American chess master who was an outstanding player though he never won a world championship.

Reshevsky learned to play chess when he was about 4 years old. A child prodigy, he gave exhibitions at age 6 and achieved master strength by the time he was about 9. He was brought with his family to the United States in 1920; shortly thereafter his chess activity was restricted until he had completed his formal education. In 1933 he received a degree in accounting from the University of Chicago, and in 1935 he resumed serious international chess. His style of play was tenacious and resourceful, particularly on defense. He wrote two major books, Reshevsky on Chess (1948) and How Chess Games Are Won (1962).