<48th US Open
Corpus Christi, Texas
August 11-22, 1947>

For the third time in the decade Texas hosted the US Open, this time bringing together a record turnout of 86 players for a 13-round Swiss at the White Plaza Hotel in Corpus Christi. <Isaac Kashdan> dominated a good field. which included five other former champions and three future ones. Another feature was a large turnout from Latin American countries, and one player from considerably Souther of the Border in New Zealander Robert Wade.

The great innovation was the use of the Swiss System for the entire tournament, as promoted by tournament director George Koltanowski. Interviewed later, Kashdan "...said that it had worked out fairly well. Since then he had treated the subject mathematically and ascertained that the best results could be obtained from a schedule of rounds equivalent to 25 percent of the total number of entries."

Unfortunately they didn't want to take time for 21 rounds, but this was probably a good thing because the tournament crosstable published in <Chess Life> was badly garbled, with a number of errors and some incomplete information. For instance, I have no idea what "W00" and "L00" mean, though I suspect forfeit wins and losses. Also, all the withdrawn players were listed at the bottom of the table regardless of score, and their complete schedules were not given. Still, you have to cut the editors some slack; they certainly didn't have much experience in producing Swiss System crosstables.

I have corrected the most obvious mistakes, but what follows could use a thorough check. Hopefully, it will serve the purpose for now. Three asterisks (***) represent an unknown result.

-----

Round Schedule. This is somewhat confusing, as reports in the "New York Times" do not always agree with those in the local newspapers.

Round 1: Monday, 8/11
Round 2: Tuesday, 8/12
Round 3: Wednesday, 8/13
Round 4: Thursday, 8/14
Round 5: Friday, 8/15
Round 6: Saturday, 8/16
Round 7: Sunday, 8/17
Round 8: Sunday, 8/17
Round 9: Monday, 8/18
Round 10: Tuesday, 8/19
Round 11: Wednesday, 8/20
Round 12: Thursday, 8/21
Round 13: Friday, 8/22

