Gisela Kahn Gresser
Encyclopedia
Gisela Kahn Gresser was (with Mona May Karff
) one of the first two female chess players in the United States
, and one of the first seventeen players in the world, to be awarded the title of Woman International Master in 1950 when FIDE created official titles. She was also the first American woman to be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. She won the U.S. Women's Chess Championship
in 1944 (scoring 8-0), 1948 (with Karff), 1955 (with Nancy Roos
), 1957 (with Sonja Graf
), 1962, 1965, 1966 (with Lisa Lane
), 1967, and 1969 (at age 63).
Gresser learned chess at a very late age. On a cruise from France to New York in the late 1930s, she borrowed a chess manual from a fellow passenger and taught herself how to play. By the end of the cruise, she was hooked. In 1938, she was a spectator at the first U.S. Women's Chess Championship
tournament, organized by Caroline Marshall (wife of US Champion Frank Marshall) and held at the Rockefeller Center
in New York City
(won by Adele Rivero). She first played in the championship in 1940, and in 1944 she won it with a perfect score.
Gresser studied classics at Radcliffe
. She won a prestigious Charles Elliott Norton fellowship, which she used to continue her studies at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. In 1927, she returned to New York, where she married William Gresser, a New York City attorney and musicologist, who died in 1982. She was a housewife, and raised their two sons, Ion and Julian. Gresser was an accomplished painter and musician, as well as a classical scholar. She went on safari
many times, even in her eighties.
In addition to her repeated successes in the U.S. Women's Chess Championship
, Gresser also played in five Women's Candidates' tournaments (for the Women's World Chess Championship
and three Women's Chess Olympiads. She won the 1954 U.S. Women's Open Championship
. She was the first woman in the United States to gain a master
title.
She also wrote an article for the October 1950 issue of Ladies Home Journal, entitled "I Went to Moscow". Mrs. Gresser (Mrs. was her preferred title) took lessons from International Master Hans Kmoch
and Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier
. When she died at age 94, the USCF still had her listed:
, who won the Women's World Championship in this event with 11½ points out of 15 games (+9 =5 -1), her only defeat.
Gresser-Rudenko, Eighth Women's World Championship, Moscow 1949-50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 f5 5.d4 fxe4 6.dxc5 exf3 7.Qxf3 Nf6 8.Bg5 O-O 9.O-O Qe7 10.Bc4+ Kh8 11.b4 a5 12.Bxf6 Rxf6 13.Qd5 Rf8 14.b5 Nd8 15.Nd2 c6 16.Qd6 Qxd6 17.cxd6 b6 18.Rfe1 cxb5 19.Bxb5 Nf7 20.Nc4 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Rxa6 22.Nxe5 Nxd6 23.Nxd7 Rc8 24.Rad1 b5 25.h3 Nf7 26.Re7 Kg8 27.Rde1 Nd6 28.R1e6 Rxc3 29.Ne5 h6 30.Rd7 Rc5 31.Nf7 Nxf7 32.Rxa6 Ne5 33.Rb7 b4 34.Raa7 Nc6 35.Rxg7+ Kf8 36.Raf7+ Ke8 37.Rb7 Rf5 38.Rg8+ Rf8 39.Rxf8+ Kxf8 40.Rb6 Ne5 41.Rxh6 1-0
Mona May Karff
Mona May Karff was an American competitive chess player. Karff dominated U.S. women's chess in the 1940s and early 1950s and had an extended career. She held seven U.S. Women's Chess Champion titles and four consecutive U.S. Open titles.She was born Mona May Ratner in Bessarabia, a province in...
) one of the first two female chess players in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and one of the first seventeen players in the world, to be awarded the title of Woman International Master in 1950 when FIDE created official titles. She was also the first American woman to be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. She won the U.S. Women's Chess Championship
U.S. Women's Chess Championship
The U.S. Women's Chess Championship tournament is to determine the woman chess champion of the United States.-List of U.S. Women's Chess Champions:*1937 Adele Rivero*1938 Mona May Karff*1940 Adele Rivero*1941 Mona May Karff*1942 Mona May Karff...
in 1944 (scoring 8-0), 1948 (with Karff), 1955 (with Nancy Roos
Nancy Roos
Nancy Roos was a U.S. chess champion.Born Nancy Krotoschin in Belgium, she married Martin Roos.Before coming to America she was active at the Cercle l'Echiquier in Brussels.Roos won the U.S...
), 1957 (with Sonja Graf
Sonja Graf
Sonja Graf was a German chess master who also lived in Argentina and the United States. She was the Women's World Sub-Champion, two-time winner of the U.S...
