Memorial Chess Tournament Tribute
Ian Fleischman
November 10, 1963 – June 6, 2026
Ian Fleischman was born on November 10, 1963, in New York, New York, and
passed away on June 6, 2026, in Staten Island, New York at the age of 62 years old.
Ian was a loving son and brother. Ian’s greatest passion in life was to play chess
and teach chess.
As a child and teenager, Ian was always ready and eager to learn new things,
such as scrabble and chess. Ian learned how to play chess from his stepmother when
he was about 8 years old and grew up playing scrabble and chess with his brother Eric.
Ian excelled at both games, but it was chess that became his passion throughout his
life. Ian also played sports. He loved playing tennis, paddleball and ping pong.
Ian was a quick learner and studied chess enthusiastically throughout his life.
Ian’s most notable achievement in chess was beating Grandmaster Maxim (Max) Dlugy
(former World Junior Champion), during Mr. Dlugy’s simultaneous chess exhibition in
Central Park in the Summer of approximately 2018. Ian also greatly assisted his brother
Eric in writing a chess book entitled, “The Richter-Veresov Attack: Qd3 Variation,” which
was published in 2023 and included some of Ian and Eric’s best chess games.
Ian was very studious and smart; graduating from South Shore High School in
Canarsie, Brooklyn with honors and skipping a grade. After graduation from South
Shore Ian attended New York University on a scholarship but would ultimately earn a
bachelor’s degree in political science from Brooklyn College, where he would often play
chess in the Student Union Building (SUBO) with his friends Jaron, Todd, Sam, Kenny,
Mark and his brother Eric, as well as many others. Ian was also a member of the
Brooklyn College Chess Club and would often compete with the chess team at college
events such as the Pan American Intercollegiate Championship and play in the annual
U.S. Amateur Team East chess tournament in New Jersey with his brother Eric and his
friends. Ian’s favorite place to play chess was at Asser Levy (Sea Breeze Park) in
Coney Island, Brooklyn. Ian was often a member of the Marshall Chess Club in
Manhattan, and a member of the United States Chess Federation. Ian achieved a
United States Chess Federation rating level of “A” player. His dream was to become a
chess master.
Ian was also a very good chess instructor and among many chess teaching jobs
that he had, he worked for the Brooklyn Public Library at several local branches, as well
as Premier Chess in New York City.
Ian loved music particularly Disco music and would often go to discotheques in
the 1980’s with his brother Eric. Ian also collected many music albums of his favorite
musical artists, while displaying them in his home. His favorite musicians were the Bee
Gees. Ian also loved watching movies, and his favorite movie was “Saturday Night
Fever,” with John Travolta.
Ian had a warm and gentle manner about him. He also had a very humorous side
to him that often made people laugh, as well as a beautiful smile! He loved bright colors,
which were usually displayed in the clothing he wore. He had many friends and family
who cared about him throughout his life.
Unfortunately, over the past few years, Ian developed Squamous skin cancer,
which metastasized and developed into Stage 4 cancer. Sadly, Ian refused treatment for
cancer, preferring to live as naturally and wholistically as possible without the aid of
medications or treatment for his medical condition, particularly at the end of his life.
Ian died peacefully in a skilled nursing facility in Staten Island, New York, while
his brother Eric and good friend Clifford were by his side playing chess in honor of Ian!
Ian is survived by his bother Eric and is already greatly missed by his friends and
family and will be forever remembered.