-----

                             1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13
1  Isaac Kashdan            W76 W54 W47 W13 D 5 W12 W 3 W11 D 2 W17 W 8 D 4 W18 11.5
2  Anthony Santasiere       W25 W68 D45 D 8 D38 W21 W10 W 4 D 1 W11 L 3 W12 W 5 10.0
3  Daniel Abraham Yanofsky  W55 L16 W36 W41 W45 W14 L 1 W 6 D28 W19 W 2 D 5 W 8 10.0
4  Miguel Cuellar Gacharna  W31 W48 L 5 L19 W72 W43 W35 L 2 W15 W28 W20 D 1 W11  9.5
5  George Mortimer Kramer   W80 W37 W 4 W11 D 1 W10 W47 W 9 L17 L 8 W13 D 3 L 2  9.0
6  Augusto Sanchez          W50 L28 W65 L47 W61 W26 W18 L 3 W48 L12 W15 W31 W16  9.0
7  Steven J Shaw            L61 W40 W31 L16 L37 W81 W36 D33 W53 D26 W28 W13 W17  9.0
8  Norman Tweed Whitaker    W64 W41 D17 D 2 L19 W20 W15 W47 W13 W 5 L 1 W10 L 3  9.0
9  Weaver Adams             W74 W78 L35 W26 D28 W24 W12 L 5 L19 W18 L10 W32 W31  8.5
10 Albert Sandrin           W75 W43 W18 W35 D12 L 5 L 2 L16 W77 W45 W 9 L 8 W29  8.5
11 Olaf Ulvestad            W85 W57 W79 L 5 W18 W48 W19 L 1 W16 L 2 D17 W37 L 4  8.5
12 Herman Steiner           W71 W44 W28 W21 D10 L 1 L 9 W22 D45 W 6 D16 L 2 W19  8.5
13 Miguel Aleman Dovo       W63 W61 W16 L 1 W54 L47 W27 W45 L 8 W31 L 5 L 7 W34  8.0
14 Arturo Colon Romero      W46 L35 W68 W58 W16 L 3 L48 L15 D24 W53 D45 W47 W33  8.0
15 Gustave Drexel           W40 L17 W50 L48 W44 W38 L 8 W14 L 4 W27 L 6 W35 W37  8.0
16 Larry Melvyn Evans       W84 W 3 L13 W 7 L14 W29 W58 W10 L11 W00 D12 D17 L 6  8.0
17 Robert Henry Steinmeyer  W86 W15 D 8 D45 W24 D19 D28 W48 W 5 L 1 D11 D16 L 7  8.0
18 Robert Wade              W73 W20 L10 W53 L11 W37 L 6 W27 W32 L 9 W26 W34 L 1  8.0
19 Edward Lasker            W77 D24 D38 W 4 W 8 D17 L11 W23 W 9 L 3 D37 W20 L12  8.0
20 Herbert Avram            W56 L18 W32 W34 L48 L 8 W85 W58 W41 W35 L 4 L19 D22  7.5
21 Joe T Gilbert            W23 W53 W26 L12 D35 L 2 D24 L31 D39 W41 L32 W59 W40  7.5
22 Glenn E Hartleb          W34 L47 W66 D38 W59 D28 D23 L12 W25 L00 W36 D33 D20  7.5
23 Rhys W Hays              L21 L27 W42 W62 W63 W40 D22 L19 L26 W44 L47 W39 W38  7.5
24 Alfred Charles Ludwig    W83 D19 W39 W44 L17 L 9 D21 L77 D14 W60 D35 D45 W47  7.5
25 Robert B M Potter        L 2 D86 L54 W71 W52 W59 W60 L28 L22 W70 L33 W66 W45  7.5
26 Bela Rozsa               W81 W70 L21 L 9 W65 L 6 W44 D53 W23 D 7 L18 D38 W42  7.5
27 Robert Symonds           L54 W23 W37 D72 W39 D35 L13 L18 W63 L15 W58 W50 D28  7.5
28 Don Thompson             W62 W 6 L12 W81 D 9 D22 D17 W25 D 3 L 4 L 7 W48 D27  7.5
29 Neil Bernstein           W59 L45 L43 W51 W41 L16 L37 L54 W57 L38 W50 W44 L10  7.0
30 Alfred P Coles           L45 W63 L41 W69 L58 L34 W55 L39 W61 L50 W65 W71 W54  7.0
31 Milton Danon             L 4 W51 L 7 W50 W81 W57 L45 W21 W47 L13 W38 L 6 L 9  7.0
32 Alfonso Ferriz           L57 W71 L20 W68 W34 L45 W54 W40 L18 D47 W21 L 9 D36  7.0
33 W Frank Gladney          L47 W67 L48 L65 W42 W50 W39 D 7 W60 L37 W25 D22 L14  7.0
34 Charles W Hrissikopojlos L22 W80 W61 L20 L32 W30 W57 L37 W43 W00 W40 L18 L13  7.0
35 William N Kendall        W42 W14 W 9 L10 D21 D27 L 4 W38 D37 L20 D24 L15 W57  7.0
36 Blake W Stevens          L41 W42 L 3 L61 W56 W68 L 7 D70 W51 W46 L22 W72 D32  7.0
37 Hector Vissepo           W67 L 5 L27 W80 W 7 L18 W29 W34 D35 W33 D19 L11 L15  7.0
38 William M Byland         D39 W72 D19 D22 D 2 L15 W43 L35 W58 W29 L31 D26 L23  6.5
39 Anton Edward Caroe       D38 W52 L24 W79 L27 D60 L33 W30 D21 D57 W43 L23 D41  6.5
40 M Newton Grant           L15 L 7 W64 W74 W70 L23 W46 L32 W65 W48 L34 D58 L21  6.5
41 Charles Joachim          W36 L 8 W30 L 3 L29 D77 W52 W51 L20 L21 D57 W60 D39  6.5
42 Alexander Stephen Neal   L35 L36 L23 W76 L33 W84 D83 D49 W72 D68 W46 W65 L26  6.5
43 Jesus Mondragon          W82 L10 W29 W57 L47 L 4 L38 W50 L34 W49 L39 W51 D48  6.5
44 Arthur A Murray          W58 L12 W62 L24 L15 W66 L26 W61 D46 L23 W53 L29 W60  6.5
