1939 in Chess - Chess Events in Brief

Chess Events in Brief

• Last (21st) edition of Howard Staunton's The Chess-Player's Handbook is published.

• 21 August-19 September 1939 - the 8th Chess Olympiad (known at the time as the Hamilton-Russell Cup) is held in Buenos Aires. Germany wins the gold medal (Erich Eliskases on first board), Poland silver (Savielly Tartakower on first board), and Estonia bronze (Paul Keres on first board).

• The 7th Women's World Championship is held in conjunction with the Olympiad. Vera Menchik-Stevenson (England) retains her title. She won, scoring 18/19, followed by Sonja Graf (16/19), Berna Carrasco (15.5/19), etc.

• Political refugees - At the conclusion of events, many participants decided to stay in Argentina or moved elsewhere in South America, rather than face an uncertain future by returning to Europe in the midst of World War II. The players affected included Miguel Najdorf, Paulino Frydman, Gideon Ståhlberg, Erich Eliskases, Paul Michel, Ludwig Engels, Albert Becker, Heinrich Reinhardt, Jiří Pelikán, Karel Skalička, Markas Luckis, Movsas Feigins, Ilmar Raud, Moshe Czerniak, Meir Rauch, Victor Winz, Aristide Gromer, Franciszek Sulik, Adolf Seitz, Chris De Ronde, Zelman Kleinstein, Sonja Graf and Paulette Schwartzmann. Most of them were Jewish and had come to Buenos Aires in August 1939 on the Belgian steamer "Piriapolis". The ship has therefore come to be regarded as the epitome of Noah's Ark for a generation of chess players. Significantly, all members of the German team also chose not to return to Nazi Germany.

• 27 December 1939 - American Chess Federation and National Chess Federation form the United States Chess Federation (USCF).