Anthony Edward Santasiere (December 9, 1904January 13, 1977) was an American chess master and chess writer, who also wrote extensively on non-chess topics. Santasiere was a middle school mathematics teacher by profession. Santasiere won the 1945 U.S. Open Chess Championship, four New York State championships, and six Marshall Chess Club championships. He competed in four U.S. Chess Championships, with his best finish being a tie for third in 1946. He was a chess organizer.
Early life, education, professional career
Santasiere, of French and Italian ancestry, was born and raised in New York City, the 12th of 13 children, and grew up in extreme poverty. He graduated from City College with a degree in mathematics. His studies there were financed by Alrick Man, a wealthy chess enthusiast who had served as president of the Marshall Chess Club. Santasiere represented CCNY in intercollegiate chess. Following graduation, beginning in 1927, Santasiere taught mathematics at the Angelo Patri Middle School in the Bronx. He also taught mathematics and home room at P.S. 92 in the Bronx. He retired to South Florida in 1965.
Chess career
Santasiere wrote extensively on chess in the magazine American Chess Bulletin, from 1930 to 1963; he served as Games Editor, working with Editor Hermann Helms. The chess opening Santasiere's Folly (1.Nf3 d5 2.b4), was originated and developed by him, and is named for him. Santasiere was also an expert in the Reti Opening, the King's Gambit, and the Vienna Game.
Metropolitan competitor
In the 1930s, Santasiere defeated Albert Simonson by (+3 -1) in a match, and also defeated Fred Reinfeld in match play by (+3 =3 -0). Santasiere competed in 34 consecutive Marshall Chess Club Championships, and represented the Marshall Club for 37 consecutive seasons in the Metropolitan Chess League.
1920s
In 1922, at age 17, Santasiere won the first of his six Marshall Chess Club Championships. In 1923, Santasiere tied for 13th/14th place at Lake Hopatcong (9th American Chess Congress, Frank Marshall and Abraham Kupchik won). In 1924, he took third place, behind Marshall and Carlos Torre, at New York. In 1927, he tied for third/fourth at New York (Albert Pinkus won). In 1927, he tied for fourth through sixth place at Rome, New York (New York State Championship; Rudolph Smirka won). In 1928, Santasiere won at Buffalo (New York State Championship). In 1929, he took third place, behind Herman Steiner and Jacob Bernstein, at Buffalo (New York State Championship).
1930s
In 1930, he tied for first with Norman Lessing at Utica (New York State Championship). In 1931, he took seventh place in New York (José Raúl Capablanca won). In 1931, he tied for third/fourth at Rome (New York State Championship; Fred Reinfeld won). In 1934, he tied for ninth/tenth at Syracuse (Samuel Reshevsky won). In 1935, he took seventh at Milwaukee (U.S. Open); (Reuben Fine won). In 1938, he tied for 10th/11th at New York (second US Championship; Reshevsky won). In 1938, he took fifth at Boston (U.S. Open); (Israel Horowitz and Isaac Kashdan won).
1940s
He shared first place with George Shainswit at Ventnor City 1943. He took second place, behind Reshevsky, at Boston 1944 (the 45th US Open). He won at Peoria 1945 (the 46th US Open). In September 1945, he played in a radio match US vs USSR on tenth board against David Bronstein, and lost both games. In 1946, he tied for third place in the U.S. Chess Championship, New York City, behind only Samuel Reshevsky and Isaac Kashdan. In 1946, he won the New York State Championship for the third time. In 1946, he drew a four-game match with Herbert Seidman; one win each, two draws. In 1949, he took second, behind Sandrin, at Omaha (US Open).
1950s
He won a tournament at Milan, Italy in 1953. In 1956, he won the New York State Championship for the fourth and final time. In 1957, Santasiere beat young Bobby Fischer, then age 14, in the West Orange, New Jersey Open; Fischer would win the first of his eight consecutive U.S. Championships a few months later.
1960s
Santasiere tied for 9-13th places at the 1960 Canadian Open Chess Championship in Kitchener, with 6/10; Anthony Saidy won.
On Saturday, May 11, 1968, at the Miami Beach Chess Club in Miami Beach, Florida, Santasiere, billed as "The American Chess Champion", competed in a marathon simultaneous exhibition versus 21 opponents. Santasiere scored 12 victories (including a victory over Barry Moss), three draws, four defaults wins, and lost to Hank Bergman and Irving Lynch.