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Miguel Najdorf
Hoogoven-schaaktoernooi Wijk aan Zee, nummer 7 Najdorf; Bestanddeelnr 926-1759.jpg
Miguel Najdorf in 1973
Full name Mojsje Mendel Najdorf
Country Poland (before 1940)
Argentina (after 1940)
Born (1910-04-15)15 April 1910
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Kingdom of Poland, Russian Empire
Died 4 July 1997(1997-07-04) (aged 87)
Málaga, Spain
Title Grandmaster (1950)
Peak rating 2540 (July 1972)

Miguel Najdorf was a famous Polish-Argentinian chess Grandmaster. He was born as Mojsje Mendel Najdorf on April 15, 1910. He became one of the world's top chess players in the 1940s and 1950s.

Miguel Najdorf is also very well known for a chess opening called the Najdorf Variation. This is one of the most popular ways to start a chess game. He passed away on July 4, 1997.

Early Life and Chess Beginnings

Miguel Najdorf was born in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland. He learned chess at age 14 from a friend's father. He quickly became very good at the game.

His first chess teacher was Dawid Przepiórka. Later, he was taught by Savielly Tartakower, whom he always called "my teacher."

Early Chess Successes

Najdorf started his chess career around 1930. He played a very famous game known as "The Polish Immortal" in 1929. Many people consider it one of the most brilliant games ever played.

He won the Warsaw Championship in 1934. In 1935, he tied for second place in the Polish Chess Championship. He also won a match against his teacher, Tartakower, that same year.

Representing Poland

Before World War II, Najdorf played for Poland in four Chess Olympiads. These are big international team chess tournaments.

  • In 1935, he played in Warsaw.
  • In 1936, he played in Munich.
  • In 1937, he played in Stockholm.
  • In 1939, he played in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He won a gold medal for his great performance on the second board.

Moving to Argentina

The 8th Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires started in August 1939. While the tournament was happening, World War II broke out in Europe.

Miguel Najdorf was Jewish. Because of the war and the danger to Jewish people, he decided to stay in Argentina. Many other chess players also stayed there. He became an Argentinian citizen in 1944.

Sadly, his wife, daughter, parents, and four siblings were all killed during The Holocaust. Najdorf later remarried twice and had two more daughters. He hoped his record-breaking chess games would help his family find him, but it was too late.

Amazing Blindfold Chess

Najdorf was famous for playing blindfold chess. This means he played many games at once without looking at the boards! He would remember all the positions in his head.

  • In 1943, he set a world record by playing 40 opponents blindfolded.
  • In 1947, he broke his own record by playing 45 opponents blindfolded. This record stood for many years until 2011.

Chess Career in Argentina

After World War II, Miguel Najdorf became one of the world's top chess players. He won many important tournaments in Argentina and around the world.

Becoming a Top Player

From 1939 to 1947, Najdorf had many successes. He was considered the second-best player in the world from mid-1947 to mid-1949.

In 1950, the international chess organization FIDE officially gave him the title of International Grandmaster. This is the highest title a chess player can achieve.

Aiming for World Champion

Najdorf wanted to become the World Chess Champion. He played in the Candidates Tournament in 1950 and 1953. This tournament decides who will challenge the current World Champion. He finished fifth in 1950 and tied for sixth in 1953. He never quite made it to play for the World Championship title.

Later Career and Personality

Even though he worked in the insurance business, Najdorf remained a very strong chess player. He won important tournaments like Mar del Plata in 1961 and Havana in 1962.

In 1970, when he was almost 60, he played in a special match called "USSR vs. Rest of the World." He played against former World Champion Mikhail Tal and had an even score.

Najdorf was known for his fun and lively personality. He often made witty comments. For example, he once said about Tal: "When Spassky offers you a piece, you might as well resign then and there. But when Tal offers you a piece, you would do well to keep playing, because then he might offer you another, and then another, and then ... who knows?"

He continued to play chess throughout his life. At age 69, he tied for second place in a strong tournament in Buenos Aires in 1979. He was still playing in national championships at age 81! He was also an amazing blitz (fast chess) player, even in his 80s.

Najdorf believed that José Raúl Capablanca and Bobby Fischer were the greatest chess players of all time.

Playing for Argentina in Olympiads

Miguel Najdorf played for Argentina in eleven Chess Olympiads from 1950 to 1976. He often played on the top board for his team.

He won many medals for his teams and for his individual performances:

  • Seven team medals (four silver, three bronze)
  • Four individual medals (gold in 1939, 1950, and 1952, and one silver in 1962)

Contributions to Chess

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The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense begins with the moves: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6.
This example uses algebraic notation.

Miguel Najdorf is most famous for the Najdorf Variation in the Sicilian Defense. This is a very popular and important opening in chess.

He also helped develop ideas in other openings, like the King's Indian Defense. Besides playing, Najdorf was a respected chess journalist. He wrote a popular chess column for the Buenos Aires Clarín newspaper.

Notable Games

  • Glucksberg vs Miguel Najdorf, Warsaw 1929: Known as "The Polish Immortal", this is one of his most brilliant games.
  • Miguel Najdorf vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Groningen 1946: In their first game, Najdorf defeated the future World Champion.
  • Mark Taimanov vs Miguel Najdorf, Zurich 1953: A fantastic attacking game where Najdorf showed his skill against a strong Soviet Grandmaster.
  • Miguel Najdorf once played a game of chess with the famous revolutionary Che Guevara; it ended in a draw.

Personal Life

Miguel Najdorf's birth name was Mojsze Mendel Najdorf. He was the oldest of five children in a Jewish family. He loved chess from the moment he learned it at 14.

He married Genia, and they had a daughter named Lusia. When he left for the 1939 Olympiad, Genia was sick and stayed behind. Sadly, he never saw them again, as they were killed in the Holocaust.

In 1944, he became an Argentinian citizen. Najdorf was very good with languages, speaking eight different ones! These included Polish, Spanish, English, and Yiddish.

In 1947, he married Adela. They had two daughters, Mirta and Liliana. His daughter Liliana wrote a book about his life. She described him as a mix of strong emotions: sometimes quick-tempered, but also very kind and loving. He was joyful but also carried sadness from losing his family in the Holocaust.

Adela passed away in 1977. Later, Najdorf married Rita, a close family friend who was also a widow. They had known each other for many years. Rita later developed Alzheimer's disease. Najdorf himself had a serious heart attack in 1996. Rita passed away unexpectedly the day after he visited her in the hospital.

Miguel Najdorf's life was full of incredible chess achievements and personal challenges. He is remembered as one of the greatest and most colorful figures in chess history.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Miguel Najdorf para niños

  • List of Jewish chess players
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