Reuben Fine – The Psychologist & Endgame Authority

Reuben Fine (1914–1993) was an American chess Grandmaster, psychologist, and author. Alongside Samuel Reshevsky, he was the pillar of American chess in the mid-20th century.

He is best known for his co-victory at the AVRO 1938 tournament, one of the strongest events in history, and for authoring "Basic Chess Endings," which served as the bible of endgame theory for over 50 years.

Fine was one of the six players invited to compete for the vacant world title after Alekhine's death. He declined, officially to focus on his doctoral dissertation in psychology, though rumors persisted that he didn't want to waste a year preparing for a tournament he felt might be rigged by Soviet team play.

He retired from serious chess while still in his prime to become a psychoanalyst. He wrote many books on the subject, including "The Psychology of the Chess Player."

Fine had a universal style similar to Lasker or Spassky. He was pragmatic, tactically alert, and possessed flawless endgame technique. He was also one of the best blitz players in the world.

His greatest achievement was tying for first place with Paul Keres at the AVRO 1938 tournament, finishing ahead of World Champion Alekhine, former champions Euwe and Capablanca, and future champion Botvinnik.

He wrote "Basic Chess Endings" in just four months in 1941. It was the first systematic English-language book on the endgame and remains a classic today.

An incredible record: Reuben Fine entered the U.S. Open Chess Championship seven times (1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1941) and won it every single time.

Like Morphy before him and Fischer after him, Fine is often lamented as a "what if" story—a player of World Champion caliber who left the game too soon.

He was a legendary blitz player. In the 1930s, he could hold his own against Alekhine in speed chess and was considered nearly unbeatable at 10-seconds-a-move.

He won three team Gold medals with the USA at the Chess Olympiads (1933, 1935, 1937), often playing pivotal roles on the top boards.

He combined his two passions in this famous book, applying Freudian psychoanalysis to the lives of great masters, including a controversial profile of Paul Morphy.

Another of his classic books, which taught generations of players to understand the "why" behind moves rather than just memorizing variations.

He had a lifetime plus score against the great Emanuel Lasker (+1 -0 =2).

He also held a lifetime plus score against World Champion Alexander Alekhine (+3 -2 =4).

Like many greats, he was adept at blindfold chess, once playing four games simultaneously blindfolded at 10 seconds per move.

His withdrawal from the 1948 championship essentially handed the era to the Soviet School, as he was the only Westerner capable of challenging Botvinnik at that time.

Fine didn't chase beauty for beauty's sake. He played logical, strong moves, often stating, "I'd rather have a pawn than a finger."

In 1963, he played a series of friendly blitz games against a young Bobby Fischer. Fischer won, but Fine managed to score a win in one game, which Fischer included in "My 60 Memorable Games."

He earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Southern California in 1948.

He argued against the idea that chess players were naturally eccentric, trying to ground the game's psychology in reality (despite his heavy Freudian bias).

In 1937, he played a match against former World Champion Max Euwe, losing narrowly by a score of 3–5.

He won the famous Hastings tournament in 1935/36, a rite of passage for all great masters of the era.

He edited the 6th edition of MCO (Modern Chess Openings), which became the standard reference for opening theory in the late 30s and 40s.

Fine remains one of the greatest instructional writers in chess history. His ability to explain complex concepts in simple English is unmatched.