Jacqueline Piatigorsky

A woman of many talents and with a strong devotion to chess, Jacqueline Piatigorsky transformed American chess through her efforts as an organizer, philanthropist, and player. She also represented the United States in the first Women’s Chess Olympiad in 1957, winning an individual bronze medal on Board 2. However, Piatigorsky is best remembered for organizing two of the greatest American chess tournaments, the 1963 and 1966 Piatigorsky Cups. Committed to promoting youth chess, she created scholastic programs in southern California in the early 1960s through the Piatigorsky Foundation decades before they became common. She also initiated the U.S. Junior Closed Chess Championship and provided support for the U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships.