Karel Treybal
Encyclopedia
Karel Treybal was a prominent Czech
chess
player of the early twentieth century.
Treybal was born in Kotopeky
, a village to the southwest of Prague
in central Bohemia
. He trained as a lawyer and became chairman of the district court in Velvary
, a small town on the opposite side of Prague. Though he played chess as an amateur, his level of play was such that he was among the world's top 50 players for much of his life. He was a younger brother of František Treybal
who was also a prominent Czech chess player.
In 1905, he tied for third/fourth in the first Czech Championships in Prague (Oldřich Duras
won). In 1907, he tied for second/fourth in Brno (second CZE-ch; František Treybal won). In 1908, he won in Prague (B tournament). In 1909, he took second, behind Duras, in Prague (third Cze-ch). In 1921, he tied for first/third with Karel Hromádka
and Ladislav Prokeš
in Brno (seventh CZE-ch).
He played for Czechoslovakia in three Chess Olympiads.
He won team silver medal at Folkestone 1933.
Treybal's greatest international success was sixth place alongside Aron Nimzowitsch
in the 1923 Karlovy Vary
(Karlsbad) tournament. His performance featured a win against subsequent World Champion
Alexander Alekhine
.
Treybal died during the Nazi
occupation of Czechoslovakia
. On May 30, 1941, he was arrested, imprisoned and later charged with concealing weapons for use by resistance forces and the illegal possession of a pistol. It is not known whether these charges had any foundation. He was condemned to death and executed on October 2. Following his execution, his body was not handed over to his family and whereabouts of his grave or remains are unknown.
In 1945, a tribute to Treybal appearing in the Czech chess magazine Šach stated that Treybal had been executed without trial and had "never occupied himself with politics". Prokeš, following Treybal's death, published a monograph
on him in 1946.
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player of the early twentieth century.
Treybal was born in Kotopeky
Kotopeky
Kotopeky is a village in Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 270 inhabitants.Hamlet Tihava is administrative part of Kotopeky.-External links:*...
, a village to the southwest of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in central Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He trained as a lawyer and became chairman of the district court in Velvary
Velvary
Velvary is a small town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague and has a population of 2,936...
, a small town on the opposite side of Prague. Though he played chess as an amateur, his level of play was such that he was among the world's top 50 players for much of his life. He was a younger brother of František Treybal
František Treybal
František Treybal was a Czech chess master.In 1907 he won the 2nd Czech Chess Championship in Brno. In 1907 he also won in Berlin, and tied for 5-6th in Prague . In 1908, he took 20th in Prague . In 1909, he took 4th in Prague...
who was also a prominent Czech chess player.
In 1905, he tied for third/fourth in the first Czech Championships in Prague (Oldřich Duras
Oldrich Duras
Oldřich Duras was a leading Czech chess master of the early 20th century...
won). In 1907, he tied for second/fourth in Brno (second CZE-ch; František Treybal won). In 1908, he won in Prague (B tournament). In 1909, he took second, behind Duras, in Prague (third Cze-ch). In 1921, he tied for first/third with Karel Hromádka
Karel Hromádka
Karel Hromádka was a Czech chess player, two-time Czech champion, 1913 and 1921 ....
and Ladislav Prokeš
Ladislav Prokeš
Ladislav Prokeš was one of the most prolific composers of endgame studies in chess. He was born and died in Prague....
in Brno (seventh CZE-ch).
He played for Czechoslovakia in three Chess Olympiads.
- In 1930, at second board in 3rd Chess Olympiad3rd Chess OlympiadThe 3rd Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 13 and July 27, 1930, in Hamburg, Germany...
in Hamburg (+3 –4 =6); - In 1933, at second board in 5th Chess Olympiad5th Chess OlympiadThe 5th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between July 12 and July 23, 1933, in Folkestone, United Kingdom...
in Folkestone (+4 –3 =5); - In 1935, at fourth board in 6th Chess Olympiad6th Chess OlympiadThe 6th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between August 16 and August 31, 1935, in Warsaw, Poland...
in Warsaw (+5 –1 =9).
He won team silver medal at Folkestone 1933.
Treybal's greatest international success was sixth place alongside Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Nimzowitsch was a Russian-born Danish unofficial chess grandmaster and a very influential chess writer...
in the 1923 Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
(Karlsbad) tournament. His performance featured a win against subsequent World Champion
World Chess Championship
The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
.
Treybal died during the Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupation of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. On May 30, 1941, he was arrested, imprisoned and later charged with concealing weapons for use by resistance forces and the illegal possession of a pistol. It is not known whether these charges had any foundation. He was condemned to death and executed on October 2. Following his execution, his body was not handed over to his family and whereabouts of his grave or remains are unknown.
In 1945, a tribute to Treybal appearing in the Czech chess magazine Šach stated that Treybal had been executed without trial and had "never occupied himself with politics". Prokeš, following Treybal's death, published a monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on him in 1946.
External links
- Karel Treybal's games as listed at Chessgames.com.