Nukhim Rashkovsky
Encyclopedia
Nukhim Nikolayevich Rashkovsky (born 18 April 1946, Sverdlovsk
) is a chess
Grandmaster and coach from Russia.
His first meaningful chess moves were played at the Sverdlovsk
Palace of Pioneers, one of many training schools for talented young players in Soviet Russia.
He was a regular patron of the long-running Soviet Chess Championship, from his first appearance in 1972 until the event's final edition in 1991. In total, he participated eight times, his best performance occurring in 1986, when he finished in eighth place. Competing at the former Russian Championship
(known as the Championship of the RSFSR), he was twice a winner, at Tula
1974 and at Novosibirsk
1976.
In 1974, Rashkovsky took part in the team championship of the Spartak Sports Society and along with Albert Kapengut
, recorded the tournament's top individual performance, with a score of 5½/7. Curiously, the full results were censored by the authorities and remained so for many years, because both players had finished ahead of Tigran Petrosian
and it was not thought to be in the national interest to disclose even this relatively minor failing of the ex-World Champion.
Progressing through the ranks, Rashkovsky was awarded the International Master title in 1976 and became a Grandmaster in 1980. Among his most successful international tournament results were first place at Sochi
1979, joint second place at the 1985 USSR Championship semi-final in Aktiubinsk, a share of third place at Kuibyshev
1986, a share of second at Vrnjacka Banja
1987 and another runner-up finish at Stockholm
(The Rilton Cup) in 1988. His best performance occurred at the 1982 Moscow Championship, where he shared victory with David Bronstein
. He was also crowned European Senior Champion
in 2007, at Hockenheim
, finishing level on points with Algimantas Butnorius
but winning on tie-break (ahead of Mark Tseitlin
and Wolfgang Uhlmann
, among others).
Although less active internationally, he continues to participate in domestic competition and has been player-coach for the highly successful Ural club (of Yekaterinburg) in the top Russian league and European Club Cup.
He has, for many years, been a coach and trainer at the uppermost levels of his chosen sport. Peter Svidler
spoke with high regard of his tenure with the national team, remarking on his optimism and energy and the good spirits that surrounded the Olympiad
camp. Less complimentary was chess commentator Vladimir Dvorkovich, who described Rashkovsky as inferior in every way to his American counterpart Yasser Seirawan, when Russia lost the Match of the New Century—the 2002 edition of the Russia (USSR) vs Rest of the World
challenge matches.
In 2008, Rashkovsky was appointed Director of the Urals Chess Academy. Having started his playing career in a similar facility, his aim is to recreate the same opportunities for talented children of the present day. The Academy is not solely for chess, but will cover a range of intellectual sports development needs.
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
) is a 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...
Grandmaster and coach from Russia.
His first meaningful chess moves were played at the Sverdlovsk
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
Palace of Pioneers, one of many training schools for talented young players in Soviet Russia.
He was a regular patron of the long-running Soviet Chess Championship, from his first appearance in 1972 until the event's final edition in 1991. In total, he participated eight times, his best performance occurring in 1986, when he finished in eighth place. Competing at the former Russian Championship
Russian Chess Championship
-Imperial Russia:In 1874, Emanuel Schiffers defeated Andrey Chardin in a match held in St. Petersburg with five wins and four losses. Schiffers was considered the first Russian champion until his student, Mikhail Chigorin, defeated him in a match held in St. Petersburg in 1879...
(known as the Championship of the RSFSR), he was twice a winner, at Tula
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
1974 and at Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
1976.
In 1974, Rashkovsky took part in the team championship of the Spartak Sports Society and along with Albert Kapengut
Albert Kapengut
Albert Zinovievich Kapengut is a Soviet chess master. A holder of the International Master title, he is best known as a respected teacher, theoretician, writer, and member of the successful student Olympiad teams of the 1960s.Kapengut won several Belarus championships: 1962, 1968, 1969, 1970 ,...
