<46th US Open
Peoria, Ilinois
July 9-21, 1945>
But will it play in Peoria? Apparently so, since the 33-player turnout was the second best since 1938.
However, most of the top players were missing due to a crowded calendar. The annual tournament in Ventnor City ended one day before Peoria, and the Pan American event in Hollywood started a week afterward. Chess was already beginning to boom as the war ended and travel restrictions were lifted, and surely too many tournaments represented a good problem.
This last war year also led to another transition, for at Pittsburgh 1946 the newer generation whi would make their marks in the 1950s and 1960s began to have an impact.
Daily reports in the "New York Times" were incomplete, so I have used a reconstruction based on a Berger Table of pairings to produce these summaries. They harmonize with all known facts, ubt that is not a guarantee of complete accuracy, so they should be used with caution in mind.
NOTE: In the round-by-round summaries, an asterisk (*) marks a game that is part of the collection.
Preliminary Section A
1 2 3 4 5
1 Anthony Santasiere X 1 1 1 1 4.0 Championship
2 Constantine Rasis 0 X 1 1 1 3.0 Championship
3 Alfred Charles Ludwig 0 0 X 1 = 1.5 Consolation
4 Paul Poschel, Sr. 0 0 0 X 1 1.0 Consolation
5 Lorence O'Russa 0 0 = 0 X 0.5 Class A
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Santasiere-Bye; Rasis 1 Poschel Sr; Ludwig 1/2 O'RussaRound 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Bye O'Russa; Poschel Sr. 0 Ludwig;
Santasiere 1 Rasis
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Rasis Bye; Ludwig 0 Santasiere*; O'Russa 0 Poschel Sr.
Rounv 4 (Wednesday, July 11): Bye Poschel Sr; Santasiere 1 O'Russa;
Rasis 1 Ludwig
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Ludwig Bye; O'Russa 0 Rasis; Poschel Sr. 0 Santasiere
-----
Preliminary Section B
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Bela Rozsa X 1 1 1 1 1 5.0 Championship
2 Einar Michelsen 0 X 1 1 1 1 4.0 Championship
3 Neil Bernstein 0 0 X 1 1 1 3.0 Consolation
4 Chester A Lyon 0 0 0 X = 1 1.5 Consolation
5 Martin Vonk 0 0 0 = X 1 1.5 Consolation
6 William F Schick 0 0 0 0 0 X 0.0 Class A
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Michelsen 1 Lyon; Vonk 0 Rozsa; Bernstein 1 Schick Round 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Lyon 1 Schick; Rozsa 1 Bernstein; Michelsen 1 Vonk
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Vonk 1/2 Lyon; Bernstein 0 Michelsen; Schick 0 Rozsa
Rounv 4 (Wednesday, July 11): Lyon 0 Rozsa; ichelsen 1 Schick; Vonk 0 Bernstein
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Bernstein 1 Lyon; Schick 0 Vonk; Rozsa 1 Michelsen
------
Preliminary Section C
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Albert Sandrin X 1 1 = = 1 4.0 Championship
2 Llewellyn Walter Stephens 0 X 1 1 = 1 3.5 Championship
3 Harold C Heisey 0 0 X 1 1 1 3.0 Consolation
4 R S Cotton = 0 0 X 1 1 2.5 Consolation
5 Byron B Price = 0 0 X 1 2.0 Class A
6 Clarence M Darnell 0 0 0 0 0 X 0.0
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Albert Sandrin 1 Darnell; Stephens 1 Heisey; Cotton 1 PriceRound 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Darnell 0 Price; Heisey 1 Cotton; Albert Sandrin 1 Stephens
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Stephens 1 Darnell; Cotton 1/2 Albert Sandrin; Price 0 -Heisey
Rounv 4 (Wednesday, July 11): Darnell 0 Heisey; Albert Sandrin 1/2 Price; Stephens 1 Cotton
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Cotton 1 Darnell; Price 1/2 Stephens;
Heisey 0 Albert Sandrin
Darnell did not play in the next round.
-----
Preliminary Section D
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Earl W Davidson X = 1 1 1 1 4.5 Championship
2 Milton Finkelstein = X = 1 1 1 4.0 Championship
3 Angelo Sandrin 0 = X 1 = 1 3.0 Consolation
4 Bertram Claude Jenkines 0 0 0 X 1 1 2.0 Consolation
5 Harvey Krebill 0 0 = 0 X 1 1.5 Class A
6 Charles Hogaboom 0 0 0 0 0 X 0.0 Class A
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Finkelstein 1 Krebill; Davidson 1 Jenkines; Angelo Sandrin 1 HogaboomRound 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Krebill 1 Hogaboom; Jenkines 0 Angelo Sandrin; Finkelstein 1/2 Davidson
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Davidson 1 Krebill; Angelo Sandrin 1/2 Finkelstein; Hogaboom 0 Jenkines
Round 4 (Wednesday, July 11)" Krebill 0 Jenkines; Finkelstein 1 1 Hogaboom; Davidson 1 Angelo Sandrin
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Angelo Sandrin 1/2 Krebill; Hogaboom 0 Davidson; Jenkines 0 Finkelstein
------
Preliminary Section E
1 2 3 4 5
1 William M Byland X 1 0 1 1 3.0 Championship
2 Frederic S Anderson 0 X 1 1 1 3.0 Championship
3 Henry G Cramer 1 0 X 0 1 2.0 Consolation
4 Charles P Adams 0 0 1 X 1 2.0
5 Hugh E Hart 0 0 0 0 X 0.0 Class A
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Anderson 1 Cramer; Byland Bye; Adams 1 HartRound 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Cramer 1 Hart; Bye-Adams; Anderson 0 Byland
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Byland 0 Cramer; Adams 0 Anderson; Hart Bye
Round 4 (Wednesday, July 11): Cramer Bye; Anderson 1 Hart; Byland 1 Adams
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Adams 1 Cramer; Hart 0 Byland; Bye-Anderson
Adams did not play in the next round.
