Albert Pinkus facts for kids

Albert Sidney Pinkus (born March 20, 1903, in New York City – died February 4, 1984, in New York) was an American chess master and a brave explorer. He was known for his amazing chess skills and for traveling to far-off places to study nature. He even wrote about chess, sharing his ideas on openings like the Two Knights Defense in Chess Review.

A Life of Chess and Adventure

Pinkus showed his talent early in chess. He won the Hallgarten Tournament in 1925. Two years later, in 1927, he also won the Junior Masters' Tournament. In both these big events, he even scored better than another famous chess player, Isaac Kashdan.

Explorer of Jungles

In 1932, Pinkus began an exciting new chapter in his life. He went on ten different trips to the deep jungles of British Guiana and Venezuela. His goal was to collect special animal and plant samples. These expeditions helped scientists learn more about the natural world.

Return to Chess

In 1939, Pinkus came back to New York. He started working on Wall Street as a stockbroker, but he also picked up his chess career again. He played in many important tournaments:

• At the 1940 US Chess Championship in New York, he tied for fourth and fifth place. Samuel Reshevsky won that year.
• In 1941, he tied for third and fourth at Ventnor City.
• He tied for third at the 1942 US Championship in New York, which Reshevsky also won.
• In 1942, he shared third place at Ventnor City.
• He took fifth place at the 1944 US Championship in New York.
• Later in 1944, he tied for second and third at Ventnor City.

Pinkus also won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship twice, in 1941 and 1945. He shared second place there in 1955. In 1947, he won the New York State Chess Championship. He even played in special radio chess matches, representing the USA against the USSR in 1945, and against Yugoslavia in 1950. He also played for New York against La Plata in 1947.

Even though he never officially received an international chess title, his strong playing skills were very close to the level of an International Master.