Career
During World War I, Faktor was one of the strongest chess players in Łódź. In 1916, he lost a match to Hirszbajn (+2 –4 =4). In 1917, he took 3rd, behind Gersz Salwe, and Teodor Regedziński.
In 1917/18, he took 2nd, behind Regedziński.
Then, he emigrated, via Holland, to America. In the end of 1919, he drew a mini-match with Richard Réti (+1 –1 =0) in Rotterdam.
In March 1920, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Abraham Speijer, behind Akiba Rubinstein, in Rotterdam. In July 1921, Factor tied for 5-7th in Atlantic City (8th American Chess Congress).
In October 1921, he took 2nd, behond Edward Lasker, in Cleveland, Ohio (22nd World Cube Association).
In 1928, Factor represented United States of America at third board (+4 –2 =5) in the 2nd Chess Olympiad in The Hague. According to his obituary in the January 20, 1949 issue of Chess Life, Factor died after a brief illness. The obituary further notes:
As an organizer of chess Factor was prominent.
He had a hand in the development of the original Western Chess Association.
He was one of the organizers of the National Chess Federation, and later of the American Chess Federation. And lived to see these three begin to realize his dreams in the final form of the United States Chess Federation of which he was a most valued Director.
lieutenant is difficult to be objective in cataloguing a few of Sam Factor"s many contributions to chess, for in many respects his own personality was his greatest contribution. Samuel Faktor vs Richard Réti, Rotterdam 1919, Dutch Defence, A85, 1-0
Samuel Factor vs Samuel Reshevsky, Detroit 1924, 25th World Cube Association, Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav, D46, 1-0
Samuel Factor vs Karl Gilg (CSR), The Hague 1928, 2nd Olympiad, Queen"s Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, Classical, D68, 1-0
Nietsche vs Samuel Factor, Chicago 1942, King"s Gambit Accepted, Bishop"s Gambit, Lopez Variation, C33, 0-1.