chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

Ludek Pachman
Pachman 
 

Number of games in database: 1,602
Years covered: 1940 to 1999
Overall record: +542 -233 =825 (59.7%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 2 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 King's Indian (118) 
    E80 E81 E61 E87 E94
 English (64) 
    A15 A17 A16 A10 A13
 Nimzo Indian (48) 
    E21 E32 E53 E56 E59
 Ruy Lopez (47) 
    C86 C77 C84 C83 C78
 Queen's Indian (45) 
    E14 E19 E12 E16 E17
 Sicilian (41) 
    B20 B23 B36 B32 B76
With the Black pieces:
 Ruy Lopez (112) 
    C67 C69 C97 C65 C72
 Sicilian (89) 
    B47 B83 B43 B85 B42
 Nimzo Indian (89) 
    E32 E40 E48 E46 E45
 Grunfeld (53) 
    D94 D82 D97 D75 D85
 Ruy Lopez, Closed (47) 
    C97 C91 C85 C95 C84
 Queen's Pawn Game (46) 
    A46 E00 D02 A45 E10
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Pachman vs Eckert, 1940 1-0
   Pachman vs O Neikirch, 1958 1-0
   Pachman vs Fischer, 1959 1-0
   Pachman vs J H Donner, 1955 1-0
   Z Domnitz vs Pachman, 1973 0-1
   Pachman vs G Gunnarsson, 1967 1-0
   Pachman vs Uhlmann, 1966 1-0
   Pachman vs J Runza, 1946 1-0
   Pachman vs L Steiner, 1948 1-0
   Pachman vs Szabo, 1947 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Czechoslovak Championship (1953)
   Marianske Lazne / Prague Zonal (1951)
   Dublin Zonal (1957)
   Prague / Marianske Lazne Zonal (1954)
   Czechoslovak Championship (1959)
   Czechoslovak Championship (1961)
   Czechoslovak Championship (1963)
   Hilversum Zonal (1947)
   Southsea (1949)
   Czechoslovak Championship (1954)
   Mar del Plata (1959)
   Zlin (1943)
   Reti Memorial (1949)
   Capablanca Memorial (1963)
   Czechoslovak Championship (1957)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   0ZeR0's collected games volume 59 by 0ZeR0
   Pachman: Meine Seine Besten Partien by Nimzophile
   Pachman: Meine Seine Besten Partien by plerranov


Search Sacrifice Explorer for Ludek Pachman
Search Google for Ludek Pachman

LUDEK PACHMAN
(born May-11-1924, died Mar-06-2003, 78 years old) Czech Republic (federation/nationality Germany)
PRONUNCIATION:
[what is this?]

Ludek Pachman was born in Bela pod Bezdezem, Czechoslovakia. Awarded the IM title in 1950 and the GM title in 1954, he was Czech champion seven times between 1946 and 1966 and won the West German Championship in 1978.

He won three Zonal tournaments and competed in six Interzonals, but never became a Candidate. Pachman did play Ilivitsky for the reserve place in the Amsterdam Candidates - Prague Candidates Reserve Playoff (1956) - a match he narrowly lost. He also represented his country in eight Olympiads from 1952 to 1966, usually playing first board. Formerly an ardent Communist, Pachman opposed the Communist regime following the Czech uprising in 1968. He was imprisoned several times, which he described in graphic detail in his 1975 biography "Checkmate in Prague." He drew international attention to his plight by intentionally jumping headfirst from his prison bed, which caused permanent head and spinal injuries. Rather than being a thorn in their side as a political martyr, the authorities allowed Pachman to emigrate in 1972. He settled in West Germany, where he continued his chess career. He died on March 6, 2003.

