Roberto Grau
Encyclopedia
Roberto Gabriel Grau was an Argentine
chess
master.
Grau played in many Argentine championships
. In 1921/22, he tied for 3rd-4th (ARG-ch 1 Mayor; Damian Reca
won). In 1922, he tied for 2nd-3rd (ARG-ch 2; Benito Villegas
won). In 1923/24, he tied for 2nd-4th (ARG-ch 3; Reca won). In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Richard Réti
(ARG-ch 4).
In 1926, he won in Buenos Aires (ARG-ch 5) and won a match for the title against Reca (6 : 2). He was also Argentine Champion in 1927 and 1928. He won a match against Isaias Pleci
(4 : 0) in 1929, lost matches to Pleci (3 : 5) in 1930, and Carlos Guimard
(2 : 6) in 1937. Grau won again Argentine championships in 1934 and a match against Luis Piazzini
(7,5 : 5,5) in 1935 (ARG-ch 13), in 1935 and a match against Jácobo Bolbochán
(5 : 3) in 1936 (ARG-ch 14), in 1938 and a match against Guimard (7,5 : 5,5) in 1939 (ARG-ch 17).
In tournaments, he won in 1921/22 at Montevideo (1st Torneo Sudamericano). In 1923, he won in Buenos Aires. In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Max Euwe
, in Paris. In 1925, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Reca, behind Luis Palau
, in Montevideo. In 1928, he won in Mar del Plata (1st it). In 1929, he won in Rosario. In 1930, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Buenos Aires (Virgilio Fenoglio
won). In 1930, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Bolbochán won). In 1930, he took 15th in San Remo (Alexander Alekhine
won).
In 1934, he took 2nd, behind Aaron Schwartzman
, in Mar del Plata. In 1934/35, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Piazzini won). In 1938, he tied for 5-6th in Montevideo (Carrasco), an event won by Alekhine. In 1939, he took 4th, behind Fenoglio, Guimard and Julio Bolbochán
, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1939, he took 7th in Buenos Aires (Miguel Najdorf
and Paul Keres
won).
Grau played for Argentina in Chess Olympiad
s.
He was one of the original signatories in the formation of FIDE at Paris 1924 (1st unofficial Chess Olympiad
).
He also wrote a four volume series on chess titled "Tratado General de Ajedrez" (General Treatise on Chess), first published in 1940.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
master.
Grau played in many Argentine championships
Argentine Chess Championship
The first Argentine Chess Championship was held in 1921. The Champion's title was granted after victorious or drawn match between previous champion and challenger, a winner of Torneo Mayor...
. In 1921/22, he tied for 3rd-4th (ARG-ch 1 Mayor; Damian Reca
Damian Reca
Damián M. Reca was an Argentine chess master.He was Argentine Champion in 1921, 1923, 1924, and 1925.In 1921, he won at Buenos Aires and won a match for the title against Benito Villegas in 1921/22. He took 7th at Montevideo 1921/22...
won). In 1922, he tied for 2nd-3rd (ARG-ch 2; Benito Villegas
Benito Villegas
Benito Higinio Villegas was an Argentine chess master.He was the first Champion of Club Argentino de Ajedrez in Buenos Aires in 1906-1907. After World War I, he won Argentine Chess Championship in 1922, and was Sub-Champion in 1921 and 1923.Villegas participated in several South American Chess...
won). In 1923/24, he tied for 2nd-4th (ARG-ch 3; Reca won). In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Richard Réti
Richard Réti
Réti composed one of the most famous chess studies, shown in this diagram. It was published in Ostrauer Morgenzeitung 4 December 1921. It seems impossible for the white king to catch the advanced black pawn, while the white pawn can be easily stopped by the black king...
(ARG-ch 4).
In 1926, he won in Buenos Aires (ARG-ch 5) and won a match for the title against Reca (6 : 2). He was also Argentine Champion in 1927 and 1928. He won a match against Isaias Pleci
Isaias Pleci
Isaías Pléci was an Argentine chess master.-Chess tournaments:Pléci was the Argentine Champion in 1929 to 1930. He won at Buenos Aires 1928 and lost a match for the title to Roberto Grau . later, he won in 1929 and won a match against Grau in 1930...
(4 : 0) in 1929, lost matches to Pleci (3 : 5) in 1930, and Carlos Guimard
Carlos Guimard
Carlos Enrique Guimard was an Argentine chess Grandmaster. He was born in Santiago del Estero.-Biography:Guimard was thrice Argentine Champion. In 1936, he won the ARG-ch 15 Mayor, and in 1937 a match for the title against Roberto Grau . In 1937/38, he won a match against Luis Piazzini...