45 Paul Poschel             W30 W29 D 2 D17 L 3 W32 W31 L13 D12 L10 D14 D24 L25  6.5
46 Luis Salomon             L14 W75 W76 L52 L69 W72 L40 W68 D44 L36 L42 W64 W67  6.5
47 Angelo Sandrin           W33 W22 L 1 W 6 W43 W13 L 5 L 8 L31 D32 W23 L14 L24  6.5
48 Charles L Smith          W51 L 4 W33 W15 W20 L11 W14 L17 L 6 L40 W71 L28 D43  6.5
49 Joseph G Sullivan        D52 L79 W86 L59 L50 L56 W71 D42 W69 L43 W67 D68 W61  6.5
50 Charles P Gray           L 6 W83 L15 L31 W49 L33 W72 L43 W54 W30 L29 L27 W58  6.0
51 Frank H McKee            L48 L31 W84 L29 W80 D65 W59 L41 L36 W72 W68 L43 D55  6.0
52 Leon Poliakoff           D49 L39 L59 W46 L25 W71 L41 W55 L70 L66 W75 D57 W68  6.0
53 Alfred Poschel           W60 L21 W75 L18 L57 W63 W61 D26 L 7 L14 L44 D55 W71  6.0
54 Kenneth Ray Smith        W27 L 1 W25 W60 L13 L58 L32 W29 L50 W59 W66 L00 L30  6.0
55 Waldo L Waters           L 3 D59 L72 L85 W73 W79 L30 L52 W76 D65 W63 D53 D51  6.0
56 Barney J Arneaux         L20 L60 L69 W73 L36 W49 L63 D62 W66 L71 L59 W00 W70  5.5
57 Mary Bain                W32 L11 W74 L43 W53 L31 L34 W66 L29 D39 D41 D52 L35  5.5
58 Bert Brice-Nash          L44 W64 W70 L14 W30 W54 L16 L20 L38 W63 L27 D40 L50  5.5
59 Cyril Delevanti          L29 D55 W52 W49 L22 L25 L51 L65 W62 L54 W56 L21 W69  5.5
60 Bertram Claude Jenkines  L53 W56 W78 L54 W66 D39 L25 W69 L33 L24 W70 L41 L44  5.5
61 Alfred George Miller     W 7 L13 L34 W36 L 6 W67 L53 L44 L30 D69 W73 W63 L49  5.5
62 E E Mireles              L28 W81 L44 L23 L77 W76 L70 D56 L59 L64 W69 W74 W72  5.5
63 James A Creighton        L13 L30 W73 W82 L23 L53 W56 W83 L27 L58 L55 L61 W74  5.0
64 Frank R Graves           L 8 L58 L40 L84 L83 L74 W80 L73 W83 W62 W76 L46 W75  5.0
65 Ambrose Gring            L78 W69 L 6 W33 L26 D51 L77 W59 L40 D55 L30 L42 W73  5.0
66 Conrad P Hoover          L70 W73 L22 W67 L60 L44 W74 L57 L56 W52 L54 L25 W76  5.0
67 John Leach               L37 L33 W83 L66 W84 L61 L69 L74 W75 W76 L49 L73 L46  5.0
68 Reino Poschel            W69 L 2 L14 L32 W00 L36 W79 L46 W74 D42 L51 D49 L52  5.0
69 Pablo C Cortez, Sr.      L68 L65 W56 L30 W46 L80 W67 L60 L49 D61 L62 W70 L59  4.5
70 John E Earnest           W66 L26 L58 W75 L40 L85 W62 D36 W52 L25 L60 L69 L56  4.5
71 Harry E Graham           L12 L32 D85 L25 W74 L52 L49 W75 W73 W56 L48 L30 L53  4.5
72 E Folk Weaver            W79 L38 W55 D27 L 4 L46 L50 W76 L42 L51 W74 L36 L62  4.5
73 Sam Joseph               L18 L66 L63 L56 L55 L82 D75 W64 L71 W00 L61 W67 L65  3.5
74 Pablo C Cortez, Jr.      L 9 W76 L57 L40 L71 W64 L66 W67 L68 L75 L72 L62 L63  3.0
75 A J Girard               L10 L46 L53 L70 W79 L83 D73 L71 L67 W74 L52 L76 L64  2.5
76 Jayne Gibson             L 1 L74 L46 L42 W85 L62 L81 L72 L55 L67 L64 W75 L66  2.0
77 Paul Hermann             L19 *** *** *** W62 D41 W65 W24 L10 *** *** *** ***  0.0
78 Nestor Hernandez         L65 L 9 L60 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
79 Antonio Higuera          L72 W49 L11 L39 L75 L55 L68 *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
80 Horace N Kornrum         L 5 L34 *** L37 L51 W69 L64 *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
81 Lewis H Lanier           L26 L62 *** L28 L31 L 7 W76 *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
82 C P Little               L43 *** *** L63 *** L73 *** *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
83 Clay Merchant            L24 L50 L67 *** W64 W75 D42 L63 L64 *** *** *** ***  0.0
84 Esther Rubenstein        L16 *** L51 W64 L67 L42 *** *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
85 C A Williamson           L11 *** D71 W55 L76 W70 L20 *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0
86 Henry Youngman           L17 D25 L49 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***  0.0

