Géza Füster

Who was Géza Füster?

Géza Füster was a Hungarian-Canadian chess International Master.

Born in Budapest, he won his first of many Budapest Championships in 1936. During World War II, he played in several strong tournaments. In 1941, he won the Hungarian Championship. In 1941, he took 4th, behind Jan Foltys, Szily and Potuček, in Trenčianske Teplice.

In September 1941, he took 11th out of 16 competitors at Munich with 6.5/15, but drawing his game with World Champion Alexander Alekhine. The event was won by Gösta Stoltz. In September 1942, he tied for 3rd-5th in Munich. In 1943, he took 2nd, behind Gedeon Barcza, in Diosgyör. In 1943, he won in Kolozsvár. In 1943-44, he won the Hungarian correspondence championship.

After the war, he defected. He planned to cross the border at East Berlin with Pal Benko. Fuster made it across the border, but Benko was apprehended and sent to prison for nearly three years. Fuster made it to Canada in 1953, settling in Toronto. Fuster's first success in his new land was winning the Toronto City Championship in 1954; he repeated in 1955, 1956, 1962, 1969, and 1971.