), 1962, 1965, 1966 (with Lisa Lane
Lisa Lane
Marianne Elizabeth Lane Hickey is an American former chess player. Her combination of good looks and chess-playing ability made her an international celebrity, even though she never achieved the title of chess master...
), 1967, and 1969 (at age 63).
Gresser learned chess at a very late age. On a cruise from France to New York in the late 1930s, she borrowed a chess manual from a fellow passenger and taught herself how to play. By the end of the cruise, she was hooked. In 1938, she was a spectator at the first U.S. Women's Chess Championship
U.S. Women's Chess Championship
The U.S. Women's Chess Championship tournament is to determine the woman chess champion of the United States.-List of U.S. Women's Chess Champions:*1937 Adele Rivero*1938 Mona May Karff*1940 Adele Rivero*1941 Mona May Karff*1942 Mona May Karff...
tournament, organized by Caroline Marshall (wife of US Champion Frank Marshall) and held at the Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(won by Adele Rivero). She first played in the championship in 1940, and in 1944 she won it with a perfect score.
Gresser studied classics at Radcliffe
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
. She won a prestigious Charles Elliott Norton fellowship, which she used to continue her studies at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. In 1927, she returned to New York, where she married William Gresser, a New York City attorney and musicologist, who died in 1982. She was a housewife, and raised their two sons, Ion and Julian. Gresser was an accomplished painter and musician, as well as a classical scholar. She went on safari
Safari
A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
many times, even in her eighties.
In addition to her repeated successes in the U.S. Women's Chess Championship
U.S. Women's Chess Championship
The U.S. Women's Chess Championship tournament is to determine the woman chess champion of the United States.-List of U.S. Women's Chess Champions:*1937 Adele Rivero*1938 Mona May Karff*1940 Adele Rivero*1941 Mona May Karff*1942 Mona May Karff...
, Gresser also played in five Women's Candidates' tournaments (for the Women's World Chess Championship
Women's World Chess Championship
The Women's World Chess Championship is played to determine the women's world champion in chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE....
and three Women's Chess Olympiads. She won the 1954 U.S. Women's Open Championship
U.S. Women's Open Chess Championship
The U.S. Women's Open Championship is an open chess tournament that has been held held irregularly. From 1934 through at least 1966 it was held in conjunction with the annual U.S. Open Chess Championship...
. She was the first woman in the United States to gain a master
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
title.
She also wrote an article for the October 1950 issue of Ladies Home Journal, entitled "I Went to Moscow". Mrs. Gresser (Mrs. was her preferred title) took lessons from International Master Hans Kmoch
Hans Kmoch
Johann "Hans" Joseph Kmoch was an Austrian-Dutch-American chess International Master , International Arbiter , and a chess journalist and author, for which he is best known....
and Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier
Arthur Bisguier
Arthur Bernard Bisguier is an American chess Grandmaster, chess promoter, and writer. Bisguier won two U.S. Junior Championships , three U.S. Open Chess Championship titles , and the 1954 United States Chess Championship title. He played for the United States in five chess Olympiads...
. When she died at age 94, the USCF still had her listed:
- Gresser, Gisela Kahn (WIM) USA 2090.
Notable game
Here Gresser (White) hands Lyudmila RudenkoLyudmila Rudenko
Lyudmila Vladimirovna Rudenko was a Soviet chess player and the second Women's World Chess Champion from 1950 until 1953.She was awarded the FIDE International Master and Woman International Master titles in 1950, and the Woman Grandmaster title in 1976...
, who won the Women's World Championship in this event with 11½ points out of 15 games (+9 =5 -1), her only defeat.
Gresser-Rudenko, Eighth Women's World Championship, Moscow 1949-50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 f5 5.d4 fxe4 6.dxc5 exf3 7.Qxf3 Nf6 8.Bg5 O-O 9.O-O Qe7 10.Bc4+ Kh8 11.b4 a5 12.Bxf6 Rxf6 13.Qd5 Rf8 14.b5 Nd8 15.Nd2 c6 16.Qd6 Qxd6 17.cxd6 b6 18.Rfe1 cxb5 19.Bxb5 Nf7 20.Nc4 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Rxa6 22.Nxe5 Nxd6 23.Nxd7 Rc8 24.Rad1 b5 25.h3 Nf7 26.Re7 Kg8 27.Rde1 Nd6 28.R1e6 Rxc3 29.Ne5 h6 30.Rd7 Rc5 31.Nf7 Nxf7 32.Rxa6 Ne5 33.Rb7 b4 34.Raa7 Nc6 35.Rxg7+ Kf8 36.Raf7+ Ke8 37.Rb7 Rf5 38.Rg8+ Rf8 39.Rxf8+ Kxf8 40.Rb6 Ne5 41.Rxh6 1-0