Dr. Hermann Keidanski (later Keidanz and Kaidanz;  * Saturday, November 4, 1865, under the sign of Scorpio  -  † December 1938, Germany) was a German-Jewish chess master.

Keidanski was born in Großendorf, West Prussia (now Władysławowo, Poland), he came to Berlin where he participated in many chess tournaments in the 1890s. He tied for 8-9th at Cologne in 1898 (the 11th DSB Congress, Hauptturnier A, Ottokar Pavelka won), took 2nd, behind Julius Finn, at New York City in 1903, and tied for 5-6th at New York State Chess Association in 1907.

He lost a match to Carl August Walbrodt (1-5) in 1891, and won against Eugene Delmar (4-1) in 1902.

Chess opening

His name is attached to the Keidanski Variation in the Prussian Defence (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.Nxc6!? Bxf2+ 9.Kf1 Qh4!). Analysis by Dr. Hermann Kaidanz appeared in the Wiener Schachzeitung in 1904. He also analysed the Keidansky Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qxd4).

Others: 16 chess studies composed by him are selected and can be replayed on the Dutch Website arves.org.

Source: arves.org