Roberto Grau

This article is about the Argentine chess master. For the retired rugby union player, seeRoberto Diego Grau.

Roberto Gabriel Grau
Born	18 March 1900 Argentina,Buenos Aires
Died	12 April 1944, age 44 Argentina,Buenos Aires
Occupation	chess player
Awards	Argentine Chess Championship

Roberto Gabriel Grau(18 March 1900 – 12 April 1944) was an Argentinechessmaster. He was born and died inBuenos Aires.In the late 1920s he was Argentina's strongest chess-player.

Chess career

Grau played in manyArgentine championships.In 1921/22, he tied for 3rd–4th (ARG-ch 1 Mayor;Damian Recawon). In 1922, he tied for 2nd–3rd (ARG-ch 2;Benito Villegaswon). In 1923/24, he tied for 2nd–4th (ARG-ch 3; Reca won). In 1924, he took 2nd, behindRichard Réti(ARG-ch 4).

In 1926, he won in Buenos Aires (ARG-ch 5) and won a match for the title against Reca (6–2). He was also Argentine Champion in 1927 and 1928. He won a match againstIsaías Pleci(4–0) in 1929, lost matches to Pleci (3–5) in 1930, andCarlos Guimard(2–6) in 1937. Grau won again Argentine championships in 1934 and a match againstLuis Piazzini(7.5–5.5) in 1935 (ARG-ch 13), in 1935 and a match againstJacobo Bolbochán(5–3) in 1936 (ARG-ch 14), in 1938 and a match against Guimard (7.5–5.5) in 1939 (ARG-ch 17).

In tournaments, he won in 1921/22 at Montevideo (1stTorneo Sudamericano).In 1923, he won in Buenos Aires. In 1924, he took 2nd, behindMax Euwe,in Paris. In 1925, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Reca, behind Luis Palau, in Montevideo. In 1928, he won inMar del Plata(1st it). In 1929, he won in Rosario. In 1930, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Buenos Aires (Virgilio Fenogliowon). In 1930, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Bolbochán won). In 1930, he took 15th in San Remo (Alexander Alekhinewon).

In 1934, he took 2nd, behindAaron Schwartzman,in Mar del Plata. In 1934/35, he took 5th in Buenos Aires (Piazzini won). In 1938, he tied for 5-6th in Montevideo (Carrasco), an event won by Alekhine. In 1939, he took 4th, behind Fenoglio, Guimard andJulio Bolbochán,in Rio de Janeiro. In 1939, he took 7th in Buenos Aires (Miguel NajdorfandPaul Kereswon).

Grau played for Argentina inChess Olympiads.

• In 1924, at first board in1st unofficial Chess Olympiadin Paris (W6 L3 D4);
• In 1927, at first board in1st Chess Olympiadin London (W2 L3 D10);
• In 1928, at first reserve board in2nd Chess Olympiadin The Hague (W6 L3 D7);
• In 1935, at first board in6th Chess Olympiadin Warsaw (W6 L9 D4);
• In 1937, at third board in7th Chess Olympiadin Stockholm (W8 L2 D5);
• In 1939, at first board in8th Chess Olympiadin Buenos Aires (W1 L5 D4).

He was one of the original signatories in the formation of FIDE at Paris 1924 (1st unofficial Chess Olympiad).

He also wrote a four volume series on chess titled "Tratado General de Ajedrez" (General Treatise on Chess), first published in 1940.

The opening line 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 3. Qb3 e5 is called the Grau gambit.