, recorded the tournament's top individual performance, with a score of 5½/7. Curiously, the full results were censored by the authorities and remained so for many years, because both players had finished ahead of Tigran Petrosian
Tigran Petrosian
Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian grandmaster, and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else...
and it was not thought to be in the national interest to disclose even this relatively minor failing of the ex-World Champion.
Progressing through the ranks, Rashkovsky was awarded the International Master title in 1976 and became a Grandmaster in 1980. Among his most successful international tournament results were first place at Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
1979, joint second place at the 1985 USSR Championship semi-final in Aktiubinsk, a share of third place at Kuibyshev
Samara, Russia
Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
1986, a share of second at Vrnjacka Banja
Vrnjacka Banja
Vrnjačka Banja is a town, municipality, and a resort, mineral spa located in Raška District of Serbia. It contains the world's only hot spring with a temperature measuring exactly that of the human body ....
1987 and another runner-up finish at Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(The Rilton Cup) in 1988. His best performance occurred at the 1982 Moscow Championship, where he shared victory with David Bronstein
David Bronstein
David Ionovich Bronstein was a Soviet chess grandmaster, who narrowly missed becoming World Chess Champion in 1951. Bronstein was described by his peers as a creative genius and master of tactics...
. He was also crowned European Senior Champion
European Senior Chess Championship
The European Senior Chess Championship is a chess tournament for senior chess players organised by the European Chess Union . Men can participate if they are 60 or over by January 1 of the year the tournament starts. For women the age requirement is 50 or over. The format of the tournament is 9...
in 2007, at Hockenheim
Hockenheim
Hockenheim is a German town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, about 20 km south of Mannheim. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the touristical theme routes Baden Asparagus Route and Bertha Benz Memorial Route...
, finishing level on points with Algimantas Butnorius
Algimantas Butnorius
Algimantas Butnorius is a Lithuanian chess Grandmaster and a former World Senior Champion.-Chess career:He won the Lithuanian Chess Championship on ten occasions: in 1967, 1968 , 1970, 1972 , 1973 , 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982 and 1993...
but winning on tie-break (ahead of Mark Tseitlin
Mark Tseitlin
Mark Danilovich Tseitlin , is an Israeli International Grandmaster of chess of Russian origin.Mark Tseitlin got acquainted with chess in Leningrad's Pioneers Palace. He is self-taught, having studied without a coach...
and Wolfgang Uhlmann
Wolfgang Uhlmann
Wolfgang Uhlmann is a prominent German International Grandmaster of chess. Despite being a dedicated professional chess player, and undoubtedly the GDR's most successful ever, he has also had a career in accountancy.-Chess career:...
, among others).
Although less active internationally, he continues to participate in domestic competition and has been player-coach for the highly successful Ural club (of Yekaterinburg) in the top Russian league and European Club Cup.
He has, for many years, been a coach and trainer at the uppermost levels of his chosen sport. Peter Svidler
Peter Svidler
Peter Veniaminovich Svidler is a Russian chess grandmaster.He is six-time Russian champion ....
spoke with high regard of his tenure with the national team, remarking on his optimism and energy and the good spirits that surrounded the 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...
camp. Less complimentary was chess commentator Vladimir Dvorkovich, who described Rashkovsky as inferior in every way to his American counterpart Yasser Seirawan, when Russia lost the Match of the New Century—the 2002 edition of the Russia (USSR) vs Rest of the World
Russia (USSR) vs Rest of the World
There have been two chess matches featuring USSR vs. Rest of the World and 1 match Russia vs. Rest of the World. The first two matches were between a team from the USSR and a team of players from the "rest of the world"...
challenge matches.
In 2008, Rashkovsky was appointed Director of the Urals Chess Academy. Having started his playing career in a similar facility, his aim is to recreate the same opportunities for talented children of the present day. The Academy is not solely for chess, but will cover a range of intellectual sports development needs.