Ilya Leontievich Rabinovich (russian: Илья Леонтьевич Рабинович; 11 May 1891 – 23 April 1942) was a Russian and later Soviet
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...
player, among the best ones in his country for three decades, from 1910 to 1940. His best result was a shared first place in the 9th Soviet Championship of 1934-35. He was also a chess writer.
Biography
Rabinovich was born in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. In 1911 he tied for first place with Platz in Saint Petersburg. In 1912 he tied for 4th-5th in
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
(''Hauptturnier'';
Karel Hromádka
Karel Hromádka (23 April 1887 in Großweikersdorf, Austria – 16 July 1956) was a Czech chess player, two-time Czech champion, 1913 and 1921 (jointly).
Hromádka played in the 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad, Paris 1924, and scored 6.5/8 ...
won).
Interned in Germany
In July–August 1914 he played in
Mannheim
Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's 2 ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
at the
19th DSB Congress. When the chess congress had to be interrupted upon the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Rabinovich was tied for 2nd-3rd places in the ''Hauptturnier A''. After the declaration of war against Russia, eleven players from the Russian Empire (
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Aleksandrovich Alekhine, ''Aleksándr Aleksándrovich Alékhin''; (March 24, 1946) was a Russian and French chess player and the fourth World Chess Champion, a title he held for two reigns.
By the age of 22, Alekhine was already a ...
,
Efim Bogoljubov
Efim Bogoljubow ( or ), also known as Ewfim Dimitrijewitsch Bogoljubow, ( (); also Romanized ''Bogoljubov'', ''Bogolyubov''; uk, Юхим Дмитрович Боголюбов, Yukhym Dmytrovych Boholiubov; April 14, 1889 – June 18, 1952) ...
,
Fedor Bogatyrchuk
Fedir Parfenovych Bohatyrchuk (also ''Bogatirchuk'', ''Bohatirchuk'', ''Bogatyrtschuk'') ( uk, Федір Парфенович Богатирчук; , ''Fyodor Parfenyevich Bogatyrchuk''; 27 November 1892 – 4 September 1984) was a Ukrainian-Can ...
,
Alexander Flamberg
Alexander Flamberg (1880, Warsaw – 24 January 1926, Warsaw) was a Polish chess master.
Biography
Alexander Davidovich Flamberg born in Warsaw (then Russian Empire), spent his early years in England, where he learned to play chess. After retu ...
,
N. Koppelman N. Kopelman (Koppelman) (1881 ? – 1944, Moscow?) was a Russian chess player.
He participated in the Mannheim 1914 chess tournament. After the declaration of war against Russia, eleven "Russian" players (Alexander Alekhine, Bogoljubov, Bogatyrc ...
,
Boris Maljutin
Boris Evgenievich Maliutin (Maljutin, Malyutin, Malutin) (1883–1920) was a chess master.
Chess career
He played many tournaments in Saint Petersburg. He took 4th in 1902, 8th in 1903, 13th, 5th, 2nd and 3rd in 1904, tied for 3-4th, tied for 4- ...
, Rabinovich,
Peter Romanovsky
Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky (russian: Пётр Арсеньевич Романо́вский; 29 July 1892 – 1 March 1964) was a Russian chess player and author. He won the Soviet Championship in 1923 and, jointly, 1927.
Biography
At the begi ...
,
Peter Petrovich Saburov
Peter Petrovich Saburov (Sabouroff) (, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 26 March 1932, Geneva, Switzerland) was a Russian diplomat, chess master and organizer, and musical composer.
He was a son of Peter Alexandrovich Saburov, a diplomat and chess or ...
,
Alexey Selezniev
Alexey (Alex) Sergeyevich Selezniev (russian: Алексе́й Серге́евич Селезнёв, alternative transliterations: Selesniev, Selesniew, Selesnev, Selesnieff; pronounced "selezNYOFF"; 1888June 1967) was a chess master and chess com ...
, and
Samuil Weinstein
Samuil Osipovich Vainshtein (Weinstein, Wainstein, Vainstein, Wajnsztejn) (1894–1942) was a Russian chess master, organizer, publisher and editor.
In July/August 1914, he was playing in Mannheim at (the 19th DSB Congress, when it was interrupted ...
) from the Mannheim tournament were interned by Germany. In September 1914, four of them (Alekhine, Bogatyrchuk, Saburov, and Koppelman) were freed and allowed, through
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, to return home.
The Russian internees played eight tournaments, the first in
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...
(1914) and all the others in
Triberg im Schwarzwald
Triberg im Schwarzwald is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located in the Schwarzwald-Baar district in the Black Forest. In 2020, it had a population of 4,656. Triberg lies in the middle of the Black Forest between 500 and 1038 metres above ...
(1914–1917). Rabinovich was 3rd in Baden-Baden (
Alexander Flamberg
Alexander Flamberg (1880, Warsaw – 24 January 1926, Warsaw) was a Polish chess master.
Biography
Alexander Davidovich Flamberg born in Warsaw (then Russian Empire), spent his early years in England, where he learned to play chess. After retu ...
won), 2nd at Triberg 1914/15, 2nd at Triberg 1915, 3rd at Triberg 1915, tied for 2nd-3rd at Triberg 1915, took 2nd at Triberg 1915/16 (all tournaments were won by Bogoljubov). In 1916 Rabinovich won the
Triberg chess tournament The Triberg chess tournament constitutes a series of chess tournaments, held in Triberg im Schwarzwald, Imperial Germany, during World War I.
Eleven players from the Russian Empire, who participated in the interrupted Mannheim 1914 chess tournament ...
, and he tied for first with
Selezniev at Triberg 1917.
