Soviet chess player

Vitaly Alexandrovich Chekhover (also spelled Tschechower or Czechower, pronounced "chekh a VYAIR") (Russian: Вита́лий Алекса́ндрович Чехове́р) (December 22, 1908 – February 11, 1965) was a Soviet chess player and chess composer. He was also a pianist.

Contents

• 1 Composing career
• 2 Playing career
• 3 Bibliography
• 4 References
• 5 External links

Composing career

Vitaly Chekhover
Schachmaty w SSSR 1947 White to move and draw Solution: 1. Nd5 e2 2. Nc3+ Kb3 3. Nxe2 Kc4! 4. Nf4!! g5 5. Ne6! g4 6. Ng7! f4 7. Nh5 f3 8. Nf6 g3 9. Ne4 g2 10. Nd2+

The study is often published.

In the beginning of his career as an endgame study composer, Chekhover often revised traditional studies of other authors. He strove to bring them into a more sparse and economical form, often with fewer pieces – hence focusing on the actual problem itself, rather than the position on the board. Later he found his own style and composed a number of original, independent chess studies and problems. Starting 1936, Chekhover published more than 160 endgame studies. He is considered a prominent specialist on knight endgames, and has written several books on the subject; either alone, or with coauthors such as Russian grandmaster Yuri Averbakh.

Between 1947 and 1965 he participated in the Soviet Union championship for chess composition. Chekhover twice received the *le Master of Sports of the USSR. In 1956 he was awarded the *le International Judge of Chess Compositions by FIDE, and received the FIDE *le International Master of Chess Compositions in 1961.

Playing career

Chekover was also a very successful chess player, being awarded the *le of International Master in 1950 when the *le was first introduced. Tournament victories include victory in the Leningrad City Chess Championship in 1937 (shared) and 1949. He won the Uzbekistani Chess Championship in 1944.

A variation of the Sicilian Defence is named after him: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 (see Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation).

Bibliography

• Chekhover, Vitaly; Averbakh, Yuri (1977). Comprehensive Chess Endings: Knight Endings. Batsford. ISBN:978-0713405521.
• Chekhover, Vitaly; Averbakh, Yuri; Henkin, V. (1978). Comprehensive Chess Endings: Queen v. Rook/Minor Piece Endings. Batsford. ISBN:978-0713408669.

References

External links

• Vitaly Chekhover player profile and games at Chessgames.com