Chess Review magazine was founded in 1933 in partnership between Horowitz, who had been a securities trader on Wall Street and Isaac Kashdan, who departed after just a few issues because he moved to California.
Few players realize just how good Horowitz was at the height of his powers. He was a leading player in the U.S. during the 1930s and 1940s. And, Chessmetrics estimated his highest ever rating to have been in January 1943 when it was estimated to have been 2680. That placed him number 10 in the world behind Reshevsky, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Euwe, Keres' Smyslov. Stahlberg, Najdorf and Paul Schmidt.
When the United States won the world team championships in 1931, 1935 and 1937 the victories were in a large part do to the games Horowitz won. against some of the best European players.
Style-wise Horowitz was of the classical tradition aiming for mobile piece play, clear‐cut strategic themes and opportunities for sharp attacking play. He disdained cramped positions that required tortuous maneuvering and he never cottoned to the style of his rival and contemporary, Samuel Reshevsky.
The following game was played in the 1943 U.S. Open. With the war in full progress and restricted travel, the turnout was OK, but only Horowitz and Anthony Santasiere could be considered serious contenders for the title. The decisive game was played in the final round between those two, but according to the report in Chess Review, Santasiere, who was a half-point behind Horowitz with second place assured, made no attempt to win and accepted a draw by repetition.
Today's game features vigorous and elegant attacking play by Horowitz against Ward M.P. Mitchell from Massachusetts.
Ward Mitchell–I.A. Horowitz0–1C58US Open, Syracuse, NY16.08.1943Stockfish 15
Two Knights Defense 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.c4 f6 4.g5 d5 5.exd5 a5 6.b5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.f3 The usual and safe line is 8.Be2. The text leads
to very sharp play. cxb5 The books give this sacrifice a ?, but like white's
last move, it has the merit of leading to very interesting play. 9.xa8 c5 10.f3 White's decision to get the Q back into play is sound, but furthering
his development was also worth considering. 10.0-0 0-0 11.b4 Situru,M
(2382)-Kunte,A (2561) Kuala Lumpur 2005 saw 11.d3 whih is quite solid. xb4 12.c3 h5 13.f3 f4 14.b1 Bogoljubow-Euwe, Match, 1941. Chances are
equal. 10.e4 is the Stockfish way. xe4 11.xe4 0-0 12.0-0 e8 13.d3 with a slight advantage. 10...b7 11.e2 This is the best reply. 11.g3 0-0 12.0-0 h6 13.h3 Matsenko,A (1953)-Boskovic,M (1864) Herceg Novi
2008. Black is clearly better. 11...0-0 12.c3 This move is a poor choice
after which white finds himself in a losing position because it hinders his
development. Correct was 12.d3. After the text, black's attack really gets
going. 12.d3 c6 12...xg2 Is too risky. 13.g1 b7 14.e3 xe3 15.fxe3 h6 16.f3 White is a clear P up. 13.c3 h6 14.e4 b6 15.0-0
Black's two Bs and better development should be enough compensation for his P
minus. 12...h6 13.f3 c4 14.b4 At this point white's game is pretty
much beyond hope. 14.0-0 e4 15.d4 xd4 16.cxd4 xd4 17.c3 b4 followed
by ...Ne5 and all white can do is wait for the end. 14...e4 White could
resign here, but nobody wants to do that after only 14 moves. 15.d4 xd4 16.cxd4 xd4 17.c3 e5 18.0-0 f3+ 19.h1 g4 20.xb5 Desperation. Now it's
mate in 7 moves at most. but his position was hopelessly lost anyway/ xf2 21.e2 h4 22.gxf3 exf3 White resigned 22...exf3 23.xf3 xf3+ 24.g1 xe2 25.xe2 xh2+ 26.f1 f2# 0–1
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