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Lubomir Kavalek
Lubomir (Lubosh) Kavalek (Czech: Lubomír Kaválek, August 9, 1943 – January 18, 2021) was a Czech-American chess player. He was awarded both the International Master and International Grandmaster titles by FIDE in 1965. He won two Czechoslovak and three U.S. championships, and was ranked as the world's No. 10 player in 1974. He was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 2001. Kavalek was also a chess coach, organizer, teacher, commentator, author and award-winning columnist.
Kavalek was born in Prague, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (now the Czech Republic). He studied at the University of Žilina. He did not complete his studies and became a chess professional. His official occupation was reporter for the news "Prace" and the newspaper Mladá fronta. He won the championship of Czechoslovakia in 1962 and 1968. When Soviet tanks rolled into Prague in August 1968, Kavalek was playing in the Akiba Rubinstein Memorial in Poland, in which he finished second. Kavalek, who had always hated Communism, decided to defect to the West rather than return to Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia. He bought several crates of vodka with his winnings, used them to bribe the border guards, and drove to West Germany. "It was the biggest loss ever suffered by Czechoslovakian chess," wrote Andrew Soltis in "The 100 Best Chess Games of the 20th Century, Ranked."
He later entered Amsterdam on a student visa and in 1970 immigrated to the United States. On his way to America, Kavalek won a strong tournament in Caracas (scoring +10−1=6). He played the first half under the Czechoslovakian flag, the second half under the American flag. He represented the United States before officially setting foot in his new adopted country. Kavalek moved to Washington, D.C., studied Slavic literature at George Washington University and worked at Voice of America (1971–72). In 1973 he became a full-time chess professional. He later became a United States citizen. He lived in Reston, Virginia.
Kavalek played in four Czechoslovak championships. Three results were significant:
Kavalek finished first in three U.S. championships.
"During the 1970s Kavalek was one of the most active and successful tournament competitors from the USA."
Besides sharing first place at the U.S. championship, Kavalek won four tournaments:
He also finished third in Amsterdam (Petrosian and Planinc 10, Kavalek 9.5, Spassky 9) and in Manila (Larsen 12.5/15, Ljubojevic 11.5, Kavalek 11).
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Lubomir Kavalek
Lubomir (Lubosh) Kavalek (Czech: Lubomír Kaválek, August 9, 1943 – January 18, 2021) was a Czech-American chess player. He was awarded both the International Master and International Grandmaster titles by FIDE in 1965. He won two Czechoslovak and three U.S. championships, and was ranked as the world's No. 10 player in 1974. He was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 2001. Kavalek was also a chess coach, organizer, teacher, commentator, author and award-winning columnist.
Kavalek was born in Prague, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (now the Czech Republic). He studied at the University of Žilina. He did not complete his studies and became a chess professional. His official occupation was reporter for the news "Prace" and the newspaper Mladá fronta. He won the championship of Czechoslovakia in 1962 and 1968. When Soviet tanks rolled into Prague in August 1968, Kavalek was playing in the Akiba Rubinstein Memorial in Poland, in which he finished second. Kavalek, who had always hated Communism, decided to defect to the West rather than return to Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia. He bought several crates of vodka with his winnings, used them to bribe the border guards, and drove to West Germany. "It was the biggest loss ever suffered by Czechoslovakian chess," wrote Andrew Soltis in "The 100 Best Chess Games of the 20th Century, Ranked."
He later entered Amsterdam on a student visa and in 1970 immigrated to the United States. On his way to America, Kavalek won a strong tournament in Caracas (scoring +10−1=6). He played the first half under the Czechoslovakian flag, the second half under the American flag. He represented the United States before officially setting foot in his new adopted country. Kavalek moved to Washington, D.C., studied Slavic literature at George Washington University and worked at Voice of America (1971–72). In 1973 he became a full-time chess professional. He later became a United States citizen. He lived in Reston, Virginia.
Kavalek played in four Czechoslovak championships. Three results were significant:
Kavalek finished first in three U.S. championships.
"During the 1970s Kavalek was one of the most active and successful tournament competitors from the USA."
Besides sharing first place at the U.S. championship, Kavalek won four tournaments:
He also finished third in Amsterdam (Petrosian and Planinc 10, Kavalek 9.5, Spassky 9) and in Manila (Larsen 12.5/15, Ljubojevic 11.5, Kavalek 11).
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