SAVIELLY TARTAKOWER (born Feb-21-1887, died Feb-05-1956, 68 years old) Russia [what is this?] Savielly Grigoriewitsch Tartakower was born in Russia and moved to Vienna at age 17. He became a doctor of law in 1909, but he never became a practicing lawyer(1). During World War I, he served in the Austro-Hungarian army. In 1918, after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I, he became a Polish citizen (although he did not speak Polish) and moved to Paris. He became a French citizen after World War II. He won Vienna (1923), Hastings (1926/27), London (1927) (shared with Aron Nimzowitsch), Hastings (1927/28), Scarborough (1929) (shared with Harold Saunders), Liege (1930), and Hastings (1945/46). He also won the Polish championship twice (1935 and 1937) and the French championship at age 66, in 1953. In the 1930s Tartakower represented Poland in six chess olympiads, and France in 1950, winning three individual medals (gold in 1931 and bronze in 1933 and 1935), as well as five team medals (gold in 1930, two silver in 1931 and 1939, and two bronze in 1935 and 1937). Tartakower is regarded as one of the founders of the Hypermodern School of Chess, alongside Richard Reti, Nimzowitsch, and the lesser-known Gyula Breyer. He wrote many books, including The Hypermodern Game of Chess, and Modern Chess Strategy. He has made many impressions on modern opening theory; his name is attached to variations in the Caro-Kann Defense, the French Defense, the Dutch Defense, the Scotch Game, the Sicilian Defense, the Queen's Gambit Declined, and the Torre Attack, and he created the Polish Opening, a.k.a. the Orangutan Opening, 1.b4. He is also one of the 27 original grandmasters that were appointed by FIDE in 1950. During World War II, he served in the Free French Army under General Charles de Gaulle. His French colleagues found his name too difficult to pronounce, so he changed it to Lieutenant Dr. Georges Cartier. Tartakower was a prolific writer. In addition to chess books, he also wrote a screenplay and a collection of poems. He worked for more than 30 chess magazines in multiple countries and his newspaper correspondence appeared in 11 languages.(1) Tartakower is also remembered for his sense of humor and his speaking ability. One of his most famous maxims is "The winner of a game is the one who has made the next to last blunder". Wikipedia article: Savielly Tartakower (1) "Café Central and the Life and Times of Savielly Tartakower (1887-1956)" by Genna Sosonko. New In Chess 2010, No.6, pp 38-45. Last updated: 2025-01-01 12:14:58

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page 1 of 61; games 1-25 of 1,522  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Tartakower vs Vidmar 1-0 29 1905 Vienna B32 Sicilian 2. Tartakower vs J Schenkein   1-0 28 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C58 Two Knights 3. H Appunn vs Tartakower 0-1 31 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B01 Scandinavian 4. P Fiebig vs Tartakower ½-½ 60 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B27 Sicilian 5. B Gregory vs Tartakower 0-1 64 1905 Barmen Main B, GER D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav 6. D Hoelken vs Tartakower 0-1 30 1905 Barmen Main B, GER A80 Dutch 7. B Yankovich vs Tartakower   ½-½ 49 1905 Barmen Main B, GER A03 Bird's Opening 8. H M Schaefer vs Tartakower 0-1 29 1905 Barmen Main B, GER A84 Dutch 9. D M Schapiro vs Tartakower 0-1 23 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense 10. G Schories vs Tartakower 0-1 50 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense 11. G Schories vs Tartakower ½-½ 53 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B01 Scandinavian 12. Tartakower vs Creyghton   1-0 42 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C50 Giuoco Piano 13. Tartakower vs W Haertel 1-0 26 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C50 Giuoco Piano 14. Tartakower vs A Keller 1-0 26 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3 15. Tartakower vs J Schenkein 1-0 32 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B20 Sicilian 16. Tartakower vs O Schewe 1-0 33 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C24 Bishop's Opening 17. Tartakower vs G Schories 0-1 30 1905 Barmen Main B, GER D00 Queen's Pawn Game 18. Tartakower vs O Wegemund   1-0 49 1905 Barmen Main B, GER B45 Sicilian, Taimanov 19. Tartakower vs G Schories 0-1 34 1905 Barmen Main B, GER C24 Bishop's Opening 20. Tartakower vs P Johner 1-0 30 1906 DSB-15.Kongress m B01 Scandinavian 21. Tartakower vs P Johner 1-0 29 1906 DSB-15.Kongress m C11 French 22. Tartakower vs Z Barasz   ½-½ 36 1906 DSB-15.Kongress-B D55 Queen's Gambit Declined 23. G Mayer vs Tartakower 0-1 26 1906 DSB-15.Kongress-B C25 Vienna 24. J Krejcik vs Tartakower ½-½ 33 1906 2nd Neumann Trophy C46 Three Knights 25. Tartakower vs Vidmar 1-0 23 1907 1st Trebitsch Memorial, Vienna C12 French, McCutcheon  page 1 of 61; games 1-25 of 1,522