-----
Preliminary Section F
1 2 3 4 5
1 Roger B Johnson X 1 1 1 1 4.0 Championship
2 Robert G Konkel 0 X 1 1 1 3.0 Championship
3 Carl Weberg 0 0 X 1 = 1.5 Consolation
4 Ray Shipman 0 0 0 X 1 1.0 Consolation
5 Paul Poschel, Jr. 0 0 = 0 X 0.5 Class A
Round 1 (Monday, July 9): Johnson 1 Weberg; Konkel 1 Shipman; Bye-Poschel Jr.Round 2 (Tuesday, July 10): Weberg 1/2 Poschel Jr.; Shipman Bye; Johnson 1 Konkel
Round 3 (Tuesday, July 10): Konkel 1 Weberg; Bye Johnson; Poschel Jr. 0 Shipman
Rounv 4 (Wednesday, July 11): Weberg 1 Shipman; Johnson 1 Poschel Jr.' Konkel Bye
Round 5 (Wednesday, July 11): Bye Weberg; Poschel Jr. 0 Konkel; Shipman 0 Johnson
-----
Championship Final
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
1 Anthony Santasiere X 1 = 1 1 1 1 1 = 1 = 1 9.5
2 Frederic S Anderson 0 X 0 1 1 1 1 1 = = = = 7.0
3 Albert Sandrin = 1 X 0 1 1 0 = 0 = 1 1 6.5
4 Einar Michelsen 0 0 1 X 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 6.0
5 William M Byland 0 0 0 1 X = = = = 1 = 1 5.5
6 Milton Finkelstein 0 0 0 0 = X 1 = 1 1 = 1 5.5
7 Roger B Johnson 0 0 1 1 = 0 X 0 1 1 0 1 5.5
8 Earl W Davidson 0 0 = 0 = = 1 X = 0 1 1 5.0
9 Robert G Konkel = = 1 1 = 0 0 = X 0 = = 5.0
10 Bela Rozsa 0 = = 0 0 0 0 1 1 X 1 1 5.0
11 Constantine Rasis = = 0 0 = = 1 0 = 0 X 1 4.5
12 Llewellyn Walter Stephens 0 = 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 0 0 X 1.0
No contest. Santasiere was the only player with a national reputation, and he justified this easily. The young Albert Sandrin will pop up frequently in the next few years, while the veteran Einar Michelsen, who had won the Western back in 1907, was still a force in his last US Open.Round 1 (Thursday, July 12): Konkel 1/2 Santasiere; Byland 1 Michelsen; Finkelstein 0 Sandrin*; Stephens 0 Davidson; Rozsa 1/2 Anderson; Rasis 1 Johnson*
Round 2 (Friday, July 13): Santasiere 1 Johnson*; Anderson 1/2 Rasis*; Davidson 0 Rozsa; Sandrin 1 Stephens; Michelsen 1 Finkelstein*; Konkel 1/2 Byland
Round 3 (Sunday, July 15): Byland 0 Santasiere*; Finkelstein 1 Konkel*; Stephens 0 Michelsen; Rozsa 1/2 Sandrin*; Rasis 0 Davidson*;Johnson 0 Anderson
Round 4 (Monday, July 16): Santasiere 1 Anderson*; Davidson 1 Johnson; Sandrin 1 Rasis; Michelsen 1 Rozsa*; Konkel 1/2 Stephens; Byland 1/2 Finkelstein
Round 5 (Monday, July 16): Finkelstein 0 Santasiere; Stephens 0 Byland; Rozsa 1 Konkel*; Rasis 0 Michelsen*; Johnson 1 Sandrin; Anderson 1 Davidson*
Round 6 (Tuesday, July 17): Santasiere 1 Davidson*; Sandrin 1 Anderson*; Michelsen 0 Johnson; Konkel 1/2 Rasis; Byland 1 Rozsa*;
Finkelstein 1 Stephens
Round 7 (Wednesday, July 18): Stephens 0 Santasiere*; Rozsa 0 Finkelstein; Rasis 1/2 Byland; Johnson 1 Konkel*; Anderson 1 Michelsen*; Davidson 1/2 Sandrin
Round 8 (Wednesday, July 18): Santasiere 1/2 Sandrin*; Michelsen 1 Davidson*; Konkel 1/2 Anderson; Byland 1/2 Johnson; Finkelstein 1/2 Rasis; Stephens 0 Rozsa
Round 9 (Thursday, July 19): Rozsa 0 Santasiere*; Rasis 1 Stephens;
Johnson 0 Finkelstein; Anderson 1 Byland*; Davidson 1/2 Konkel;; Sandrin 0 Michelsen
Round 10 (Friday, July 20): Santasiere 1 Michelsen*; Konkel 1 Sandrin*; Byland 1/2 Davidson; Finkelstein 0 Anderson*; Stephens 0 Johnson; Rozsa 1 Rasis*
Round 11 (Saturday, July 21): Rasis 1/2 Santasiere; Johnson 1 Rozsa*; Anderson 1/2 Stephens; Davidson 1/2 Finkelstein; Sandrin 1 Byland*; Michelsen 0 Konkel
Some of the early round dates are questionable, as the "New York Times" reports were not always clear.
