Kenneth Harkness

WHO WAS KENNETH HARKNESS? Kenneth Harkness (1898-1972) was the great pioneer who did much to bring U.S. chess out of the dark ages and into a renaissance that was to profoundly affect the chess world! Virtually every activity of the modern USCF, including ratings, Swiss system pairings and rules, and the entire USCF business office, can trace its lineage in large measure to the creative vision of Harkness.

STRENGTHENING THE USCF. Kenneth Harkness treated the USCF as a business, establishing its book-and-equipment sales. He became the first business manager of the USCF, an office which evolved into the modern position of Executive Director. He also strengthened the relationship between local organizers and the USCF, creating the idea of a "cosponsorship" of local events by the USCF and local affiliates. That system essentially remains in place today.

POPULARIZING CHESS IN THE U.S. Harkness collaborated with Irving Chernev in 1945 to write An Invitation to Chess, which became one of the most successful chess books ever published; sales of the book reached six figures! Prior to that, Harkness helped increase the circulation of Chess Review, the principal ancestor of modern Chess Life.

STANDARDIZING THE RULES. Harkness recognized that the rising popularity of Swiss system events would require a new code of chess rules just for American events; he produced such a code through his own tireless efforts. He then authored in 1956 The Official Blue Book And Encyclopedia of Chess, a book that widely disseminated knowledge of the new rules, the Swiss system, the rating system, and other important information. That book and its successor, The Official Chess Handbook (1967), were the standard guides for many years for tournament organizers all over the U.S. In 1970, the Official Chess Rulebook of the USCF was authored by Harkness.