Morris Schapiro - Biography

Morris Abraham Schapiro (1903 – 1996) was an American investment banker and chess master.

He was born in Lithuania in 1903 and came to the United States in 1907. He entered Columbia University on a Pulitzer Scholarship and led the university chess team to four national championships. He received an advanced degree from the university in engineering in 1925, and then was a major benefactor of Columbia University.

In New York, he took 3rd, behind Dawid Janowski and Roy Turnbull Black, in 1920, twice won Manhattan CC championship in 1921 and 1922, and took 9th in 1923 (Oscar Chajes won). Schapiro won a match against Chajes (7.5 : 5.5) in 1923. He took 5th at Lake Hopatcong 1923 (American Chess Congress, Frank James Marshall won), tied for 4-5th at New York 1924 (José Raúl Capablanca won), and took 2nd, behind Abraham Kupchik, at New York 1924.