Herman Pilnik
Encyclopedia
Herman Pilnik was an Argentine (German origin) chess
Grandmaster.
. Pilnik emigrated from Germany to Argentina
in 1930. He won the Argentine Championships
in 1942, 1945 and 1958. Pilnik began his international career in 1942, when he tied for 10-11th in New York
, and tied for 2nd-3rd in Mar del Plata. In 1944, he tied for 1st with Miguel Najdorf
in Mar del Plata. In July/August 1945, he took 3rd at the Hollywood Pan-American Tournament
in Los Angeles
. The event was won by Samuel Reshevsky
. In 1951, he won in Beverwijk
. In 1951/52, he won in Vienna
. In 1952, he won in Belgrade
. In 1954, he won in Stuttgart.
He played for Argentina in five Chess Olympiad
s. In 1950, he won individual gold medal playing at first reserve board (+6 −1 =3) and team silver medal at the 9th Chess Olympiad
in Dubrovnik. In 1952, he won team silver medal playing at fourth board (+6 −1 =7) at the 10th Chess Olympiad
in Helsinki
. In 1954, he won team silver medal playing at fourth board (+3 −2 =2) at the 11th Chess Olympiad
in Amsterdam. In 1956, he played at fourth board (+7 −3 =3) at the 12th Chess Olympiad
in Moscow
. In 1958, he won team bronze medal playing at first board (+5 −2 =8) at the 13th Chess Olympiad
in Munich
.
He was awarded the International Master (IM) title in 1950 and the Grandmaster (GM) title in 1952. He took 10th at the Candidates Tournament
at Amsterdam 1956. He traveled a lot and finally settled in Venezuela where he taught chess at the Caracas Military Academy. He died in Caracas in 1981.
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...
Grandmaster.
Career
In 1929, he won the championship of StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
. Pilnik emigrated from Germany to Argentina
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...
in 1930. He won the 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 1942, 1945 and 1958. Pilnik began his international career in 1942, when he tied for 10-11th in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and tied for 2nd-3rd in Mar del Plata. In 1944, he tied for 1st with Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf was a Polish-born Argentine chess grandmaster of Jewish origin, famous for his Najdorf Variation....
in Mar del Plata. In July/August 1945, he took 3rd at the Hollywood Pan-American Tournament
Pan American Chess Championship
The first Pan-American Championship was held in Hollywood, 28 July - 12 August 1945. The line-up was as follows: 1. Samuel Reshevsky 10.5, 2. Reuben Fine 9, 3. Herman Pilnik 8.5, 4. Israel Horowitz 8, 5. Isaac Kashdan 7, 6. Hector Rossetto 6.5, 7-8. Weaver Adams , Herman Steiner 5.5, 9-10....
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The event was won by Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel "Sammy" Herman Reshevsky was a famous chess prodigy and later a leading American chess Grandmaster...
. In 1951, he won in Beverwijk
Corus chess tournament
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament formerly called the Corus chess tournament takes place every year, usually in January, in a small town called Wijk aan Zee, part of the larger Beverwijk in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands...
. In 1951/52, he won in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In 1952, he won in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. In 1954, he won in Stuttgart.
He played for Argentina in five 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 1950, he won individual gold medal playing at first reserve board (+6 −1 =3) and team silver medal at the 9th Chess Olympiad
9th Chess Olympiad
The 9th 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 20 and September 11, 1950, in Dubrovnik, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia .The final results were as follows:-Final :The...
in Dubrovnik. In 1952, he won team silver medal playing at fourth board (+6 −1 =7) at the 10th Chess Olympiad
10th Chess Olympiad
The 10th 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 9 and August 31, 1952, in Helsinki, Finland.-References:* OlimpBase...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. In 1954, he won team silver medal playing at fourth board (+3 −2 =2) at the 11th Chess Olympiad
11th Chess Olympiad
The 11th 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 September 4 and September 25, 1954, in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
in Amsterdam. In 1956, he played at fourth board (+7 −3 =3) at the 12th Chess Olympiad
12th Chess Olympiad
The 12th 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 31 and September 25, 1956, in Moscow, Soviet Union.-References:...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. In 1958, he won team bronze medal playing at first board (+5 −2 =8) at the 13th Chess Olympiad
13th Chess Olympiad
The 13th 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 September 30 and October 23, 1958, in Munich, West Germany.-References:...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
He was awarded the International Master (IM) title in 1950 and the Grandmaster (GM) title in 1952. He took 10th at the Candidates Tournament
Candidates Tournament
The Candidates Tournament is a chess tournament organized by the world chess federation FIDE since 1950, as the final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship...
at Amsterdam 1956. He traveled a lot and finally settled in Venezuela where he taught chess at the Caracas Military Academy. He died in Caracas in 1981.