Efim Bogolyubov

Boguljubov

Boguljubov, left, versus Akiba Rubinstein, right, Moscow 1925

Efim Bogolyubov (14 April 1889 – 18 June 1952) was a Ukrainian–German chess grandmaster who won numerous events and played two matches with Alexander Alekhine for the world championship. His weak point, it is said, was over-optimism, but at his best he was one of the world's leading players.^p49

1919 to 1939

After the World War I, he won international tournaments at Berlin 1919, Stockholm 1919, Stockholm 1920, Kiel 1921, and Pistyan (Pieštany) 1922. He tied for 1st–3rd at Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) 1923.

In 1924 Bogoljubow briefly returned to Russia, which had since become the Soviet Union, and won consecutive USSR championships in 1924 and 1925. He also won at Breslau (Wroclaw) 1925, and in Moscow 1925, ahead of a field which included Emanuel Lasker and José Raúl Capablanca.

In 1926, he emigrated to Germany. He won, ahead of Akiba Rubinstein that year at Berlin. At Bad Kissingen 1928, he triumphed (+6 –1 =4) over a field which included Capablanca, Nimzovich and Savielly Tartakower. Bogoljubov won two matches against Max Euwe (both 5.5–4.5) in 1928 and 1928/29 in Holland. He played matches for the World Chess Championship twice against Alekhine, losing 15.5–9.5 in 1929, and 15.5–10.5 in 1934.

He represented Germany at first board in the 4th Chess Olympiad at Prague 1931, winning the individual silver medal (+9 –1 =7). Bogoljubov continued to have good tournament results throughout the 1930s.

Efim Bogolyubov in 1925

Later years

Efim Bogolyubov, Triberg
(1.4.1889 – 18.6.1952)

During World War II, he lost a match to Euwe (+2 –5 =3) at Krefeld 1941, and drew a mini-match with Alekhine (+1 –1 =0) at Warsaw 1943. He also played in numerous tournaments held in Nazi-held territory throughout the war. After the war, he lived in West Germany. In 1947, he won in Lüneburg, and Kassel. In 1949 he won in Bad Pyrmont (3rd West GER-ch), and tied for 1st-2nd in Oldenburg. In 1951, he won in Augsburg, and Saarbrücken.

He was awarded the grandmaster title by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1951.

The Bogo-Indian Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+) is named after Bogolyubov.

Other websites

• Kmoch, Hans 2004. Grandmasters I have known: Yefim Dimitrievich BogolyubovPDF (60.4 KB) Chesscafe.com.
• Efim Bogoljubov raconté par Emil Diemer by Dany Sénéchaud on Mieux jouer aux échecs (in French)