Wikipedia article: Luděk Pachman

Last updated: 2017-11-10 06:53:54

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 65; games 1-25 of 1,602  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Pachman vs Eckert 1-0241940CistaC13 French
2. Pachman vs K Petrik  1-0341943ZlinC35 King's Gambit Accepted, Cunningham
3. Saemisch vs Pachman 0-1291943Prague (Gambit Tourney)C36 King's Gambit Accepted, Abbazia Defense
4. Pachman vs J Foltys  1-0431943ZlinC77 Ruy Lopez
5. J Holas vs Pachman  0-1321943ZlinC29 Vienna Gambit
6. J Sajtar vs Pachman 1-0231943UJCS-17.KongressE47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3
7. J Sajtar vs Pachman  0-1561943ZlinD13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation
8. J Dobias vs Pachman  ½-½661943UJCS-17.KongressE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
9. C Kottnauer vs Pachman  ½-½301943ZlinA19 English, Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian Variation
10. Hromadka vs Pachman 1-0401943ZlinA03 Bird's Opening
11. X Vasicek vs Pachman  ½-½921943ZlinA45 Queen's Pawn Game
12. Pachman vs V Stulik  1-0381943ZlinC19 French, Winawer, Advance
13. M Foltys vs Pachman 0-1301943ZlinD03 Torre Attack (Tartakower Variation)
14. Pachman vs A Pokorny  1-0451943ZlinC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
15. Pachman vs K Prucha  ½-½451943ZlinE53 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3
16. F Zita vs Pachman  1-0681943ZlinB83 Sicilian
17. Pachman vs J Fichtl  1-0291943ZlinC11 French
18. F Zita vs Pachman  ½-½411943UJCS-17.KongressE06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3
19. Pachman vs J Louma  ½-½281943UJCS-17.KongressD50 Queen's Gambit Declined
20. B Thelen vs Pachman 1-0331943UJCS-17.KongressD45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
21. Pachman vs K Opocensky  ½-½881943UJCS-17.KongressE32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
22. Pachman vs C Kottnauer  ½-½361943UJCS-17.KongressB72 Sicilian, Dragon
23. K Prucha vs Pachman  ½-½181943UJCS-17.KongressD02 Queen's Pawn Game
24. Pachman vs A Tikovsky  1-0451943UJCS-17.KongressB08 Pirc, Classical
25. Hromadka vs Pachman  1-0571943UJCS-17.KongressD02 Queen's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 65; games 1-25 of 1,602  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Pachman wins | Pachman loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-11-08  Karpova: Edward Winter's feature article "Pachman, Bohatirchuk and Politics" from 2003: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...
Apr-07-09  Dredge Rivers: Does Space Invaders have an entry? :)
Jul-06-09  Pawn Ambush: Here is Pacmans 3 strategy books and his 2 tactical books, all are in French.

http://www.scribd.com/word/removal/...

May-11-10  wordfunph: Ludek Pachman's books..

+ Attack and Defence in Modern Chess Tactics

+ Checkmate in Prague - Memoirs of Ludek Pachman

+ Complete Chess Strategy - First Principles of the Middlegame

+ Complete Chess Strategy - Play on the Wings

+ Complete Chess Strategy - Principles of Pawn Play and the Center

+ Decisive Games in Chess History

+ Modern Chess Strategy

+ Modern Chess Tactics

+ Pachman's Decisive Games

+ Pachman's Modern Chess Strategy

+ Queen's Gambit and Other Close Games

+ The Middle Game in Chess

any other books of Ludek?

May-11-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: I read his books on strategy and also his biography - it is very good - I in fact sold a copy via abebooks.com of his bio. His books of strategy are great. Also his great book about important moments in chess history....

He showed courage to criticse the authorities etc in his own land. Amazing someone met him!

May-11-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: < Sem: I happened to meet Mr Ludek Pachman in 1988 at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Leaving the fair halls one late afternoon I saw an elder man in a dark coat standing outside, waiting for the bus that would drive visitors to the exits. He carried an oldfashioned briefcase and his posture was that of a battered man. We came to sit next to each other on the bus. His breath smelled sour. He seemed vaguely familiar and on impulse I asked him: 'Are you Mr Pachman, the chess grandmaster?' He said 'Yes' and told me how he made a living in Solingen (Germany), playing for the local chess club and writing articles for magazines and journals. Then the bus arrived at the exit of the fair grounds and we said goodbye.>

Fascinating story!

