GM Arthur Bisguier

U.S. Champion 1954-58

GM Joel Benjamin

3-time U.S. Champion

GM Joel Benjamin and GM Arthur Bisguier along with their moderator, Stephen Shutt, entertain and inform their audience by sharing little-known chess anecdotes in this 90 minute video.

Bios:

Grandmaster Joel Benjamin

Grandmaster and three-time U.S. Champion.  At 13, he broke Bobby Fischer's record for becoming the youngest U.S. Master up to that time. As a junior player, GM Benjamin accomplished the rare trifecta of winning the National Elementary title (1976), the National Junior High crown (1978), and the National High School titles (1980-81). 

Other triumphs have included the U.S. Junior Championship in 1980 and 1982 and the U.S. Open Championship in 1985 a year in which Joel also found time to graduate from Yale University with a History degree. He earned the grandmaster title a year later in 1986. Joel was U.S. Champion in 1987, 1997, and 2000. Benjamin appeared in the movie “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and was hired by IBM as a consultant for supercomputer Deep Blue in its successful match against Garry Kasparov in 1997.  In 1998, the personable New Yorker was voted "Grandmaster of the Year" by the U.S. Chess Federation.

Grandmaster Arthur B. Bisguier

Arthur Bisguier, former U.S. Champion, has probably played more people than any other grandmaster. By 1944, at age 15, he placed third at the Bronx Empire Chess Club. He matured enough to graduate to the Manhattan Chess Club’s championships, and by 1946, he was advancing at a feverish pace. The 17-year old kept his cool to tie for fifth in the U.S. Open at Pittsburgh, followed by seventh place in 1948. Later that year, he captured the U.S. Junior Championship and impressed enough people to win an invitation to the New York 1948-49 International Tournament.

In 1949, Bisguier won both the U.S. Junior Championship and the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.  In 1950, 1956, 1959, he finished first in the U.S. Open (He also tied for first place with Bobby Fischer in 1957 and Pal Benko in 1969).  The United States army interrupted his chess career from 1951 to 1953; however, they did allow him to play in the Helsinki Olympiad in 1952.  He capped off his stay in Europe by winning the third annual Christmas tournament in Vienna with a stunning 9-2 score and a 2680 performance rating!

In 1953, he entered the Philadelphia Candidates' Tournament for the U.S. Championship and came through with a first place finish and another over-2600 performance. His meteoric climb to the top culminated with a winning score in the 1954 U.S. Championship, one point ahead of Evans, who had held the title for three years.  He won National Opens in 1970 (with Evans), 1974, and 1978.  He finished first in Lone Pine in 1973, second in the international tournament in Puerto Rico in 1969, first in the Grand Prix in 1980, and first in the U.S. Senior Open in 1989, 1997, and 2000 thus winning a U.S. championship at every age level of chess.

Please note:  This video was taken at the 20th anniversary of the Castle Chess Camp.  It was taped before a live audience.  This is not a professional video.  The Grandmasters did not have access to the questions or time to prepare in advance.  This is a truly unique opportunity to see the GMs as they really are.  If you are interested in ordering this video, please email us at [email protected].