchik. Fine drew with Polland and Kashdan drew with Pinkus. Simonson beat Littman. Reshevsky was first with 12.5, Fine was second with 12.0, Kashdan and Pinkus were still tied for third with 10.0. Simonson closed to a half point behind at 9.0.

ROUND 17

Pinkus had the bye. Reshevsky needed only a draw against Fine to take clear first and drew the game (Fine vs Reshevsky, 1940), winning yet another US championship. As fate would have it, Fine was winning, but threw away most of his advantage with 27. Bf4? instead of 27. Rf4. Fine would come close in various US championships but never take first. This was probably his high-water mark in the championship tournaments in which Reshevsky competed. Reshevsky was the beneficiary of more of these last-round twists of fate in US championships than probably any other player. Kashdan drew against Reinfeld to finish a disappointing third. Simonson won against Hanauer to finish tied for fourth with Pinkus at 10.0.