Reshevsky Samuel - a chess prodigy of the twentieth century

Reshevsky Samuel is an American chess grandmaster by the version of the International Chess Association, fifteenfold champion of the United States of America in chess (1936-1944, 1946-1948, 1969-1972), multiple contender for the title to the world champions in the first half of the XX century, the most famous chess prodigy Planet.

Samuel Reshevsky: biography of a chess player

Reshevsky was born on November 26, 1911 in the city of Ozorkow (Poland), formerly located on the territory of the Russian Empire. Samuel grew up in a modest Jewish family, where he was the sixth child. Being very small, Reshevsky began to learn chess. In two years he was already boldly moving figures on a chessboard, playing with his father. At the age of four, finally mastering the rules of the game and its nuances, he began to fight the strongest chess players in his city. When the family moved to the city of Lodz, the chess talents of young Samuel were noticed by the famous Polish grandmaster Georg Salve. From now on the little prodigy trains with the strongest masters and actively takes part in the city chess championships.

Reshevsky's debut in the international arena took place at the age of six, when he had a chance to take part in the chess tournament in Vienna (Austria). Samuel's opponents were the strongest world masters who with obvious emotion sat down at the chess table, not doubting their victory. However, the thought of the insolvency of the young boy immediately grew into anger and bewilderment - the child beat each opponent. One of the participants of the tournament - the strongest Viennese chess master Wolf was burning with anger, wishing to beat the boy. Before the game with Reshevsky, he said "Such kind of stunts against me will not work!", But he was also out of work - the boy confidently zamatoval his king. The next chess test was against Slovenian grandmaster Milan Vidmar, where in a difficult struggle six-year-old Samuel was defeated. The boy fought well for several hours, while the whole party he stood on his knees, because because of his still low growth could not fully sit at the chess table.

Samuel Reshevsky: a chess prodigy

Giving all free time to the game, the boy did not receive school education, he clearly yielded to his peers in the intellectual horizon. At the age of eight, Samuel passed a general educational child test, the results of which showed that the child does not see any difference between a gorilla and a lion. All these shortcomings were compensated by the fact that Reshevsky, being still quite a child, could easily solve a difficult puzzle, which is beyond the power even for some adults. In combination with chess talent, without excess flattery and hypocrisy, he was called a child prodigy.

Recalling childhood, Samuel Reshevsky claimed that at the age of six chess became for him a kind of vital breathing, practicable at the reflex level without the need for conscious effort.

Early international fame of Samuel Reshevsky

The chess talent of the child quickly and progressively developed, and already in 1920, Reshevsky Samuel goes on a world chess tour. The nine-year-old boy managed to demonstrate his chess skills in Paris, London, Vienna and Berlin. In every city, Samuel became a real hero, fighting gray-bearded opponents. The perplexed audience saw off young talent with an abundance of applause and applause. All did not fit in my head, as such a small chess player is able to beat world masters and grandmasters. During the "chess" journey Reshevsky Samuel spent 23 games, 4 of which ended in a draw, and the rest with confident victories.

Eight-year-old child against a company of experienced chess connoisseurs

Observing the success of Sammy, parents began to realize that the talents of the child are able to bring a lot of money to the family. In 1921, the family moved to the United States, where very soon parents organize a chess tour within the country. About two years, Reshevsky travels through the US cities and proves that he has no equal behind the chessboard. Once a young Sammy had a chance to play against the best chess players of the Military Academy, where he marked a triumph in 19 games out of 20 played.

In addition, the child prodigy played simultaneous games in theaters and shopping centers in several states. In 1922, the boy takes part in a tournament of masters, where he fought with grandmaster David Yanovsky, the game ended in the victory of Reshevsky.

Time out for education

After the completion of the chess tour Samuel's parents came to the conclusion that he needed to get a secondary education - a 12-year-old is going to school for the first time. There he learns to read and write, mastering universal literacy. During the training period, the guy does not take part in chess competitions, but periodically devotes himself to simultaneous games. The chess community for a moment forgets its genius.

Sammy recalls himself in 1927, taking part in the chess championship of the West Coast of the United States. The guy again beat everyone! Samuel came to triumph without a single defeat and draw. In 1929, Reshevsky became a student at the University of Economics in Detroit, where he received a higher education in accounting. Here ends the story of the child prodigy - Reshevsky Samuel becomes an adult chess player.