ADDITIONAL GAMES

Bela Rozsa - Steven J Shaw (Round 10): 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.exf6 hxg5 7.fxg7 Rg8 8.h4 gxh4 9.Qg4 Be7 10.g3 Bf6 11.gxh4 Rxg7 12.Qf4 a6 13.Nf3 c5 14.h5 Nc6 15.h6 Rg8 16.h7 Rh8 17.Rg1 Ke7 18.Qh6 cxd4 19.Ne2 Qa5+ 20.Nd2 d3 21.cxd3 e5 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Be2 Nc2+ 24.Kd1 Nxa1 25.Nh5 Qa4+ 26.b3 Qc6 27.Bf3 Bh4 28.Qg7 Qc2+ 29.Ke2 Be6 30.Rxa1 Kd6 31.Rh1 Bxf2 32.Nf6 Bd4 33.Rd1 Bf5 34.Ke1 Be6 35.Ng8 Kc7 36.Qxh8 Qxd3 37.Rc1+ Kb6 38.Qg7 e4 39.h8Q Bxg7 40.Qxg7 exf3 41.Qg1+ d4 42.Nxf3 Rxg8 43.Qxd4+ Qxd4 44.Nxd4 Rg1+ 45.Kd2 Rg2+ 46.Kc3 Rxa2 47.Nxe6 fxe6 48.Re1 Rh2 49.Rxe6+ Ka7 50.Kc4 Rh4+ 51.Kc3 Rh3+ 52.Kc4 a5 53.Re4 Source: Los Angeles Times, ctober 5, 1947 1/2-1/2

William N Kendall -- Herbert Avram (Round 10): Chess Life crosstable does not indicate this pairing, but the report in New York Times, August 21,1 947, confirms it. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 d6 4.e4 g6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Be3 Re8 10.f3 c6 11.Qd2 d5 12.cxd5 Text is a guess. LAT has only 12.PxP, and there is no indication of which possibility is correct. 12...cxd5 13.exd5 Nb6 14.Rad1 Nfxd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Bf2 Be5 17.Bb5 Bd7 18.Bxd7 Qxd7 19.Ne2 Rad8 20.Nc3 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Qc7 22.Qb2 b6 23.Rc1 Nf4 24.Rc2 Qc4 LAT gives 24...Q-B3, but inlight of continuation text must be correct. 25.g3 Qxf1+ Source: Los Angeles Times, October 5, 1947. 0-1

-----

MILESTONES

10: Anthony Santasiere, Herman Steiner

-----

Sources:

American Chess Bulletin, July/August 1947, p.73-75; September/October 1947, p.108-111.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 7, 1947; August 28, 1947. BDE

Chess Life, August 20, 1947. p. 1, 3; September 5, 1947, p. 1, 4 pCL

Chess Review, Setember:3. 7, 17; October:14, November:21, December:19, 1947 [CR

Chess Secrets I Learned from the Masters, by Edward Lasker. CS}

Corpus Christi Caller-Times daily reports, August 11-23,1 947.

Games of Daniel "Abe" Yanofsky, edited by J. Ken MacDonald. Etobicoke, Ontario, J.K. MacDonald, 1997. [DAY

Los Angeles Times, chess column by Herman Stein.

New York TImes, daily reports, August 13-24, 1947..NYT

Shady side : the life and crimes of Norman Tweed Whitaker, chessmaster, by John Hilbert. Yorklyn, DE : Caissa Editions, 2000. SS

-----

PREVIOUS: Game Collection: US Open 1946, Pittsburgh

NEXT: Game Collection: US Open 1948, Baltimore

SEE ALSO: Game Collection: US Open Tournament Index