Reuben Fine

Who was Reuben Fine?

Reuben Fine was an American chess grandmaster, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology. He was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the late 1930s into the early 1950s.

Fine won five medals in three chess Olympiads. Fine won the U.S. Open Chess Championship all seven times he entered. He was the author of several chess books that are still popular today, including important books on the endgame, opening, and middlegame.

He earned a bachelor's degree from the City College of New York in 1932. After World War II, he earned his doctorate in psychology from the University of Southern California. He served as a university professor, and wrote many successful books on psychology.

Fine was regarded as a serious contender for the World Chess Championship. Initially accepting his invitation to participate in the six-player 1948 World Championship, which was organized to determine the World Champion after the 1946 death of reigning champion Alexander Alekhine, he withdrew on the eve of the tournament, citing professional commitments, and virtually retired from serious competition around that time.