Chess Personalities

Soviet chess player and chess theorist, Master of USSR Sports. Engineer-electrician. From 1930, in Moscow, he became one of the strongest chess players of the country. Best results: Moscow Championships of 1932 , 1st-3rd and 1937-1938, 1st-2nd. A participant in several USSR Championships, best result: 3rd in 1939. While fighting in the Soviet Army during

Soviet International Arbiter (1984), player and writer. Vice chairman of the USSR Chess Federation between 1974-86. The head of the chess department (1971-81) and chief chess coach of the USSR Sport Committee (1981-85). The head of the USSR delegations for the World Championship matches in 1978 and 1981. Chief of Karpov’s delegation during his early

Hungarian player who lived in Romania. Romanian Champion in 1930. He participated in the Olympiads of 1928, 1930 and 1931. He won team bronze medal at Budapest 1926, team gold and individual bronze medals at Munich 1936. Also a strong International Master Correspondence player (1953) he won the first Wiener Schachzeitung Tournament in 1927-29 and finished

Russian FIDE official born in Kazakhstan – Assistant to the FIDE President since 1996. Graduated from Moscow State Institute for International Relations under the Ministery of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. In 2007 he graduated in Sport Management from Moscow State University of Management. Worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1991-1997. He was

Latvian player, Latvian Champion in 1926, 1927 and 1934 (after play-off). A participant at the Olympiads from 1924 until 1939 and Kemeri in 1937 and 1938. Historical ELO: 2430. Apscheniek died of pulmonary phthisis, at the age of 47. Rumour has it that he used only about 15 minutes on his 33rd move draw against

Israeli Master (né Schächter) born in Poland who settled in Palestine in 1943. Palestine Champion in 1945, then Israeli Champion 1961 and in 1965 when he was 61 years old. A participant in all the Olympiads from 1952 up until 1962.  

Austrian player born in Romania. He learnt the game at 22 and played international tournament only at 43 when his business career faltered. He finished second behind Emmanuel Lasker in 1893 in New York and participate in the famous tournament of Hastings in 1895. He was known mostly for the countergambit that bears his name, and

US Master who won the US Open in 1948. In 1939, he wrote a book entitled White to Play and Win. After the publication, he played a tournament in Dallas where he lost all his games as White and won all his games as Black! In 1960, he was the author of a speculative line played

Filipino chess amateur. International Arbiter (1978) and International Organizer (1998).  FIDE General Secretary 1988-90, Permanent Secretary 1990-1994 and Executive Director 1994-98. FIDE Rating Administrator between 1987 and 2010. Asian Chess Federation Vice President 2006-2014. Executive Director of Asian Chess Federation Executive Director 2014. FIDE Constitutional Committee member since 2010. Olympiad Director of the Manila Olympiads

English player and barrister. A prize winner at the British championship in 1933, 1946 and 1954. Played in the Oxford University Vs. Cambridge University Match in 1926, 1927 and 1928. As for good results, let us mention a 3 Played in the Oxford University vs. Cambridge University Match in 1926, 1927 and 1928. As for