1 : PATRON, PLAYER, PIONEER

Through her sponsorship of the legendary “But my real love was . Chess was part tournaments, creation of my blood. Of course, in the winter there of the Piatigorsky Foundation, and her was no one to play with in Elizabethtown, so representation of the in the through a I started to play by first Women’s in 1957, correspondence, entering tournaments in which Jacqueline Piatigorsky had a profound one played six games at the same time. That was influence on twentieth-century American perfect for me. I had a small pocket set which chess. Jacqueline’s legacy impacted chess on I always carried with me and I studied each the local, national, and international levels. position in great depth. Before mailing out a Many ideas that are taken for granted today, move I was so anxious not to make an error that Jacqueline Piatigorsky and during a 1953 Television Appearance. such as student chess organizations, were even alone in the woods my heart was beating Photo Jack Case innovations in her time and passions of hers. hard. I went over each variation again and Her activities also helped establish the West again. I had to win.” Coast as a thriving center of chess culture rivaling that of . After another series of moves, Jacqueline “…with a , it is impossible to be bored.” and her family settled in , Jacqueline was born in , , to . There, Gregor joined the faculty the famed banking family. A of the music department at UCLA, while nurse taught her to play chess at an early Jacqueline became further immersed age, when Jacqueline was recovering from in the world of chess. At an auction, she a childhood illness. In her 1988 memoir, met International Master (IM) Herman Jump in the Waves, she wrote that her nurse, Steiner,1 who after learning of her skill, Miss Coque, told Jacqueline that “…with a encouraged her to compete in tournaments chess set, it is impossible to be bored.” More over the board. He was instrumental in the than a salvation from dullness, the game flourishing of her playing career on the soon became both a passion and a refuge national level, recommending that she be to Jacqueline. Though she wrote of feeling invited to the 1951 U.S. Women’s Chess neglected by her parents and oppressed by a Championship. After his death in 1955, nanny during her childhood, chess offered Jacqueline took over the management of her an opportunity to forge her own identity his , the Hollywood Chess Group, independent of her famous family name. and renamed it the Herman Steiner Chess Club in his honor. In 1937 Jacqueline married , a world-renowned cellist. The Jacqueline soon rose to the top of the two immigrated to the United States with field of women’s chess and participated in their daughter Jephta at the outset of World the U.S. Women’s Championships six times War II, first settling in Elizabethtown, New in the 1950s and 1960s. Her best result York, where their son Joram was later born. occurred in 1965, when she won second Though she had not received any formal place behind Gisela Gresser.2 She also chess training, her desire to compete led defeated her rival, Woman International her to participate in Master Mona May Karff3 in such a tournaments sponsored by . captivating manner that Of this period in her life, Jacqueline said: printed their game.

1 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, 2010. 2 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, 1992. Gregor2 Piatigorsky and Jacqueline Piatigorsky Pose before the Wall Board 3 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, 2013. 3 during the 1963 Piatigorsky Cup. Photographer Unknown Participants in the 1957 Women’s Chess Olympiad. Jacqueline, , and Watch Analyze Photographer Unknown a Game in the 1966 Piatigorsky Cup. Photo Phil Bath

