Messi: I Want to Make Winning Moves with Argentina
Chess History, Literature, and Visual Arts of Argentina
La Albiceleste ("The White and Sky Blue") used to be a chess powerhouse, particularly from the 1930s to the 1950s, when it consistently ranked among the top nations at the Olympiads. The country produced Grandmasters like the legendary Miguel Najdorf, and Oscar Panno, a World Junior Champion in 1953. Argentina’s golden era included strong showings like 2nd place at the 1950, 1952, and 1954 Olympiads. Their success stemmed from a vibrant chess culture, with Buenos Aires as a hub.
Since then, Argentina’s prominence has declined. Still, chess remains popular, with young talents like Faustino Oro showing promise, though Argentina no longer competes at the elite level she once did.
Inca culture checkerboard tunic, 16th c. of today's Argentina, Peru, or Bolivia
Chess was introduced to Argentina by the Spanish during the colonial era. In their histories of the 1817 El cruce de los Andes (San Martín's crossing of the Andes at the head of his army to liberate Chile is one of the most remarkable moments in all of Argentine history), the Generals Gerónimo Espejo and Bartolomé Mitre both agree that José de San Martín (1778-1850, El Padre de la Patria) was a regular chess player.
Campaña del Desierto (Argentina's expansion towards the South), Neuquén (1883)
The game has gradually become part of everyday life in the country. It's played on outings, in the homes of prominent families, and later in clubs and cafes, the epicenters of its popularity.
Aficionados Argentinos. Crew in a 1908 telegraph match (in Jose Perez Mendoza, Chess in Argentina)
It was 20th-century writers who fully captured this boom. It first appeared in fiction, with Roberto Payró (1867-1928) in theater (Sobre las ruinas…) and with Leopoldo Lugones (1874-1938) in poetry (El Solterón) and short stories (Abuela Julieta).
Ezequiel Martínez Estrada (1895-1964) recreates his passion in sharp philosophical and literary reflections: Philosophy of Chess, a unique text of its kind in the world, and The Head of Goliath are beautiful expressions of his fascination with the goddess Caissa.
"Indiferencia, tal vez; la vida, un filosofema, o cuando más un problema de ajedrez."
"Indifference, perhaps; life, a philosopheme, or at most a chess problem."—Ezequiel Martinez Estrada, Motivos del Cielo, 1924
Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986), whose father introduced him to the field of logical analysis by explaining Zeno's paradoxes on the chessboard, conceived his own cosmogony based on the game, in resonance with its labyrinths and mirrors; poems, stories, essays, and lectures reflect this profuse conceptual elaboration.
“Ajedrez misterioso la poesía, cuyo tablero y cuyas piezas cambian / como en un sueño y sobre el cual me inclinaré después de haber muerto.”
“Mysterious chess, poetry, whose board and whose pieces transform / as in a dream and over which I will bow after I have died.”—Jorge Luis Borges, El otro, el mismo, 1964
Dios mueve al jugador, y éste, la pieza
¿Qué Dios detrás de Dios la trama empieza
de polvo y tiempo y sueño y agonías?"
God moves the player and the player moves the piece / What God behind God began the weaving / of dust and time and dream and the throes of death?—Borges, poem Ajedrez in El Hacedor (Dreamtigers), 1960
cartoon by Jovan Prokopljevic of Serbia
Operation Massacre (considered by scholars as the first historical non-fiction novel, preceding Truman Capote's In Cold Blood), and the detective stories Diez Cuentos Policiales of Rodolfo Walsh (1927-1977) are loaded with connotations of the checkered space.
For Julio Cortázar (1914-1984), chess is an epitome of the essential playful dimension of life, and Ernesto Sabato (1911-2011) states that "mankind did not invent chess, but rather discovered it."
How can any piece on Argentine go without tango?
Lilian Costamagna’s book, Tango Ajedrez y otros cuentos (2017), is a collection of short stories inspired by the author's observations of dance (not only tango) and her reflections on love’s complexities in its various forms—enamored love, heartbreak, long-distance relationships, solitude. Chess serves as a metaphor for love, strategy, and human connection. The game is a symbolic framework, likening the strategic moves in relationships to those on a chessboard.