(2 : 6) in 1937. Grau won again Argentine championships in 1934 and a match against Luis Piazzini
Luis Piazzini
Luis Roberto Piazzini was an Argentine chess master.He participated many times in Argentine championships, and was an Argentine Champion in 1933 winning ARG-ch Torneo Mayor and a match for the title against Jacobo Bolbochán...
(7,5 : 5,5) in 1935 (ARG-ch 13), in 1935 and a match against Jácobo Bolbochán
Jacobo Bolbochán
Jacobo Bolbochán was an Argentine chess master.He played many times in the Argentine Chess Championships. He won twice , both ahead of Isaias Pleci. In 1933, he took 2nd, behind Luis Piazzini. In 1935, he took 2nd, behind Roberto Grau. In 1936, he took 3rd, behind Carlos Guimard and Grau...
(5 : 3) in 1936 (ARG-ch 14), in 1938 and a match against Guimard (7,5 : 5,5) in 1939 (ARG-ch 17).
In tournaments, he won in 1921/22 at Montevideo (1st Torneo Sudamericano). In 1923, he won in Buenos Aires. In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Max Euwe
Max Euwe
Machgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
, in Paris. In 1925, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Reca, behind Luis Palau
Luis Palau
Luis Palau, Jr. is an international Christian evangelist living in the Portland area in Oregon, United States. He was born in Argentina and moved to Portland in his mid-twenties to enroll in a graduate program in Biblical studies....
, in Montevideo. In 1928, he won in Mar del Plata (1st it). In 1929, he won in Rosario. In 1930, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Buenos Aires (Virgilio Fenoglio
Virgilio Fenoglio
Virgilio Fenoglio was an Argentine chess master, winner of 37 tournaments.He played 13 times in Argentine Chess Championship, in the period 1928–1959...
won). In 1930, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Bolbochán won). In 1930, he took 15th in San Remo (Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
won).
In 1934, he took 2nd, behind Aaron Schwartzman
Aaron Schwartzman
Aaron Schwartzman is a former Argentine chess master who was prominent in chess tournaments of the 1930s and 1940s....
, in Mar del Plata. In 1934/35, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Piazzini won). In 1938, he tied for 5-6th in Montevideo (Carrasco), an event won by Alekhine. In 1939, he took 4th, behind Fenoglio, Guimard and Julio Bolbochán
Julio Bolbochan
Julio Bolbochán was the Argentine chess champion in 1946 and 1948.Born in Buenos Aires, he represented Argentina in seven Chess Olympiads from 1950 to 1970....
, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1939, he took 7th in Buenos Aires (Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf was a Polish-born Argentine chess grandmaster of Jewish origin, famous for his Najdorf Variation....
and Paul Keres
Paul Keres
Paul Keres , was an Estonian chess grandmaster, and a renowned chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s....
won).
Grau played for Argentina in Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
s.
- In 1924, at first board in 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad1st unofficial Chess OlympiadThe first Team Chess Tournament had been held by coinciding the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, 12th - 20 July 1924, at Hotel Majestic. The core of the organizing committee were the Frenchmen Pierre Vincent and Alexander Alekhine. Fifty-four players representing 18 countries arrived to Paris...
in Paris (+6 –3 =4); - In 1927, at first board in 1st Chess Olympiad1st Chess OlympiadThe 1st Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 18 and July 30, 1927, in London, United Kingdom...
in London (+2 –3 =10); - In 1928, at first reserve board in 2nd Chess Olympiad2nd Chess OlympiadThe 2nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 21 and August 6, 1928 in The Hague, Netherlands.The final results were as...
in The Hague (+6 –3 =7); - In 1935, at first board in 6th Chess Olympiad6th Chess OlympiadThe 6th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between August 16 and August 31, 1935, in Warsaw, Poland...
in Warsaw (+6 –9 =4); - In 1937, at third board in 7th Chess Olympiad7th Chess OlympiadThe 7th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 31 and August 14, 1937, in Stockholm, Sweden]....
in Stockholm (+8 –2 =5); - In 1939, at first board in 8th Chess Olympiad8th Chess OlympiadThe 8th Chess Olympiad, organised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs , comprised an 'open' tournament, as well as a Women's World Championship contest...
in Buenos Aires (+1 –5 =4).
He was one of the original signatories in the formation of FIDE at Paris 1924 (1st unofficial Chess Olympiad
1st unofficial Chess Olympiad
The first Team Chess Tournament had been held by coinciding the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, 12th - 20 July 1924, at Hotel Majestic. The core of the organizing committee were the Frenchmen Pierre Vincent and Alexander Alekhine. Fifty-four players representing 18 countries arrived to Paris...
).
He also wrote a four volume series on chess titled "Tratado General de Ajedrez" (General Treatise on Chess), first published in 1940.