Jacqueline took part in another historic first to play at the earlier time, and the game was like ours has an obligation not to be second lack of financial support, and lack of for women’s chess in 1957, representing declared a forfeit. Fischer refused to play to anyone.” However, it was Jacqueline’s qualified representatives, the United the United States in the inaugural Women’s the remainder of the match, which was a attention to detail and persistence that made States had no entrant in the 1965 World Chess Olympiad in Emmen, the , disappointment to Jacqueline and the other the event legendary. The competition was Championship,” she established with teammate Gisela Gresser. Jacqueline tournament organizers. In the wake of this held again in 1966, and its success prompted the United States Junior Invitational played on second board, and the team won event, she formed a close friendship with the to name Jacqueline its Championship, now known as the U.S. a bronze medal in the historic competition. Samuel Reshevsky, who became her coach. “Woman of the Year.” Junior Closed Championship. The Later that same year, she took her first step Foundation also directed the California in the arena of chess , serving Despite her early setback, Jacqueline’s During the 1960s and 1970s, the patronage Junior Championship and provided money as the chairperson for the U.S. Women’s interest in chess promotion was not of the Piatigorsky Foundation was especially to students who wanted to participate in Chess Championship, which was held in dampened, and she established the prolific. In addition to the aforementioned the National High School Championship. Los Angeles and sponsored by the Herman Piatigorsky Foundation, which had as its goal competitions, the organization sponsored On the local level, the Foundation ran Steiner Chess Club. to boost chess culture in the United States. chess programs directed toward women, the Tournament of Champions, as well as At the time, the idea of a philanthropic senior citizens, public school students, and the Christmas Tournament, designed to During the mid-to-late 1960s, Jacqueline chess organization was so novel that the veterans. It also promoted chess to children promote chess in public schools. participated in tournaments less frequently. Internal Revenue Service denied the group’s in juvenile detention facilities, underserved However, over the course of the same first application for not-for-profit status. communities, and in schools for children After this burst of activity in the 1960s and decade, she dedicated herself more fully to However, she persevered and the Piatigorsky with physical disabilities, impaired vision, 1970s, Jacqueline began to focus more chess promotion, first co-sponsoring a match Foundation became renowned for its and deafness. These activities on the energy on her newfound passions, sculpture between former child prodigy support of American chess both on elite and local level were complemented by the and tennis. The Piatigorsky Foundation (GM) Samuel Reshevsky4 and rising star local levels. Foundation’s efforts on the national level: was dissolved in 1985; however, its visionary GM .5 Also supported by the organizing the 1968 Playoff influence is still felt today. Jacqueline passed American Chess Foundation, the match was The Foundation’s first and most famous at the Steiner Chess Club and providing away in 2012 at the age of 100 after a long held in both New York and Los Angeles. venture was the organization of the financial support for Bobby Fischer’s World life full of great achievements. The World The match ended prematurely over a 1963 Piatigorsky Cup tournament. This Chess Championship run, the U.S. Chess Chess Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate disagreement over the start time for one competition attracted the best American Championship, and the U.S. Women’s Chess her legacy in this exhibition made possible of the games—Jacqueline had wanted a and international players. Jacqueline Championship. by generous loans and donations from the Sunday game to begin earlier both so that organized it at the urging of Gregor, who Piatigorsky family. she could attend one of Gregor’s concerts said that in the United States there was, Jacqueline took a special interest in and accommodate the travel needs of out-of- “too much emphasis on physical sports and promoting chess among the young. After — Emily Allred, Assistant Curator town audience members. Fischer declined not enough on the intellectual…A country learning that “due to lack of organization,

4 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, 1986 Jacqueline Piatigorsky with her Artwork. 4 5 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, 1986; World Chess Hall of Fame, 2001. 5 Photographer Unknown, 1966 JACQUELINE PIATIGORSKY (1911-2012)

NOVEMBER 6, 1911 1951 OCTOBER 20 - SEPTEMBER 1955 NOVEMBER 3 - 16, 1957 NOVEMBER 1962 SEPTEMBER 1965 AUGUST 1966 MARCH 29 - Jacqueline de Rothschild NOVEMBER 3, 1951 The U.S. Women’s Chess Jacqueline participates The Piatigorsky Foundation lists Jacqueline APRIL 10, 1968 is born to Baron Edouard Championship is held in in the Utah Open Chess establishes the Student Piatigorsky as the fifth- The Piatigorsky Foundation de Rothschild and Los Angeles, California. Tournament. She is one of Chess Club of Los Angeles, ranked American woman sponsors the American Germaine Alice Halphen, Jacqueline serves as only three women playing, a subgroup of the Steiner chess player, with a rating team’s entry into the Chess in Paris, France. chairperson of the event, and places ninth in a field Chess Club and one of the of 1902. Olympiad in Lugano, which is sponsored by the of twenty-six players. first junior-only group in the Switzerland. c 1917 Herman Steiner Chess Club. country. Among its early DECEMBER 1966 At age six, Jacqueline NOVEMBER 23, 1962 members are such famous The Los Angeles Times OCTOBER 17 - becomes ill. An English c 1960 - 1961 The Examiner names as future GM James names Jacqueline its NOVEMBER 7, 1968 nurse named Miss Coque 1955 U.S. Women’s Championship The Piatigorskys finance a reports Jacqueline is Tarjan, future Senior Master woman of the year for her The Piatigorsky Foundation Brilliancy Prize. brings her a surprise during Jacqueline Piatigorsky and Willa Owens second venue for the working to promote Alan Pollard, and future accomplishments, which helps the U.S. participate her recovery, a pocket in the 1951 U.S. Women’s Championship. Jacqueline wins fourth Steiner Chess Club in Los chess with the Veterans National Master Andy Sacks. include the sponsorship of in the Chess Olympiad for Photo Nancy Roos Jacqueline Piatigorsky in Action against during chess set. After Jacqueline place in the U.S. Women’s Angeles. This new building Administration Hospital the second Piatigorsky Cup. the Blind. the 1955 U.S. Women’s Championship. Photographer Unknown returns to health, Miss Jacqueline makes her Chess Championship in on Cashio Street is designed and among students with August 1963 Issue of Chess Review. JANUARY 1966 Coque lets her keep the tournament debut at New York, behind Nancy by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., hearing impairments. Jacqueline reaches her MAY 13, 1967 1971 - 1972 treasured set. the U.S. Women’s Chess Roos and Gisela Gresser to be more open and DECEMBER 3, 1963 peak U.S.C.F. rating of 1996. Jacqueline is inducted into The Piatigorsky Foundation Championship in New York, (who tie for first) and Mona tournament-friendly than FEBRUARY 1963 the Southern California joins the American Chess JANUARY 26, 1937 which features a field of ten May Karff. She defeats the the existing club space on Samuel Reshevsky, Chess Hall of Fame for her Foundation and the U.S.C.F. Jacqueline marries competitors. She finishes in latter in dazzling style in a Beverly Boulevard, which it William Addison, and Larry The Piatigorsky Foundation achievements as a chess in sponsoring American world-renowned cellist 1951 Hollywood Chess Group “B” a tie for eighth/ninth place game that is awarded the eventually replaces. Evans compete in the U.S. takes over promotion player and benefactor. Grandmaster Bobby Championship Brilliancy Prize. Gregor Piatigorsky while with Willa White Owens, brilliancy prize. Championship Playoff, which and direction of the Fischer’s run for the World accompanying him on Jacqueline begins using whom she defeats in an JULY - AUGUST, 1961 is sponsored by Jacqueline. California Junior Chess SEPTEMBER 1967 Chess Championship. In his concert tour in Ann the weekly chess problems eleven-move miniature. NOVEMBER 1955 Reshevsky wins the Championship. The The Piatigorsky Foundation 1972, he wins the legendary Arbor, . Their first in the Los Angeles Times as Herman Steiner dies and tournament and advances Foundation also sponsors opens the Women’s Chess match, ending years of daughter, Jephta, is born in practice. Later this year, she MARCH 1952 leadership of the Hollywood to the 1964 Interzonal. the U.S. Junior Closed Club as a subgroup of the Soviet chess . Paris in October. meets the chess editor and Jacqueline appears on Chess Group is transferred Championship, an event Steiner Chess Club. her future coach Herman the United States Chess to a group directed by JULY 2 - 27, 1963 the group would support AUGUST 6, 1976 1939 Steiner, who encourages Federation (U.S.C.F.) rating Jacqueline. The club is until 1985. FEBRUARY 18 - Jacqueline’s husband The Piatigorskys purchase her to play at his Hollywood list for the first time at 1840. renamed the Herman Steiner MARCH 3, 1968 Gregor dies of lung cancer. Jacqueline Piatigorsky and Bobby Fischer at the Herman a property in Elizabethtown, Chess Group. She plays Chess Club in his honor. JULY 17 - AUGUST 15, 1966 Steiner Chess Club. Photographer Unknown, 1961 New York, following an in the Chess Group “B” APRIL 19 - MAY 1, 1954 Bobby Fischer and Samuel Reshevky 1984 American concert tour. Competition, and despite Jacqueline participates in DECEMBER 1956 Compete in their 1961 Match. The U.S.C.F. awards They return to France for a middling performance, the first official California The Steiner Chess Club hosts Photographer Unknown 1963 Ladies Nevada State Chess Jacqueline the title of Life Championship Trophy. the summer, but finally flee wins the brilliancy prize for a Women’s Championship, the California Women’s Jacqueline cosponsors a Member. on September 3, only hours beautiful . which is held at the Championship, in which match between Samuel Samuel Reshevsky writes to before France officially Hollywood Chess Group Jacqueline places third. Reshevsky and Bobby Jacqueline to congratulate 1985 enters World War II. - 3, 1951 and organized by Herman Fischer, which ends when Tigran Petrosian and her on her first-place finish The Piatigorsky Foundation Some Friendly Words before Steiner. Jacqueline ties for SEPTEMBER 2 - 21, 1957 Fischer disagrees with a new Beginning their First Round Game in the in the Ladies Nevada State is dissolved. 1940 second place. Jacqueline competes in starting time for the twelfth Piatigorsky Cup Tournament. Chess Championship. and at the 1968 Photo Otto Rothschild Interzonal Playoff. Photo Art Zeller Jacqueline’s second the first Women’s Chess game. Reshevsky becomes 1988 child, Joram, is born in Olympiad in Emmen, the Jacqueline’s close friend Paul Keres and Tigran MAY 1965 The Piatigorsky Foundation Jacqueline publishes her Elizabethtown. There Netherlands, representing and chess teacher. Petrosian share first place Jacqueline wins second , Jacqueline Piatigorsky, organizes and sponsors memoir Jump in the Waves, Jacqueline also begins the U.S. along with Gisela in the first Piatigorsky Cup, place at the U.S. Women’s and Gregor Piatigorsky with the the three-man (Samuel which includes a chapter Piatigorsky Cup. Photo Phil Bath to play correspondence Gresser. Jacqueline wins DECEMBER 1961 which attracts elite players Chess Championship Reshevsky, Vlastimil Hort, on her chess activities. chess games and studies a bronze medal for her Articles of Incorporation for from around the world. at age 53, her best Jacqueline sponsors the and Leonid Stein) Interzonal opening strategies. performance on board two. the Piatigorsky Foundation Jacqueline sponsors and performance in the event. second Piatigorsky Cup. Playoff event at the Steiner JULY 15, 2012