Instructional and Tournament Classics
Roberto Grau (1900-1944), a chess master and six-time national champion, Argentina’s strongest player in the 1920s. He is often referred to as the "Father of Argentine Chess." As a player, organizer, and author, he transformed chess in Argentina, elevating it to a level of excellence and popularity. His contributions to the game, including organizing the 1939 Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires, cemented his legacy. Grau's Tratado General de Ajedrez instruction book is a landmark of Argentine chess culture, a cherished and influential work used extensively in schools and clubs across Argentina and throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
This four-volume series, first published in 1940, is considered a classic in chess literature due to its comprehensive coverage, clear explanations, and didactic approach. The work spans from beginner fundamentals (Rudimentos) to advanced strategy (Estrategia Superior), making it accessible and beneficial for players of all levels.
Miguel Najdorf’s only book, Zurich 1953: 15 Contenders for the World Chess Championship, is considered a classic in chess literature but is relatively little known compared to David Bronstein’s book (the third participant's Schach Elite im Kampf in German by Euwe is almost forgotten). Several factors contribute to the lesser recognition of 15 Aspirantes. The book was originally published in Spanish in 1954, and its first English translation only appeared in 2012. Even though Najdorf’s annotations are noted for being more convivial, conversational, and instructive, Bronstein’s book had already established itself as the definitive account of the tournament offering broader strategic insights of chess wisdom.
Historic Chess Events
At the beginning of the 20th century, chess began to be organized in Argentina. The desire to spread the game led some executives to promote and finance, through public and private support, the arrival in the country of players of the caliber of world champion Emanuel Lasker (1910), the future champion and paradigm of chess genius José Raúl Capablanca (1911 and 1914), the great Czech player Richard Reti (1924), and the future champion Alexander Alekhine (1926).
Here is a short review of a few important chess episodes in Argentina to recall...
23-year-old Capablanca during his 1911 visit to Argentina
Reti during his visit to Argentina and Uruguay f. New York 1924 (Oliver Solga, Richard Réti, šachový génius, Slovakia 2019)
Alekhine giving a simul at the Jockey Club against 30 players
The 1927 Capablanca-Alekhine match poster
This is crazy, Najdorf playing AGAINST Argentina?!?
Polish team at 1939 Ol opening ceremony: Tartakower, Mieczysław Najdorf, Regedzinski
Argentina-USSR match between the two top nations in 1954
Fischer and Petrosian before the 5th game of the 1971 Candidate Finals
"We'll always be personal enemies." Much more than just 1980 Korchnoi-Polugaevsky match
Chess Heroes of Argentina
As already mentioned, the golden age of chess in Argentina bloomed in the early 1950s.
Argentine chess has a valuable history to show the world: three World Olympic runner-up finishes (Dubrovnik 1950, Helsinki 1952, and Amsterdam 1954); three U-20 World Champions (Oscar Panno in 1953, Carlos Bielicki 1958, and Pablo Zarnicki 1992); two players who were once in the world top ten (Miguel Najdorf and Oscar Panno).
Dubrovnik 1950: Exciting last round, Argentina vs. France. ARG was highly motivated to catch YUG, however they ended with a total score of 43.5, which was two points behind the winning home team of Yugoslavia
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Helsinki 1952: illars of Argentinian chess, Héctor Rossetto, Herman Pilnik, Juan Carlos Laurens (president of Chess Fed), Erich Eliskases, Miguel Najdorf and Julio Bolbochán
Amsterdam 1954: Miguel Najdorf vs Max Euwe (betting on whose book on Zurich 1953 is better, I guess
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Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf (1910, Poland – 1997, Málaga, Spain) is widely regarded as Argentina’s greatest chess player and one of the most influential figures in chess history. A charismatic Grandmaster, brilliant tactician, and ambassador for the game, Najdorf left an indelible mark through his contributions to chess theory, his competitive achievements, and his larger-than-life personality.
Najdorf’s life changed dramatically due to World War II. In 1939, he was part of the Polish team at the Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires when Germany invaded Poland. Unable to return home due to the war and the Holocaust, which tragically claimed most of his family, Najdorf remained in Argentina.
