Arnold Denker
Encyclopedia
Arnold Sheldon Denker was an American
chess
player, Grandmaster, and chess author. He was U.S. Chess Champion in 1945 and 1946.
In later years he served in various chess organizations, receiving recognition from the United States Chess Federation
, including in 2004 the highest honor, "Dean of American Chess".
, New York City, and was a promising boxer
in his early years. Denker first gained attention in chess by winning the New York City individual interscholastic championship in 1929 at age 15. In the next decade he established himself as a leading rival to Samuel Reshevsky
, Reuben Fine
, and Isaac Kashdan
as the strongest U.S. chess player.
In 1940 Denker won the first of his six Manhattan Chess Club
championships. He became U.S. Champion
in 1944, winning fourteen games (including one against Fine), drawing three, and losing none. (This 91 percent score was the best winning percentage in U.S. Championship history until Bobby Fischer
scored 11–0 in 1963–64.) Denker successfully defended his U.S. title in a 1946 match against Herman Steiner
, winning 6–4 at Los Angeles
.
He became an International Master in 1950 (the year the title was first awarded by FIDE).
Denker played exhibitions at army bases and aboard aircraft carriers. In 1945 he played on board one in the USA vs USSR radio match
, losing both games to Mikhail Botvinnik
, and in 1946 travelled to Moscow for the return match, losing both games against Vasily Smyslov
. Also in 1946, he played at the very strong Groningen tournament, scoring 9½ out of 19 and securing draws against Botvinnik and Smyslov.
David Hooper
and Ken Whyld
note that Denker may have been unfortunate in that his best years came during World War II, when very little competitive chess was being played .
In 1947 Denker produced an autobiographical game collection in his book: If You Must Play Chess.
. In later years, he was an important chess organizer, serving on the boards of the American Chess Foundation, the United States Chess Federation
(USCF), and the U.S. Chess Trust – the driving force behind the prestigious Denker Tournament of High School Champions
(named in his honor). He also served as a FIDE official. Denker also continued to play chess, though at well below his earlier strength. (His last FIDE rating was 2293.) He wrote many chess articles and in 1995 the book: The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories (co-authored by Larry Parr; Hypermodern Press).
In 1992 Denker was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. He received America’s highest chess honor on June 11, 2004 when he became only the third person to be proclaimed "Dean of American Chess" by the USCF.
A graduate of New York University
, he married the former Nina Simmons in 1936, a marriage lasting 57 years until her death in 1993. They had three children: Richard, Mitchell and Randie.
Denker died on January 2, 2005 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
, after a brief illness.
Denker–Feit, New York 1929 Dutch Defense
1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c4 Be7 7.Nc3 d6
8.d5 e5 9.Ng5 Bc8 10.e4 0-0 11.f4 exf4 12.Bxf4 fxe4 13.Ncxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bxg5 15.Qh5 Rxf4 16.Qxh7+ Kf7 17.Bg6+ Kf6 18.Rxf4+ Bxf4 19.Qh4+ Bg5 20.Qe4 Be3+ 21.Kh1 Bh3 22.Rf1+ Kg5 23.Bh7 1–0
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
player, Grandmaster, and chess author. He was U.S. Chess Champion in 1945 and 1946.
In later years he served in various chess organizations, receiving recognition from 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...
, including in 2004 the highest honor, "Dean of American Chess".
Rising star
Denker was born on February 20, 1914 in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City, and was a promising boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in his early years. Denker first gained attention in chess by winning the New York City individual interscholastic championship in 1929 at age 15. In the next decade he established himself as a leading rival to Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel "Sammy" Herman Reshevsky was a famous chess prodigy and later a leading American chess Grandmaster...
, 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...
, and 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...
as the strongest U.S. chess player.
