The 8-year-old chess master (1920)

Eight-year-old Polish chess prodigy Samuel Reshevsky is seen defeating several chess masters at once in France in this photograph taken in 1920. He did not grow up to become a professional chess player.

After the boy's parents moved to the US in November that year, he continued to participate in such exhibitions and did not go to school. His parents were therefore charged with inappropriate guardianship. New York businessman Julius Rosenwald promised to help him on the condition that he would complete his education.

Reshevsky stayed away from competitive chess, except on a few occasions, until he graduated from the University of Chicago in 1934 with a degree in accounting.

He became an accountant to support his family.