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Chess immortal GEORGE KOLTANOWSKI DIES AT AGE 96

February 6, 2000. San Francisco, CA. GEORGE KOLTANOWSKI -- the phenomenal chess showman,columnist, and blindfold chess exhibitor (34 boards played simultaneously while blindfolded-Edinburgh, Scotland 1937!!...probably the real all time world record) George Koltanowski has died of heart congestion at age 96.. He was a chess editor of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper for an astounding one half century.

A fierce exponent of train -bus travel, going here, there and everywhere on chess tour, playing chess exhibitions in small towns and locations never visited before or since... Grandmaster KOLTANOWSKI shocked one teenie bopper Jude Acers at 1956 Tulane University cafeteria/New Orleans simul... instantly leading Acers to a chess career. "Young man...study no more than three hours a week on chess. That will do it" the famous touring player commented.

Jude Acers remembers: " It is no exaggeration that on a purely business level, Grandmaster Koltanowski made me several hundred thousand dollars with his chess shows, illustrating how to do it and how the chess professional must NEVER depend on the U.S. chess federation for anything whatsoever. Koltanowski's classic book ADVENTURES OF A CHESS MASTER (CHESS IN THE DARK) geared me for the independent life, risks, and career that a chess professional must take seriously..money matters. While others talked, he got the cash! He was BY FAR the most important catalyst in United States chess, a member of the chess hall of fame for good reason. Please let me mention Mr. Koltanowski WAS FIRST TO GET CHESS ON TELEVISION (national public broadcasting). Also please note his hundreds of charitable performances worldwide, particularly those for school children....One of the most beloved chess masters ever, Mr. Koltanowski is survived by his delightful free spirited wife Leah, age 93.#

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