May-11-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: < It was the Fischer Era. I played in my first tournament in 1973 when I got out of the stupid army>

Hey, what if the Panama Canal had been invaded by a foreign power? You alone, were carrying out our foreign policy, on that lonely 3rd shift outpost. suck in that gut, soldier!

Nov-10-10  Diagonale du Fou: <Karpova: Edward Winter's feature article "Pachman, Bohatirchuk and Politics" from 2003: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... >

At the foot of the article Winter includes two rare photos of Bohatirchuk. And unfortunately, given the context of his written dispute with Pachman, B. apparently bore a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler (quite coincidentally, of course, as one of the photos is dated 1927). This happenstance resemblance may have contributed further to his problems with the Soviet dictatorship in 1937.

May-25-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  jessicafischerqueen: <Luděk Pachman>

Correct pronunciation of his name-

Audio/visual file: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnX9...

May-25-11  Gypsy: <jessicafischerqueen: <Luděk Pachman> Correct pronunciation of his name- >

Yup, it sounds about right.

---

<wordfunph: Ludek Pachman's books.. >

He apparently wrote about 80 different chess works, including tournament books. His first big text-book was a four tome opening manual: <The Theory of Modern Chess>. Since opening manuals get out of date rather rapidly, I am not sure if it was ever translated into English.

Looking at the shelf behind me, I see at least one book of his in English that has not been mentioned: <Chess Endings for the Practical Player>.

Sep-04-11  Oceanlake: He also wrote a nice book on the Queen's Gambit.
Sep-04-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: He also wrote "Semi-Open Games" (1.e4 without 1...e5) and "Indian Defenses." Those, together with his Queen's Gambit book and Barden's book on the Ruy Lopez, were my opening bibles for years.
Sep-05-11  SimonWebbsTiger: anybody else who finds John Watson's comments on Pachman's work in <Secrets of Modern Chess Stragey> slightly disingenuous?

I revisited the Pachman trilogy and he, throughout, mentions dynamism and the exceptions to rules. Anyone who reads Watson would think Pachman was a dogmatic duffer, IMO

Mar-03-12  wordfunph: "When you have a hopeless position you should allow your clock to run very short of time. Then you should play blitz in the hopes that your opponent will get excited, move quickly, and make a game-losing blunder!

- GM Ludek Pachman

Jun-15-12  MORPHYEUS: He accepts the lose gracefully.
Dec-13-12  happyjuggler0: <"When you have a hopeless position you should allow your clock to run very short of time. Then you should play blitz in the hopes that your opponent will get excited, move quickly, and make a game-losing blunder!>

Here is an account of the actual game where that quote originated from: http://chessstuff.blogspot.com/2005...

The game is in the cg database: Pachman vs Doda, 1965

Dec-14-12  Gypsy: <wordfunph: Ludek Pachman's books..

any other books of Ludek?>

A big piece of work in its time was Pachman's

<Modern Chess Theory> This is a 4-volume, encyclopedic opening manual; significant work, though I am not clear whether it was ever translated from Czech.

Towards the end of his career, he wrote a number of series aimed more at club and/or beginning players. (Have <Chess Endgames for Practical Player>; it's fairly useful.)

Pachman also wrote some Tournament Books -- an early Capablanca Memorial, a pamphlet on a match Fedor Bohatirchuk played against 8 Prague masters (in late 1944 I think), and so on.

---

Wikipedia puts ~80 books to Pachman's credit.

May-11-13  Eastfrisian: Already ten years ago. Time runs.
May-11-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: ...out for us all. sweet dreams :)
May-11-13  parisattack: <Gypsy - <Modern Chess Theory> This is a 4-volume, encyclopedic opening manual; significant work, though I am not clear whether it was ever translated from Czech.>

Wonderful set of books! They and MCO 10 were the 'bibles' of opening theory before the British Invasion in the mid-1970s. Can be had in German or English. Multiple editions in English from 1964-1971. The first English from Seville w/DJs are fairly tough to find.

https://www.google.com/search?newwi...

