George Koltanowski; San Francisco Chess Columnist

George Koltanowski, 96, San Francisco chess grandmaster who wrote the longest-running daily chess column in newspaper history. Known as “Kolti,” Koltanowski began his column in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1948 and continued it daily for more than 50 years, a total of more than 19,000 columns. “Chess is an international language,” he once said. “Everyone in the world can understand it, appreciate it and enjoy it.” The Belgian-born writer learned chess at an early age and took up the game in earnest at the age of 14. By 17, he was champion of his country. Koltanowski even credited chess for saving his life--explaining that when the Nazis invaded Belgium, he was on a chess tour in Central America. He came to the United States after an American consul in Cuba enjoyed one of his demonstrations. In 1960, the Chronicle sponsored an exhibition in which Koltanowski set a world’s record by playing 56 opponents consecutively while blindfolded. Merely relying on his memory of the moves, he did not lose any of the games. His wife, Leah, however, once joked that he couldn’t remember her requests to bring home so much as a loaf of bread from the supermarket. A national chess tournament was named for Koltanowski, and in 1994, players at the National Open in Las Vegas dubbed him a “National Chess Treasure.” He earned his title as international master in 1950 and honorary grandmaster in 1988. On Saturday in San Francisco.