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 16 ·  Later Kibitzing> Sep-21-04    offramp: <chessgames.com> Here's a well-known game of his that doesn't seem to be here. Capablanca,J (2725) - Tartakower,S (2540) [C13] Budapest (11), 1929 1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Ne4 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.c3 0-0 9.Qg4 f5 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.0-0-0 Qh6+ 12.Kb1 e5 13.Qg3 exd4 14.Bc4+ Be6 15.Bxe6+ Qxe6 16.cxd4 Na6 17.Nh3 Nb4 18.Qb3 Qxb3 19.axb3 Rad8 20.Rhe1 Nd3 21.Rxe4 Nxf2 22.Nxf2 Rxf2 23.Rc1 c6 24.Rc2 Rxc2 25.Kxc2 Kf7 26.b4 Rd5 27.Kc3 Rf5 28.Re2 h5 29.Kc4 g5 30.h3 h4 31.b3 a6 32.Kd3 Kg6 33.Re6+ Kh5 34.Re2 g4 35.hxg4+ Kxg4 36.Re7 Rb5 37.Kc4 Kg3 ½-½ Sep-30-04    square dance: the quote of the day by tartakower is one of my favorite chess quotes there is. the first time i read it i was wondering what he was getting at, but then i could only laugh when i got to the end. Sep-30-04    Kean: Without doubt he was one of the personalities of the chess world in those days of capa and alekhine. I cant imagine the picture without him and his amusing phrases. Alekhine wanted him as second for his unrealized match against Botvinnik. Sep-30-04    mack: Recently I got a hold of Tartakower's "A Breviary of Chess", a quite bizarre book which seems to be mentioned very little at all on the internet. I'll make sure I upload all those obscure miniatures at some point like I promised. Oct-05-04    benderules: a really good player but I remember him more for his extraordinary quotes. Probably the best chess humourist ever and I don´t say this for underestimate his chess. I think humour is very important in life. Oct-05-04    mack: Oh for sure, Tartakower's just brilliant in every possible way. Dec-15-04    aw1988: When the quote of the day is by Tartakower, you feel a certain type of pleasure. <To avoid losing a piece, many a person has lost the game.> Indeed. Feb-02-05    Mating Net: Is the Tartakower the best player that never became a world champion? Either way, he is undoubtedly one of the most colorful, passionate chess players of all time. Tremendous life away from the 64 squares as well. War hero and legitimate gentleman. Feb-03-05    suenteus po 147: <Mating Net> I think a lot of people on this site have recently been saying Paul Keres is the best player never to become world champion. Tartakower would be #5 on my list. By the way, congratulations on coming in first in <cu8sfan>'s prediction tournament for Corus. Well earned. Feb-03-05    WMD: War hero?! Feb-03-05    suenteus po 147: <WMD> See <fred lennox>'s post at the bottom of the first page of kibitzing. Feb-03-05    WMD: <Tartakower fought for Austria in World War I and was decorated for galantry. At age 53 he volenteered to join the French Army to fight against Hitler.> In WWI, of course, he and Hitler, also decorated for bravery, were on the same side. Nonetheless, what's the source for Tartakower's wartime record? Feb-03-05    keypusher: <WMD>, an account is given in Golombek's introduction to Tartakower's best games collection. Golombek met Tartakower in England while he was serving with the Free French during World War II. I don't know what Golombek's source was for Tartakower being decorated for his service in World War I. Feb-03-05    WMD: Perhaps he killed my great-grandfather. Feb-03-05    keypusher: Was your great-grandfather Russian or Serbian? I don't think Tartakower ever served on the Western Front. Also, I think he was in the artillery, so if your great-grandfather was shot Tartakower is not to blame. Feb-04-05    Mating Net: It was great meeting you the other day <suenteus po 147 > Thanks for the kind words. I still can't believe I even placed in the contest. If Tartakower is #5 on your list, who are 1 through 4? Feb-04-05    suenteus po 147: <Mating Net> My list of the best players never to be World Champion: #1. Samuel Reshevsky #2. Paul Keres #3. David Bronstein #4. Siegbert Tarrasch and #5. Savielly Tartakower. People also throw around other names, like Rubinstein and Reti, or Nimzovich and Korchnoi. To me, only Korchnoi has the ability to knock Tartakower off the list, but Korchnoi is still competing. He could still win it all! Feb-04-05    TylerD: My version of 5 greatest never to be WC: 1. Tjigorin 2. Keres 3. Tarrasch 4. Sjirov 5. Nimzowitsch all of these speaks for themselves exept maybe Sjirov placing 4th. My explanation is mainly an emotional one: I feel he brought certain aspects of the game to life that had been slumbering for quite some time, the irrational, extremely sacrifical, intuitional aspects that is. Feb-04-05    iron maiden: If we're talking about modern players, Leko certainly deserves to be mentioned, as does Anand if you don't count his FIDE title. Feb-04-05    Broon Bottle: Players never to have won the world title: Rubinstein, Keres, Schlecter, Keene ch-cheers Feb-04-05    Broon Bottle: Oh, and Bronstein Feb-04-05    iron maiden: All right, I respect our resident GM as much as anybody, but there's no way his results can compare to Keres and Rubinstein. Glad somebody brought Schlechter up though. Feb-04-05    Backward Development: my top 5 never-to-be-champ are... #1.Viktor Korchnoi 2.Paul Keres 3.Samuel Reshevsky 4.Akiba Rubinstein 5.Siegbert Tarrasch Feb-04-05    suenteus po 147: <iron maiden> I like Schlecter's play a lot, and there's no doubt he earned great results, but I don't know...he just doesn't strike me as top five material. He4 is in my top ten though :) Feb-04-05    iron maiden: Well, he's not in my top five either, I'm just glad someone brought him up. My first five are Korchnoi, Keres, Reshevsky, Tarrasch and Pillsbury. 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