He also did a nice ongoing opening theory series in the 1980s although only in German, 'Eroffnung- up to date.'

The Practical Players series - sometimes called the Black Series - Openings, Middlegame, Endgame are also great reads.

Sep-12-13  PhilFeeley: How is it possible this guy doesn't (or didn't, I guess) have a rating?
Sep-12-13  Morttuus: Ludìk Pachman also wrote several books about chess psychology. I managed to buy one; it's called "How to outsmart your opponent-Psychology and tricks in chess" (1990). But nowadays, these books are pretty tough to buy, and I am not sure if they were translated into other languages; maybe in German, but I really don't know.
Sep-12-13  parisattack: <PhilFeeley: How is it possible this guy doesn't (or didn't, I guess) have a rating?>

He shows on Chessmetrics. Highest appears to be 2608 in 1959, #20.

Jun-17-14  zanzibar: <RE: Books by Pachman>

His memoir of his early life and days behind the Iron Curtain, entitled <Checkmate in Spring>, is mentioned here:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/grandm...

It no long sells for $108.27. Here is a snippet of the snippet ChessBase quotes:

<During the 1943 Prague tournament, Pachman's first serious event at the age of 18. In Checkmate in Prague he writes:

"After [my win over Foltys], the great Alekhine invited me to his room. He got me to demonstrate my game, made a few comments, praised me, and then showed me his game, explaining several hidden combinations and also accepting praise. Mrs. Alekhine was there with her two cats. I had to hold one for a bit and the wretch scratched me, but it was a marvellous evening, something in the nature of a high-point in my life so far.

Alekhine took to inviting me in every day. We always analysed something and I soon discovered that it was no good disagreeing with him because it made him angry. So I just listened reverently to what he said. He invited me for coffee, too. In the Luxor cafe, it seemed, one could get real coffee under the counter – an expensive luxury for which I had to foot the bill. Alekhine, I discovered, made a point of not paying. Usually there was someone with him, otherwise he simply walked out of the restaurant. The waiters knew him, so they sent the bill to the tournament director. I learnt also from a very annoyed Mr. Kende that by threatening to walk out of the tournament, Alekhine had extracted a 5,000 crown addition to his original 40,000 crown fee. Luckily I was saved by an unexpected patron. He was Mr. Stork, a trader and landowner, who presented me with an enormous salami in recognition of my achievement, plus an invitation to lunch every day at his house. The meals were better than any I have eaten even in peacetime, and by doing without supper I was able to pay for Alekhine's coffee.">

* * * * *
<RE: Pachman's rating - ATH 2520 (1976)>

As regards his rating - I agree, all established players deserve to have a published rating. The trouble is digging it out.

The amazing <OlimpBase> has done all this archival work, and <CG> perhaps should utilize it more for cases such as this.

Here is the data I found (from <OlimpBase>), showing his dob, title date, and ATH (the last entry). I left off the data after that.

table[
1924.05.11

1967 06 CSR 2540
1969 00 g CSR 2510 CZE
1970 00 g CSR 2510
1971 01 g CSR 2510 CZE
1971 07 g CSR 2510 0 CZE
1972 07 g CSR 2510 0 CZE
1973 07 g CSR 2515 5 CZE
1974 05 g CSR 2510 -5 CZE
1975 01 g GER 2510 0 GER
1976 01 g GER 2520 10 GER
]table

Jun-17-14  zanzibar: I noticed the bio gives his GM title from 1954. Does this mean <Olimpbase>'s FIDE listing of 1967 omits the title?

(Actually, FIDE started tracking ratings in 1971, so the earlier ratings must be from USCF).

Hmmm...

Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 5)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific player only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!
Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC