FM John Curdo 1931-2022

[Simon Rogers]

The sad news has been reported that John Curdo passed away on 30th September 2022, at the age of 90.
John was born on 14th November 1931 in Lynn, Massachussetts, USA.
He won or tied for first place in the Massachussetts Open Championship, 17 times between 1948 and 1983, and won or tied for first place in the New England Open Championship, seven times between 1958 and 1983.
John won the U.S. Senior Open in 1986 and 1988, and he also tied for first place in 1982 and 1987.
He had famous victories against Grandmasters Pal Benko, Robert Byrne and Arthur Bisguier.
According to Wikipedia, as of August 2009, John Curdo had won 830 tournaments over the course of his career, a number believed to be a World Record by a wide margin.
By December 2011, he had attained 865 tournament wins, while in 2018 he had extended the number to 1000 tournament victories.
John also published four game collections.
RIP

[John Upham]

According to Wikipedia, as of August 2009, John Curdo had won 830 tournaments over the course of his career, a number believed to be a World Record by a wide margin.

Isn't that record held by The Sniper?

[Simon Rogers]

According to Wikipedia, as of August 2009, John Curdo had won 830 tournaments over the course of his career, a number believed to be a World Record by a wide margin.

Isn't that record held by The Sniper?

The entry on Wikipedia says otherwise.
I actually faced the Sniper in the last round at the Scarborough Congress. Not the man but the Opening. It was played by 10 year old chess prodigy, Torrin Anderson from Lytham St.Annes Chess Club.

[Leonard Barden]

It may not feature in any of his US obituaries, but John Curdo played several matches in the county championship for Oxfordshire around 1951-2 when he was in the US army or air force stationed locally, perhaps at RAF Brize Norton. I remember him as pleasant and relaxed, even though as captain I probably understimated his strength and put him only around board 8. Oxfordshire did have a team with Yanofsky, Tylor and Persitz. John would probably have played in the controversial counties championship final against Middlesex, but I think he had returned to the US by then.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Slightly curious given how active he was, that Curdo never got to play Fischer.

(though he didn't play much outside New England until old age, and equally RJF rarely ventured there even in his youthful years)

[Mick Norris]

Obituary also Chess Maine has a link to 2 interviews