1951 California Open Chess are created. organizes the event. She finishes half a point out On August 14, over nine Chess Club. Reshevsky Jacqueline passes away 1949 Tournament Santa Cruz, California. of first with an excellent hundred spectators watch wins the competition and in Los Angeles, California, The Piatigorsky family Photographer Unknown APRIL - MAY 1962 score of 7 ½ - 2 ½ and the Fischer – Spassky game. advances. at the age of 100, leaving moves to Los Angeles after Jacqueline competes in the Jacqueline competes in defeats her longtime rival This remains the largest behind a great legacy living in for California Open in Santa the U.S. Women’s Chess Mona May Karff. audience ever to witness related to American chess. several years. Cruz, finishing thirteenth in a Championship in New York. a in the field of forty-three players. United States. Spassky wins the event. Herman Steiner watches as Jacqueline Participates in a Trophy Photographs Courtesy of Michael DeFilippo Simul with Samuel Reshevsky. Photo Nancy Roos, early 1950s THE PIATIGORSKY CUPS OF 1963 AND 1966

The 1963 and 1966 Piatigorsky Cup has plaques with spaces for the names tournaments rank among the strongest of the winners. The 1963 event, held at chess competitions ever held on American the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, soil. They are on a short list that includes California, included eight competitors from New York 1924, New York 1927, 1957, five different nations and offered a prize and the 2013 . Organized fund of $10,000.1 The two Soviet players, by Jacqueline Piatigorsky and the Piatigorsky Tigran Petrosian and Paul Keres, triumphed Foundation, these landmark competitions over the rest of the field and shared the top were created with the goal of promoting prize. The exciting competition attracted a chess in the United States. By bringing large audience. together world-class players in elegant settings, Jacqueline hoped to prove that the Bobby Fischer participated in the 1966 United States could support chess on an tournament, ensuring that the top American elite level. talent of the period was represented in the competition. It also meant that the field Paul Keres, Gregor Piatigorsky, Jacqueline Piatigorsky, and Tigran Petrosian following the 1963 Piatigorsky Cup. Photo Phil Bath Held during the , when tensions of ten players in the 1966 event contained between the United States and the Soviet one World Chess Champion (Petrosian) Union were high, the Piatigorsky Cups as well as two future ones (Bobby Fischer represented a triumph of diplomacy. and Boris Spassky). Fischer had declined Jacqueline and Gregor Piatigorsky faced a an invitation to the first Cup, still unhappy daunting task in trying to have Soviet players about his aborted 1961 match against compete in both events, something that Samuel Reshevsky, which Jacqueline had had happened only once before in 1954, cosponsored. However, by 1966 the sore when the and United States feelings had subsided, and his presence and played a team match in New York. That play made this Cup an electrifying event. the Piatigorskys succeeded was a testament After a strong start followed by a disastrous to their hard work and persistence, and performance mid-tournament, Fischer resulted in Tigran Petrosian competing mounted an amazing comeback to tie with in both events. This was the first time a the tournament leader, Spassky, in the reigning World Chess Champion had standings. Their game in the penultimate participated in an individual competition in round attracted a record 900 spectators the United States since and served as a preview of the excitement played in Pasadena, California, in 1932. the two would generate six years later in their epic 1972 Both the 1963 and 1966 tournaments match in Reykjavik, . The two played were double round-robin competitions to a hard-fought . Spassky then won in which all participants played against his last game against , who each other twice. Jacqueline produced an was at the bottom of the standings, while elegant trophy for the events that featured Fischer’s game against Petrosian ended in a a “love cup” designed by Tiffany & Co. as draw. Spassky achieved a narrow victory over its centerpiece. The cup is flanked by two Fischer, winning $5000 from the $20,000 Régence-style chess pieces, while the base prize fund and a smaller version of the Piatigorsky Cup trophy.2

