Rudolf Spielmann

Rudolf Spielmann was born on May 5, 1883. He was known as "the Master of Attack" and also "the Last Knight of the King's Gambit". His daredevil play was full of sacrifices, brilliancies, and beautiful ideas. Despite strong opposition at that time with players like Alekhine, Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, and Tartakower, Spielmann scored well in numerous tournaments. He won 33 of the roughly 120 tournaments in which he played. Among them were 1st at Bad Pistyan in 1912, 1st at Stockholm in 1919, 1st at Bad Pistyan in 1922, and 1st at Semmering in 1926. He is also remembered today as the author of the classic book The Art of Sacrifice in Chess.

Spielmann was one of a handful of players to win more than one game against Capablanca. He was one of an even smaller number of players to have an even score against him (+2 =8 -2). Both of his wins came shortly after Alekhine dethroned Capablanca as World Champion in 1927. He beat Capablanca at Bad Kissingen in 1928 and at Karlsbad in 1929. Among leading players, only Keres had as good or better a score against Capablanca (+1 =5 -0). As a Jew, Spielmann had to flee from the Nazis. He escaped to Sweden and died in Stockholm in great poverty on August 20, 1942.

Download 522 chess games by Rudolf Spielmann

Back to Famous Chess Players