Joseph (Józef, Iosif) Cukierman (Zukermann) ( Gródek,

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

, 28 March 1899 –

Castres Castres (; ''Castras'' in the Languedocian dialect, Languedocian dialect of Occitan language, Occitan) is the sole Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administ ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, 18 November 1940) was a Polish-born French

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...

master.

Biography

Cukierman was won the second Moscow City Championship (1920/21). In early 1920s, Cukierman lived in

Białystok Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area. Białystok is located in the Białystok Up ...

, where he won a chess club championship in 1926. Then he emigrated to

. In 1928, he tied for 2nd-3rd with

Leon Schwartzmann Leon Schwartzmann (Szwarcman, Szwarzman, Schwarzman, Schwarzmann) (1887, Warsaw – 1942, Auschwitz) was a Polish–French chess master. He was born in Warsaw, Poland (then Russian Empire) into a Jewish family, and studied in Sankt Petersburg. In ...

, behind

Abraham Baratz Abraham Baratz (14 September 1895, Bessarabia – 1975, Paris) was a Romanian–French chess master. History In 1924, Baratz took 2nd, behind Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, in Paris. In 1925, he tied for 1st with Vitaly Halberstadt in the 1st Paris City ...

, in the 4th Paris City Championship. In 1929, he tied for 5-6th in Paris (

Savielly Tartakower Savielly Tartakower (also known as ''Xavier'' or ''Ksawery'' ''Tartakower'', less often ''Tartacover'' or ''Tartakover''; 21 February 1887 – 4 February 1956) was a Polish and French chess player. He was awarded the title of International Grand ...

won). In 1930, he won, ahead of Tartakower, in the 6th Paris Championship. In 1931, he won in Paris. In 1933, he took 6th in Paris (

Alexander Alekhine Alexander Aleksandrovich Alekhine, ''Aleksándr Aleksándrovich Alékhin''; (March 24, 1946) was a Russian and French chess player and the fourth World Chess Champion, a title he held for two reigns. By the age of 22, Alekhine was already a ...

won). In 1938, Cukierman took 3rd, behind

José Raúl Capablanca José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera (19 November 1888 – 8 March 1942) was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. A chess prodigy, he is widely renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play. Capablanc ...

and

Nicolas Rossolimo Nicolas Rossolimo (russian: Николай Спиридонович Россоли́мо, translit=Nikolai Spiridonovich Rossolimo; February 28, 1910 – July 24, 1975) was a Russian Empire-born chess player. After acquiring Greek citizenship in 1 ...

, in Paris. In 1939, he tied for 5-6th in Paris (Rossolimo won). According to

, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he allegedly committed suicide in 1941.Alekhine interview
/ref>

Notable chess games

Teodor Regedziński vs Józef Cukierman, Warsaw 1926, Slav Defence, D12, 0-1

Josef Cukierman vs Georges Koltanowski, Paris 1929, Philidor Defense, Exchange Variation, C41, 1-0

Josef Cukierman vs Savielly Tartakower, Paris 1930, Indian Game, Capablanca Variation, A47, 1-0

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cukierman, Josef 1899 births 1940 suicides 19th-century Polish Jews Polish chess players French chess players Jewish chess players Suicides in France Sportspeople from Białystok Polish emigrants to France 20th-century chess players Suicides by Jews during the Holocaust