# Vitaly Chekhover

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Soviet chess player (1908–1965)

Vitaly Chekhover Personal information Born December 22, 1908 Saint Petersburg, Russia Died February 11, 1965 (aged 56) Leningrad, Soviet Union Chess career Country Russia Soviet Union Title International Master (1950)

**Vitaly Alexandrovich Chekhover** (also spelled **Tschechower** or **Czechower**, pronounced "chekh a VYAIR") ([Russian](/source/Russian_language): Вита́лий Алекса́ндрович Чехове́р) (December 22, 1908 – February 11, 1965) was a [Soviet](/source/Soviet_Union) [chess](/source/Chess) player and [chess composer](/source/Chess_composer). He was also a pianist.

## Composing career

 **Vitaly Chekhover**
*Schachmaty w SSSR 1947*

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h

White to move and draw

 Solution: 1. Nd5 e2 2. Nc3+ Kb3 3. Nxe2 Kc4! 4. Nf4!! g5 5. Ne6! g4 6. Ng7! f4 7. Nh5 f3 8. Nf6 g3 9. Ne4 g2 10. Nd2+

 The study is often published.

This example uses [algebraic notation](/source/Algebraic_notation_(chess)).

In the beginning of his career as an [endgame study](/source/Endgame_study) composer, Chekhover often revised traditional studies of other authors. He strove to bring them into a more sparse and economical form, often with fewer [pieces](/source/Chess_piece) – hence focusing on the actual [problem](/source/Chess_problem) itself, rather than the position on the board. Later he found his own style and composed a number of original, independent chess studies and problems. Starting 1936, Chekhover published more than 160 endgame studies.[1] He is considered a prominent specialist on [knight](/source/Knight_(chess)) [endgames](/source/Chess_endgame), and has written several books on the subject; either alone, or with coauthors such as [Russian](/source/Russia) [grandmaster](/source/Grandmaster_(chess)) [Yuri Averbakh](/source/Yuri_Averbakh).[2]

Between 1947 and 1965 he participated in the Soviet Union championship for chess composition. Chekhover twice received the title [Master of Sports of the USSR](/source/Unified_Sports_Classification_System_of_the_USSR). In 1956 he was awarded the title [International Judge of Chess Compositions](/source/International_Judge_of_Chess_Compositions)[3] by [FIDE](/source/FIDE), and received the FIDE title *International Master of Chess Compositions*[4] in 1961.

## Playing career

Chekover was also a very successful chess player, being awarded the title of [International Master](/source/International_Master) in 1950 when the title was first introduced. Tournament victories include victory in the [Leningrad City Chess Championship](/source/Leningrad_City_Chess_Championship) in 1937 (shared) and 1949. He won the [Uzbekistani Chess Championship](/source/Uzbekistani_Chess_Championship) in 1944. He also performed credibly in a number of USSR championships

A variation of the Sicilian Defence is [named](/source/List_of_chess_openings_named_after_people) after him: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 (see [Sicilian Defence, Chekhover Variation](/source/Sicilian_Defence%2C_Chekhover_Variation)).[5]

## Bibliography

- Chekhover, Vitaly; [Averbakh, Yuri](/source/Yuri_Averbakh) (1977). [*Comprehensive Chess Endings: Knight Endings*](https://archive.org/details/knightendings00aver_0). [Batsford](/source/Anova_Books). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0713405521](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0713405521).

- Chekhover, Vitaly; [Averbakh, Yuri](/source/Yuri_Averbakh); Henkin, V. (1978). *Comprehensive Chess Endings: Queen v. Rook/Minor Piece Endings*. [Batsford](/source/Anova_Books). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0713408669](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0713408669).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Peter Boll. ["Biographical data about Endgamestudy composers/authors"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080915205227/http://www.arves.org/Biografie.htm). ARVES – Dutch-Flemish Association for Endgame Study. Archived from [the original](http://www.arves.org/Biografie.htm) on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-04-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Chekhover, Vitaly; Yuri Averbakh (1977). [*Knight endings*](https://archive.org/details/knightendings00aver_0). trans. Mary Lasher. London: [Batsford](/source/Anova_Books). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7134-0552-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7134-0552-1). (Included in *Comprehensive Chess Endings*, vol 1, Averbakh and Chekhover, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-08-026900-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-08-026900-1).)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Hannu Harkola (1999). ["International Judges for Chess Compositions"](http://www.sci.fi/~stniekat/pccc/ij.htm). [PCCC](/source/Permanent_Commission_of_the_FIDE_for_Chess_Compositions). Retrieved 2008-04-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hannu Harkola (1999). ["International Masters of the FIDE for Chess Compositions"](http://www.sci.fi/~stniekat/pccc/im.htm). [PCCC](/source/Permanent_Commission_of_the_FIDE_for_Chess_Compositions). Retrieved 2008-04-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["ECO B53: Sicilian, Chekhover variation"](http://www.365chess.com/eco/B53_Sicilian_Chekhover_variation/games). 365chess.com. Retrieved 11 February 2011.

## External links

- [Vitaly Chekhover](https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=20482) player profile and games at [Chessgames.com](/source/Chessgames.com)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States France BnF data Netherlands Norway

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vitaly Chekhover](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaly_Chekhover) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaly_Chekhover?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.