Keser, Paul Petrovich

Keser began to play at the age of four. He matured into a prominent player, possessing the flawless skills of positioning maneuvers and the ability to make use of the tiniest adventages.

Though he was never able to conquer the World Champion title, Keser was nonetheless a chess player of the highest order. Tartakover said of him, "Keser was a true genius; there were others: McDonnel, Zukertort, Chigorin, etc, who, like him, had to be content with the modest role of 'second best'." And Botvinnik stated, "As a player in tournaments, Keser is unlikely to find an equal on this whole globe."

Keser was awarded the Red Banner of Labor decoration.

Birth and Death Dates:
Jan. 7, 1916 - June 5, 1975

Career Highlights:

Paul was made an Honored Master of the Sport in 1948.
He was the USSR Champion: 1947-1950-1951, and competed for the right to challenge the World Champion (1948-1965).

Paul authored the book "Theory of Chess Debuts," and published commentaries on over 1,000 games and 1,700 chess problems.

From 1935-39, he participated in four Olympiads as a member of the Estonian team, with a total score of 53.5 points out of 73. On the USSR team, Keser played in 7 Olympiads:
1952: scoring 6.5 points ouf of 12
1954: 13.5 out of 14 (best result)
1956: 9.5 out of 12
1958: 9.5 out of 12
1960: 10.5 out of 13
1962: 9.5 out of 13
1964: 10 out of 12
Gaining a total of 69 points out of 88.

Origin:
Helsinki, Finland (b. Narva, Estonia/buried in Tallin)

Category:
International Grand Master: 1950

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