Arturo Pomar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arturo Pomar
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Arturo Pomar in 1972
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| Died | 26 May 2016  Barcelona |
Arturo Pomar Salamanca (born September 1, 1931 – died May 26, 2016) was a famous Spanish chess player. He made history by becoming the first Spanish player to earn the title of Grandmaster (GM). He was also a champion in his home country, winning the national title seven times!
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Biography
A Young Chess Star
Arturo Pomar was born in Palma de Mallorca. When he was young, people called him Arturito, which means "little Arturo." He was known as a chess prodigy, meaning he was incredibly talented at chess from a very young age.
When he was just 10 years old, he was the runner-up at the Championship of the Balearic Isles. The very next year, he won the title! The World Chess Champion at the time, Alexander Alekhine, noticed Arturo's amazing talent. Alekhine even gave him special chess lessons.
Playing Against a Champion
Arturo played his first international chess tournament in Madrid in 1943. He was only 12 years old! He even managed to beat a very strong player named Friedrich Saemisch.
When Arturo was 13, he played a game against his teacher, World Champion Alekhine, in Gijón (1944). It was an exciting game! Arturo played so well that he reached a position where he should have won. However, the game ended in a draw after more than 70 moves. Alekhine won that tournament, and Arturo finished fifth.
Because of his early success, people compared Arturo to other famous young chess stars like José Raúl Capablanca. He became quite famous in Spain, appearing on radio and in films. Even though he was a brilliant young player, he never quite reached the very top of the chess world later in his career.
Spain's First Grandmaster
Arturo Pomar achieved some of his best international results in the 1960s. He shared first place at the Madrid Zonal tournament in 1960. This success allowed him to play in the Stockholm Interzonal tournament in 1962, which was a step towards challenging for the world title. He finished 11th there.
He earned the title of International Master in 1950. Then, in 1962, he made history by becoming Spain's very first Grandmaster!
Arturo was also a national champion many times. He won the Spanish Chess Championship seven times (in 1946, 1950, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, and 1966). He was also the runner-up four times. His record for national championships was only broken in 2010.
A Busy Chess Career
Arturo Pomar played in many chess tournaments around the world. He often finished in the top spots. For example, he won tournaments in Santa Fe (1949), Paris (1949), Gijón (1955), and Santander (1958). He also shared first place at the US Open in 1954.
He continued to play well in the 1960s and 1970s. He took second place behind the legendary Mikhail Botvinnik at a tournament in Amsterdam in 1966. He won again in Málaga in 1971 and Alicante in 1975. He stopped playing in major events around 1985.
Playing for Spain
Arturo was a key player for the Spanish national chess team. He represented Spain in twelve Chess Olympiads in a row! The Chess Olympiad is a big team competition where countries play against each other.
He even won an individual bronze medal at the Olympiad in Leipzig in 1960, playing on the second board for Spain. This was a great achievement for him and his country.
Later Life
Later in his life, Arturo Pomar was often invited as a special guest to chess events. For example, he was a guest of honor at the Chess Olympiad held in Calvia in 2004, which was on his home island.
In 2016, the international chess organization FIDE gave him a special award to recognize his important contributions to chess history.
Arturo Pomar passed away in Barcelona on May 26, 2016, after being ill for a long time. He is remembered as a pioneering Spanish Grandmaster and a talented chess player.
Notable Chess Games
- Arturo Pomar vs Efim Geller, Interzonal Tournament, Stockholm 1962, King's Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack. Exchange Variation (E79), 1-0 In this game, Arturo Pomar outplayed a very strong tactical player named Efim Geller.
- Alexander Alekhine vs Arturo Pomar, Gijon 1944, Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Steinitz Deferred (C79), 1/2-1/2 Arturo Pomar drew this game with Alexander Alekhine when he was just thirteen years old. He became the youngest player ever to draw with a reigning World Champion in a regular game, and his record still stands!
See also
In Spanish: Arturo Pomar (ajedrecista) para niños
