Solomon Lipschuetz by Bill Wall
S. Lipschütz (Lipschutz or Lipschuetz) was born on July 4, 1863 in Ungvar, Austria-Hungary (now Uzhhorod, Ukraine). His first name is not quite known. Different sources give Simon, Samuel, or Solomon.
He learned chess at the age of 13 from a fellow apprentice in a printing office. He became very interested in the game and devoted most of his leisure time to practicing it.
At the age of 16, he moved to Budapest where he frequented the chess circles.
He immigrated to New York in September, 1880, at the age of 17 and played chess in the New York cafes. He later joined the Manhattan Chess Club and the New York Chess Club. His occupation was a printer. He later worked in the insurance business.
In 1883, he was chosen to represent New York in a chess match with the Philadelphia Chess Club. He won both of his games.
In 1885, he won the championship of the New York Chess Club. He then defeated the champion of the Manhattan Chess Club, Eugene Delmar (1841-1909), in a match.
In July 1886, he played in the 2nd British Chess Federation held in London and took 6th place, won by Henry Blackburne after a playoff with Amos Burn.
In 1886, he lost a match against George Henry Mackenzie (1837-1891), held in New York. Lipschuetz won 3, lost 5, and drew 5.
In 1887, he won the championship of the Manhattan Chess Club.
From 1887 to 1890, he was the editor of the <em>Columbia Chess Chronicle</em>.
In 1888, he lost a match against Eugene Delmar in New York, winning 3 games and losing 5.
In 1888, he wrote a 122-page appendix to George Gossip’s <em>The Chess-Player’s Manua</em>l. It helped make the book one of the standard opening books of the time.
In August 1888, he became a naturalized citizen.
In 1889, he won the 11th New York State Chess Championship, scoring 5-0.
In March-May 1889, he took 6th place at the 6th American Chess Congress in New York. He was the only American among the prize winners. Mackenzie had retired from chess, so Lipschuetz became the de facto U.S. chess champion. Before the tournament began, the organizers of this event had announced that the top U.S. player in this tournament would be recognized as the reigning U.S. chess champion.
In February 1890, he took 3rd in the 3rd USA Chess Association championship, held in St. Louis, behind Jackson Whipps Showalter and William Pollock.
In 1890, he defeated Eugene Delmar in a match, with the score 8.5 to 4.5.
In 1890, he lost a match to Jackson Whipps Showalter (1860-1935), played in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1891, Lipschuetz claimed the U.S. chess championship title upon the death of George Mackenzie on April 14, 1891. Jackson Whipps Showalter disputed the claim and challenged Lipschuetz to a U.S. Championship match.
In April-May 1892, he won the first officially recognized U.S. Chess Championship. It was played at the Manhattan Chess Club in New York. Lipschuetz defeated Jackson Whipps Showalter with 7 wins, 1 loss, and 7 draws. The stakes was $750 per side.
After winning the match against Showalter, Lipschuetz gave up his New York printing business and moved to Los Angeles, California, thinking its climate would be healthier for him. Upon his departure, Showalter re-claimed the vacant title.
In 1895, he edited a chess column in the <em>Los Angeles Herald</em>.
In 1895, Lipschuetz returned to New York and claimed he never relinquished his title.
In 1895, he lost to Showalter in a match in New York with 5 wins, 7 losses, and 4 draws.
In May 1896, he played board 1 for the Manhattan Chess Club, and won his game against board 1 of the Franklin Chess Club of Philadelphia.
In July 1896, he won the 6th Staats-Zeitung challenge Cup, which was also the 9th New York State Chess Association Summer Congress.
In 1896, he lost a match against Showalter in New York, winning 4 games, losing 7 and drawing 3.
In July 1897, he tied with William Steinitz in the 10th New York State Chess Association Summer Congress.
In 1898, he defeated Frank Marshall in a match in New York, winning 3-0.
In 1899, he tied for 1st, with W.M. De Visser in the New York State championship.
In 1900, he won the Manhattan Chess Club championship.
In 1901, he edited The Rice Gambit.
Inn 1902, he played for the Manhattan Chess Club in a match against the Franklin Chess Club.
In 1904, he moves to Berlin, then to Hamburg, Germany to undergo treatment for consumption (tuberculosis).
He died in Hamburg on November 30, 1905, after an operation. He was 42
Delmar – Lipschuetz, New York 1888
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bd3 d5 7.e5 Ng4 8.O-O Bc5 9.h3 Nxe5 10.Re1 Qf6 11.Qe2 O-O 12.Qxe5 Qxf2+ 13.Kh1 Bxh3 14.gxh3 Qf3+ 15.Kh2 Bd6 16.Qxd6 Qf2+ 0-1