He adopted the country as his new home, becoming a citizen, getting married, and embracing its culture. Najdorf's charisma and passion for chess made him a beloved figure in Argentina’s chess community.
Najdorf with spouse at the closing banquet of Amsterdam 1950
Check out Don Miguel's playing style from the games posted by one of the best bloggers on the site, the former chess champion of Puerto Rico, Kamalakanta Nieves @kamalakanta.
"This is Najdorf's very famous win against the future World Champion, and it was a cause of perpetual hatred on Botvinnik's part. The point is that before the game, Najdorf approached Salo Flohr (Botvinnik's second), and offered to bet 500 guilders that he would win!"
"Leafing through Najdorf: Life and Games book, I am amazed at how strong Najdorf was! The game was played in the First Piatigorsky Cup in Los Angeles, USA, in 1963. Keres had just shared 2nd and 3rd places in the Curacao Candidates Tournament in 1962, so he was at the top of his strength. The way that Najdorf dominated this game is almost embarrassing, for a player of Keres' caliber!"
Here's a blog post of mine featuring another betting episode of Miguel el Grande, Kotov's Golden Rook (also in Serbian, Stalin, Kotov and Najdorf against Gligoric and Yugoslavia).
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Najdorf set world records for blindfold simultaneous exhibitions, playing 45 games blindfold in São Paulo in 1947 (+39 =4 -2). El Viejo was able to memorize the position of 1,440 pieces scattered among 2,880 squares on 45 boards, and made 1,166 moves necessary to defeat the last opponent.
Oscar Panno
Oscar Roberto Panno (b. 1935) is one of Argentina’s most celebrated players, widely regarded as a legend in the country’s chess history, second only to Miguel Najdorf in prominence. The first South-American born grandmaster, a key figure in Argentina’s golden era of chess, Panno made significant contributions to the game as a player, coach, and mentor. He worked as a civil engineer alongside his chess career, balancing professional and chess commitments. Panno remained a respected figure in the Argentine chess community, known for his humility and dedication to the game.
The 1954 Mar del Plata Zonal. Panno, who had just won the World Junior Championship in 1953 at age 18, was a rising star but still considered an underdog against Najdorf, a seasoned and prominent figure in chess. Najdorf was eager to show "who is the owner of the house." Yet, Oscar Panno, a young prodigy, shocked the chess world by defeating the experienced Miguel Najdorf and winning the tournament.
Panno’s most famous tournament performance came at the 1955 Gothenburg Interzonal in Sweden, where he sensationally finished clean third, behind David Bronstein and Paul Keres, but ahead of future world champions Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky, as well as Najdorf, Geller, Szabo, Filip, Unzicker, Stalberg...
His best game at the 1955 Gothenburg is likely his win against Boris Spassky due to its historical and competitive significance.
It highlighted his ability to compete with the world’s elite and contributed to his standout performance in the tournament.
The Panno-Spassky game commentary from Geteborg Interzonal 1955 tournament book by Bondarevsky
Argentine Chess Arts: Sculpture, Painting, Cartoon
Chess and arts have crossed paths for centuries. Artists seek to embrace chess and draw on its metaphorical power. Here are some Argentine artists who have seen chess as a source of inspiration for their ideas.
.Raúl Soldi's painting "Portrait of Chess Players," Vito Campanella's chess series, and Xul Solar's mystical "Pan-Chess" are memorable; we must also include Berni's portrait of the player Roberto Grau in this series,
Xul Solar (Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari, 1887-1963) is one of the most outstanding representatives of the early avant-garde movements in Latin America. A friend of Jorge Luis Borges, he illustrated several of his books. With a vast culture, his motivations led him to study astrology, Kabbalah, the Yin and Yang, philosophy, the religions and beliefs of the Ancient East, India, the pre-Columbian world, theosophy, among many other branches of knowledge. He created Panajedrez (Panjuego, Panchess), a mind-blowing chess variant with an astrological foundation that fascinated Borges and dazzled Bobby Fischer.