1 $10,000 in 1963 is equivalent to over $76,000 today 2 $5,000 in 1966 is equivalent to over $36,000 today, while (Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator $20,000 is equivalent to over $144,000 today (Bureau of Piatigorsky Cup Trophy, 1963 http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm) Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator http://www.bls.gov/ Tiffany & Co. data/inflation_calculator.htm) Jacqueline Piatigorsky Watches as Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky Play in 9 the 1966 Piatigorsky Cup. Photo Phil Bath Courtesy of Michael DeFilippo Tournament Director Addresses the Players before the First Round of Jacqueline Piatigorsky with the Winners of the 1963 Piatigorsky Cup Tournament, the 1963 Piatigorsky Cup. Photo Otto Rothschild Tigran Petrosian and Paul Keres. Photo Otto Rothschild

The Piatigorsky Cups were not only elite second tournament, held in Santa Monica, tournaments, but they also broke new California, in 1966, she had designed and ground in making chess competitions more perfected the setup. This innovation, as well spectator-friendly. The 1963 event followed as her creation of electric wall-mounted traditions that had existed for decades, clocks that kept precise measurements with wall boys moving the pieces on large of each player’s time, turned out to be demonstration boards for the audience. both novel and necessary in the second Periodically these same wall boys would competition. The second Piatigorsky Cup manually adjust clocks mounted next to the consistently drew crowds of 600 to 700, demonstration boards, giving the audience peaking at 900 spectators near the end of a rough idea of how much time each player the event. had used. Though Jacqueline had originally intended This formula worked reasonably well, but to hold the tournaments every two to Jacqueline, known for her attention to three years, the difficulties of gaining detail, wanted to improve this system for the participation of players from around the second event. She aimed to ensure that the world led her to stop organizing everyone that attended the tournament the event after 1966. Nevertheless, she would be able to see the action, even if succeeded in holding two brilliant and they were seated in the back of the playing beautiful tournaments that are still fondly hall. To this end, she developed a projector remembered. system that would make the moves of each game clearly visible. By the time of the — IM John Donaldson

Competitors10 Playing in the 1966 Piatigorsky Cup. 11 Photo Art Zeller JACQUELINE PIATIGORSKY: Above: PATRON, PLAYER, PIONEER Yury Averbakh, Jacqueline Piatigorsky and at the 1968 Interzonal OCTOBER 25, 2013 – APRIL 18, 2014 Playoff. Photo Art Zeller

The World Chess Hall of Fame acknowledges Jeanne Cover Image: and , whose generous support has made Jacqueline Piatigorsky. this exhibition possible. Photographer Unknown, c 1950s

The World Chess Hall of Fame would like to extend a All photographs and artifacts: very special thank you to the entire Piatigorsky family, Collection of the World Chess Hall of especially Jephta Drachman, Joram Piatigorsky, Evan Fame, gift of the Family of Jacqueline Drachman, and Anton Piatigorsky. We are honored to Piatigorsky present the life of Jacqueline Piatigorsky in this project. Please note that copyright remains with We additionally would like to thank IM John Donaldson, the artists and other copyright holders Nancy Bell, Susan Bowser and Stein Framing, Chess Club as specified. Every reasonable attempt and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, Jon Crumiller, Arthur has been made to identify owners of Drucker, Laura Gorman, NM Robert Jacobs, NM Bruce copyright. Errors or omissions will be Monson, GM-elect Daniel Naroditsky, GM , corrected in subsequent editions. Tony Rich, NM Andy Sacks, IM , WGM Jennifer Shahade, IM Jeremy Silman, GM , WORLD CHESS HALL OF FAME Tiffany & Co., and Michael Varet for their assistance with Director: Susan Barrett the exhibition. 4652 Maryland Avenue Saint Louis, MO 63108 Curated by Emily Allred with the World Chess Hall of Fame. (314) 367-WCHF (9243) Related programming and a downloadable pdf of this brochure can be found at worldchesshof.org. © World Chess Hall of Fame Design by Paige Pedersen Printed on Recycled Paper

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