In 1940 Denker won the first of his six Manhattan Chess Club
Manhattan Chess Club
The Manhattan Chess Club in Manhattan was the second-oldest chess club in the United States . The club was founded in 1877 and started with three dozen players; membership later reached into the hundreds before the club ended its existence in 2002...
championships. He became U.S. Champion
U.S. Chess Championship
The U.S. Chess Championship is an invitational tournament held to determine the national chess champion of the United States. Since 1936, it has been held under the auspices of the U.S. Chess Federation. Until 1999, the event consisted of a round-robin tournament of varying size...
in 1944, winning fourteen games (including one against Fine), drawing three, and losing none. (This 91 percent score was the best winning percentage in U.S. Championship history until Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
scored 11–0 in 1963–64.) Denker successfully defended his U.S. title in a 1946 match against Herman Steiner
Herman Steiner
Herman Steiner was a United States chess player, organizer, and columnist.He won the U.S. Chess Championship in 1948 and became International Master in 1950....
, winning 6–4 at Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
He became an International Master in 1950 (the year the title was first awarded by FIDE).
World War II years
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Denker played exhibitions at army bases and aboard aircraft carriers. In 1945 he played on board one in the USA vs USSR radio match
USA vs. USSR radio chess match 1945
The USA vs. USSR radio chess match 1945 was a chess match between the USA and the USSR that was conducted over the radio from September 1 to September 4, 1945. The ten leading masters of the United States played the ten leading masters of the Soviet Union for chess supremacy. The match was played...
, losing both games to Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...
, and in 1946 travelled to Moscow for the return match, losing both games against Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
. Also in 1946, he played at the very strong Groningen tournament, scoring 9½ out of 19 and securing draws against Botvinnik and Smyslov.
David Hooper
David Vincent Hooper
David Vincent Hooper , born in Reigate, was a British chess player and writer. As an amateur, he tied for fifth place in the 1949 British Championship at Felixstowe. He was the British correspondence chess champion in 1944 and the London Chess Champion in 1948...
and Ken Whyld
Ken Whyld
Kenneth Whyld was a British chess author and researcher, best known as the co-author of The Oxford Companion to Chess, the standard single-volume chess reference work in English....
note that Denker may have been unfortunate in that his best years came during World War II, when very little competitive chess was being played .
In 1947 Denker produced an autobiographical game collection in his book: If You Must Play Chess.
Later life
In 1981 FIDE made Denker an honorary GrandmasterInternational Grandmaster
The title Grandmaster is awarded to strong chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain....
. In later years, he was an important chess organizer, serving on the boards of the American Chess Foundation, 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), and the U.S. Chess Trust – the driving force behind the prestigious Denker Tournament of High School Champions
Denker Tournament of High School Champions
The Denker Tournament of High School Champions is a chess tournament that occurs annually in the United States alongside the US Open and the Barber Tournament of K-8 Champions. The tournament is named for the founder, Arnold Denker and is usually referred to as "The Denker".-Qualifying:This chess...
(named in his honor). He also served as a FIDE official. Denker also continued to play chess, though at well below his earlier strength. (His last FIDE rating was 2293.) He wrote many chess articles and in 1995 the book: The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories (co-authored by Larry Parr; Hypermodern Press).
In 1992 Denker was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. He received America’s highest chess honor on June 11, 2004 when he became only the third person to be proclaimed "Dean of American Chess" by the USCF.
A graduate of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, he married the former Nina Simmons in 1936, a marriage lasting 57 years until her death in 1993. They had three children: Richard, Mitchell and Randie.
Denker died on January 2, 2005 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, after a brief illness.
Sample game
The following is Denker's favorite game, a brilliancy he played at age 15:Denker–Feit, New York 1929 Dutch Defense
1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c4 Be7 7.Nc3 d6
8.d5 e5 9.Ng5 Bc8 10.e4 0-0 11.f4 exf4 12.Bxf4 fxe4 13.Ncxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bxg5 15.Qh5 Rxf4 16.Qxh7+ Kf7 17.Bg6+ Kf6 18.Rxf4+ Bxf4 19.Qh4+ Bg5 20.Qe4 Be3+ 21.Kh1 Bh3 22.Rf1+ Kg5 23.Bh7 1–0
Books
- If You Must Play Chess, by Arnold Denker, David McKay Co, 1947.
- The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories, by Arnold Denker and Larry Parr, San Francisco, Hypermodern Press, 1995, ISBN 1886040184.