Consolation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
1 Alfred Charles Ludwig X 1 = 1 = = = 1 1 1 1 1 9.0
2 Angelo Sandrin 0 X 0 1 = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8.5
3 R S Cotton = 1 X 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 8.5
4 Neil Bernstein 0 0 1 X 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 8.0
5 Carl Weberg = = 0 0 X = 1 1 1 1 1 1 7.5
6 Martin Vonk = 0 0 1 = X = 1 1 0 1 1 6.5
7 Bertram Claude Jenkines = 0 1 0 0 = X 0 1 1 1 1 6.0
8 Harold C Heisey 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 X 1 1 1 0 4.0
9 Ray Shipman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 1 1 1 3.0
10 Henry G Cramer 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 X = 1 2.5
11 Chester A Lyon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 = X 1 1.5
12 Paul Poschel, Sr. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 X 1.0
Ludwig had long been one of Nebraska's strongest players. Jenkines was a real veteran, whose experience in the Western Championship dated back to 1908--and he had a couple more US Opens to go.The reports in the "New York Times" are incomplete, and I was unable to construct a round-by-round list of pairings that harmonized with known information. It you would like to see what I came up with, please leave a note in my forum.
Class A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 Byron B Price X 1 1 1 1 1 1 6.0
2 Lorence O'Russa 0 X 1 1 1 1 1 5.0
3 Paul Poschel 0 0 X 1 1 1 1 4.0
4 Harvey Krebill 0 0 0 X = 1 1 2.5
5 Hugh E Hart 0 0 0 = X 1 0 1.5
6 William F Schick 0 0 0 0 0 X 1 1.0
7 Charles Hogaboom 0 0 0 0 1 0 X 1.0
Nice to see Byron B. Price win; he had played in the Western Championship as early as 1926, before third-place finisher Paul Poschel was born. The reports in the "New York Times" are incomplete, and I was unable to construct a round-by-round list of pairings that harmonized with known information. It you would like to see what I came up with, please leave a note in my forum.
-----
INCOMPLETE SCORE
The following fragment was published in the "American Chess Bulletin", 1945, p.143. If you can supply the full score, please leave a note in my forum.
Event "46th US Open. Final"
Site "Peoria, IL USA"
Date "1945.07.16"
EventDate "1945.07.12"
Round "5"
Result "0-1"
White "Finkelstein, Milton"
Black "Santasiere, Anthony"
ECO ""
WhiteElo "?"
BlackElo "?
1.c3 Nf6 2.d4 b6 3.Nd2 Bb7 4.f3 d5 5.Qc2 c5 6.dxc5 bxc5 7.e4 e6 8.Bb5+ Bc6 9.Qa4 Qb6 10.Bxc6+ Qxc6 11.Qxc6+ Nxc6 12.exd5 exd5 13.Ne2 Bd6 14.0-0 0-0 15.Nb3 Rfe8 16.Bf4 Rxe2 17.Bxd6 c4 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.cxd4 Rxb2 20.Rfb1 Rd2 21.Bc5 h6 22.Rd1 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 0-1, 40 moves. 0-1
-----
Sources:
American Chess Bulletin, July/August 1945, p.77-83; November/December 1945, p.143-144. ACB
Chess Results 1941-1946 / Gino di Felice. p.208
Chess Review, August/September 1945, p.13-15. CR
New York Times, daily reports, July 10-22, 1945 MYT
USCF Yearbook, p. 30-52. "Forty-Sixth Annual Congress and Open Championship Tournament of the Uniated sic! States Chess Federation, Peoria, 1945". Available online at http://media.wix.com/ugd/ebd0ec6925..., though p.32-33 are missing. YB
-----
PREVIOUS: Game Collection: US Open 1944, Boston
NEXT: Game Collection: US Open 1946, Pittsburgh
SEE ALSO: Game Collection: US Open Tournament Index
Kibitzing