Returns to Russia
After
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Rabinovich returned to St Petersburg (Petrograd, Leningrad). In 1920 he won the
Petrograd chess championship, and came fourth in Moscow in the All-Russian Chess Olympiad (later recognized as the
first Soviet chess championship), which was won by
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Aleksandrovich Alekhine, ''Aleksándr Aleksándrovich Alékhin''; (March 24, 1946) was a Russian and French chess player and the fourth World Chess Champion, a title he held for two reigns.
By the age of 22, Alekhine was already a ...
. In 1922 he took second, behind
Grigory Levenfish
Grigory Yakovlevich Levenfish (russian: Григо́рий Я́ковлевич Левенфи́ш; – 9 February 1961) was a Soviet chess player who scored his peak competitive results in the 1920s and 1930s. He was twice USSR Chess Champ ...
, in the Petrograd championship. In 1923 he tied for 7th-8th at Leningrad (2nd USSR Championship, won by
Peter Romanovsky
Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky (russian: Пётр Арсеньевич Романо́вский; 29 July 1892 – 1 March 1964) was a Russian chess player and author. He won the Soviet Championship in 1923 and, jointly, 1927.
Biography
At the begi ...
). In 1923 he won at
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...
. In 1924 he took 2nd, behind Levenfish, in the Leningrad championship. In 1924 he took 5th in Moscow (3rd USSR Ch., won by Bogoljubov).
In 1925 Rabinovich became the first Soviet player to compete outside the USSR. He played at Baden-Baden and took 7th place. The event was won by Alekhine. In 1925 he tied for 1st-4th in the Leningrad championship. In 1925 he took 3rd at Leningrad (4th USSR Championship, won by Bogoljubov). In 1925 he took 16th in the first
Moscow international tournament; Bogoljubow won. In 1926, he won at Leningrad. In 1926 he tied for 2nd-3rd places with
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, ( – May 5, 1995) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster. The sixth World Chess Champion, he also worked as an electrical engineer and computer scientist and was a pioneer in computer chess.
Botvinnik ...
in the Leningrad Championship, won by
Alexander Ilyin-Genevsky
Alexander Fyodorovich Ilyin (russian: Алекса́ндр Фёдорович Ильи́н-Жене́вский; November 28, 1894 – September 3, 1941), known with the party name Zhenevsky, "the Genevan" because he joined the Bolshevik group of ...
.
Writer
In 1927 Rabinovich wrote the first original book devoted to the
endgame
Endgame, Endgames, End Game, End Games, or similar variations may refer to:
Film
* ''The End of the Game'' (1919 film)
* ''The End of the Game'' (1975 film), short documentary U.S. film
* ''Endgame'' (1983 film), 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic f ...
in the Russian language, titled ''The Endgame'' in Russian and ''The Russian Endgame Handbook'' in English. It was updated in 1938. It is said to be a major reason for the dominance of Soviet players in the endgame.
Soviet champion
In 1927 he tied for 10-12th in Moscow (5th USSR Championship). The event was won by
Fedor Bohatirchuk and
Peter Romanovsky
Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky (russian: Пётр Арсеньевич Романо́вский; 29 July 1892 – 1 March 1964) was a Russian chess player and author. He won the Soviet Championship in 1923 and, jointly, 1927.
Biography
At the begi ...
. In 1928, he won the Leningrad championship. In 1933 he tied for 3rd-5th in Leningrad (8th USSR Championship, won by Botvinnik). In 1934/35 Rabinovich shared first place with Levenfish in Leningrad (9th USSR Championship). At
Moscow 1935, the second international tournament, he tied for 11-14th places. The event was won by Botvinnik and
Salo Flohr
Salomon Mikhailovich Flohr (November 21, 1908 – July 18, 1983) was a Czechoslovak and Soviet chess player and writer. He was among the first recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. Flohr dominated many tournam ...
.
In 1937 he tied for 10-12th in
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
(10th USSR Championship; Levenfish won). In 1938, he tied for 3rd-4th in Leningrad (11th USSR Championships semi-final). In January 1939 he tied for 7-8th in Leningrad–Moscow (International Tournament; Flohr won). In 1939 he tied for 11-12th in Leningrad (11th USSR Championship; Botvinnik won). In 1939 he took 7th in the Leningrad championship, won by
Georgy Lisitsin. In 1940 he won the Leningrad championship. In June 1941 he played in the interrupted semifinal of the
USSR Championship in
Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don ( rus, Ростов-на-Дону, r=Rostov-na-Donu, p=rɐˈstof nə dɐˈnu) is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East Eu ...
.
Death
Rabinovich was taken ill during the
siege of Leningrad
The siege of Leningrad (russian: links=no, translit=Blokada Leningrada, Блокада Ленинграда; german: links=no, Leningrader Blockade; ) was a prolonged military blockade undertaken by the Axis powers against the Soviet city of L ...
. He was evacuated, but died of
malnutrition
Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...
in a hospital in
Perm
Perm or PERM may refer to:
Places
*Perm, Russia, a city in Russia
** Permsky District, the district
**Perm Krai, a federal subject of Russia since 2005
**Perm Oblast, a former federal subject of Russia 1938–2005
**Perm Governorate, an administra ...
.
See also
*
List of Jewish chess players
Jews, Jewish players and Chess theory, theoreticians have long been involved in the game of chess and have significantly contributed to the development of chess, which has been described as the "Jewish National game". Chess gained po ...
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rabinovich, Ilya
1891 births
1942 deaths
Jewish chess players
Russian chess players
Russian Jews
Soviet chess players
Soviet chess writers
Sportspeople from Saint Petersburg
Deaths by starvation
20th-century chess players
Victims of the Siege of Leningrad