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León Ferrari (1920-2013), Ideas para Infiernos (Ideas for Hell). Ferrari's art has caused enormous controversy, polemic, and admiration, while some of his artistic displays have been banned. One of the recurring themes throughout his work has been the fear of eternal punishment cultivated by Christianity, warning that the very idea of hell is itself a torture. In this piece, he summons Christ and his Saints and the devil to make an uneven game
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Edgardo Antonio Vigo (1928 – 1997), Ajedrez proletario. Vigo was an artist known for his mail art, visual poetry, conceptual and performance art, and xylography. Interested in mass media and alternative channels of communication, Vigo nevertheless maintained an intimate human touch, producing handmade works that he bluntly called cosas, or “things,” to challenge the hierarchies of aesthetic tradition.
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Gloria Ingeborg Ringer (b. 1937), visual artist, sculptor, and ceramist. Caballo from her chess pieces series
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Lautaro Fiszman (b. 1975), Partida de ajedrez. A painter, illustrator and comic book artist. Attracted to the themes of domination and war, he has painted a series of paintings dedicated entirely to chess (see that dead man on the balcony?)
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Jorge Diaz Arduino (1913-1979). Arduino is the author of the series Las Calaveras, which includes the work La partida (Chess game)
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Vito Campanella (1932 - 2014), Maternidad Ludica (Playful motherhood). An Italo-Argentinian artist born near Bari, on the Adriatic Coast of Southern Italy, just across from my old country of Montenegro. Before moving to Argentina, he met Giorgio De Chirico and Salvador Dali, which was a crucial experience for Campanella
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Vladimir Merchensky was born in Venezuela in 1978, with Russian and Arab ancestors. His cultural amalgam allows him to produce a rich, distinctive and singular work of art.
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Luchando contra los molinos de viento (Figthing against windmills)
Saúl Nagelberg (b.1953), Los peones van al cielo (The pawns go to Heaven — and the rest? to Hell, of course). Nagelberg began his artistic career only in 2006. For him, "painting is poetry in images."
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Liliana Golubinsky (b.1954). Armando las piexas. Each of her canvases "depicts a complex and tangled universe that demands attention and tests the eye. Figures overlap, contextual information is often scarce, and backgrounds do not always recede. However, all this does not hinder contemplation; on the contrary, it stimulates it. Each work is a kind of adventure that the artist invites us to discover unhurriedly, with serenity."
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Mario Ferrari (b. 1944), En El Museo. Ferrari is a painter, designer and illustrator now living in Spain
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Caras y Caretas was an Argentine satirical and cultural magazine, published from 1898 to 1941. It was known for its sharp political cartoons, humor, and social commentary, targeting the elite and addressing national and international issues.
This cartoon, dated April 12, 1939, illustrates the geopolitical tensions over the Free City of Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk, Poland) in the lead-up to World War II. The chessboard symbolizes the strategic struggle, with pieces caricaturing major powers: black pieces likely represent Nazi Germany and its allies, while white pieces, represent the Allies. The large hand looming over the board suggests an ominous force, possibly symbolizing Germany's aggressive ambitions or the looming threat of war.
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Santıago Cornejo, an Argentine humorist and cartoonist better known as Corne. "Humor is aiming to make you laugh (and think)"
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Guillermo Mordillo (1932-2019). Mordillo is one of the greatest cartoonists of graphic humor and animation of Argentina, with an extraordinary trajectory recognized all over the world. Creator of his own language and owner of a unique technical perfection. His sympathetic black-and-white men contrasted in so much color, with those creatures being hilariously rounding his unmistakable self-inflicted signature.
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To wrap it up, here's another Leon Ferrari, Laberinto III from 1980. It visually intertwines a maze with chess elements, reflecting a conceptual connection to the game. This setup symbolizes the strategic complexity of chess, where players navigate a "maze" of tactical and strategic decisions, much like solving a literal labyrinth. Ferrari, an artist known for critiquing systems of power, likely uses chess as a metaphor for structured conflict or societal games, with the maze amplifying the sense of entrapment or challenge within those systems.
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The idea for the post came from my teammate in the Team USA Southeast, Guillermo @DeepDiver23, an Argentine guy who is playing our top boards.
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Further chess potpourri of country to entertain by:
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