Salo Flohr – "The Little Capablanca"

Salo Flohr (1908–1983) was one of the titans of the pre-war chess world. A Czech hero who later became a Soviet citizen, he was famous for his "invincible" style of play.

He had incredible technique. If he gained a small advantage, the game was effectively over. He was often compared to Jose Raul Capablanca for his endgame precision and speed of play.

He was the official challenger to Alekhine in 1938. However, the German invasion of Czechoslovakia and the outbreak of WWII forced the cancellation of the match. By the time the war ended, his best years were behind him.

It is a sharp variation of the English Opening (1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4) that Flohr developed to avoid the draws of the Queen's Gambit.

FIDE officially nominated Flohr to play Alekhine for the World Title. He is widely considered the strongest player never to play a Championship match due to politics/war.

His nickname reflected his flawless endgame technique and his ability to play rapidly without making tactical errors.

He won the prestigious Hastings Christmas Congress five times (1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1935), a record of dominance in England.

He led Czechoslovakia to incredible success in the 1930s Olympiads, winning two individual gold medals on Board 1.

He played a 12-game match against the Soviet champion Mikhail Botvinnik. It ended 6-6, proving Flohr was equal to the Soviet best.

He was the world's leading expert on the Caro-Kann Defense, proving it was a fortress that even Alekhine struggled to break.

He won the strong Margate tournament ahead of former World Champion Capablanca.

Another major tournament victory, sharing first place with Reshevsky and Petrovs, cementing his challenger status.

As a Jewish player in Czechoslovakia, he was forced to flee the Nazi invasion, eventually finding refuge in the Soviet Union.

He became a Soviet citizen in 1942 and remained a respected figure in the USSR chess scene for the rest of his life.

In his later years, his style became overly cautious. He was famous for agreeing to short draws to avoid risk, prioritizing safety over ambition.

After his peak competitive years, he became a brilliant chess journalist, covering World Championship matches for Soviet newspapers.

He contributed heavily to theory, including a solid line in the Grunfeld Defense involving strict central control.

His writings and analysis influenced the "safety-first" style of Tigran Petrosian and Anatoly Karpov.

Like many masters of his time, he was adept at blindfold displays, often playing 20+ opponents simultaneously without sight of the board.

He served as the Chief Arbiter for many top events later in life, respected for his deep knowledge of the rules and player psychology.

He scored victories against the aging Emanuel Lasker, symbolizing the changing of the guard in the 1930s.

He was famous for giving simultaneous exhibitions across Europe, often scoring +50 wins in a single night.

Distracted by the invasion of his homeland, he finished last in the AVRO tournament, marking the end of his dominance.

Today, coaches use Flohr's games to teach students how to convert a winning endgame without giving the opponent any counterplay.