Vidmar Milan

Winner of international tournaments Gothenburg (1909), Vienna (1917-18), Berlin (1918), Hastings (1925-26), Slyach (1932), Basel (1952).

Lovers who make the history of chess, you can count on the fingers of one hand. Yugoslav and maestro Grandmaster Milan Vidmar certainly belongs to their number. Probably, Austria took in his heart Vidmar special place. It is in this country, he received his education, profession and hobby for life.

While a student at the Vienna University of Milan took part in several major tournaments and quickly gained a reputation as a chess player, which should be. Dividing the second place in the strongest tournaments in San Sebastian (1911), Vidmar makes a breakthrough in the elite, which he then belonged, without, almost 20 years. Why such longevity? The point is remarkable stability of the Yugoslav grandmaster. His playing was very solid and thorough. Not accidentally, Vidmar considered his teacher Tarrasch. In addition, the Yugoslav grandmaster was surprisingly tactically resourceful. He rarely took first place (although it happens), but also at the bottom of the fixture list is hardly seen.

"Vidmar should be considered one of the strongest contemporary players, because he never knew the major setbacks," - said about him Reti. However, choosing between science and chess, Vidmar preferred science (electrical engineering), which became the cause of his life. In tournaments, the Yugoslav grandmaster, by and large, played only sporadically. Vidamar has written 35 works of Electrical and long time head of the Ljubljana University (as the rector). Meanwhile, Capablanca once remarked: "I was lucky that Vidmar had torn between the engineering business, and chess, otherwise, my title would have been under threat". (Apparently, the third world champion was not aware, in what area of work Yugoslav grandmaster).

Still think that Vidmar made the right choice. Being rational, he soberly estimated their chances in the struggle for world championship. Milan enjoyed enormous prestige and respect in the chess world. Is no accident, it became the main arbiter of the match-tournament for the world title in 1948. Vidmar has written three chess books. One of them, "Golden days of chess, in which he not only commented on the party, but also gave the most interesting characteristics of the best players of that time, the reviews of people who speak the German language, simply brilliant. Unfortunately, neither Russian nor English, it is not translated.