Echesspedia

The Sachovy Svaz Ceske Republiky became affiliated to FIDE in 1993 after the breakout of Czechoslovakia.

Since the beginning of the XX century, Czechoslovakia or (Czech Republic before WWI) was one of the leading chess country in Europe. Some of the best tournaments of that time attracted the best players of the world: Carlsbad  (1907-1911-1923), Prague (1908-1937-1943-1946), Pistyan 1922, Teplitz-Schonau 1922, Mährisch-Ostrau 1923, Podebrady 1936, Trenčianské Teplice 1949 and Márianské Lazne (1956-1959-1965).

Czechoslovakia was one of the 15 founders of FIDE in 1924 and won at Paris the first team tournament involving national teams. The 1931 Olympiad was organized in Prague, the national team was awarded the bronze medal. In 1933 the national team finished second behind the USA, its best ever achievement. Until the 90’s Czechoslovakia has always finished in the top ten.

In 2011 the Czech Republic was ranked 21^st among the countries (2581) with 25 IGMs, 69 IMs and a total of 249 titled players.

The known players are: Richard Reti, Oldrich Duras, Salo Flohr, Ludek Pachman, Vlastimil Hort, Lubomir Ftacnik, Lubomir Kavalek and David Navara.

The national champions are:

1905 Duras, 1907 Treybal, 1909 Duras, 1911 Duras (as Raz), 1913 Hromadka, 1919 Schubert, 1921 Hromadka, Prokes, Treybal, 1923 Walter, 1925 Reti, 1927 Opocensky, 1929 Opocensky, 1931 Zobel, 1933 Flohr, 1936 Flohr, 1938 Opocensky,  1940 Foltys, 1943 Zita, 1944 Opocensky, 1946 Pachman, 1948 Richter, 1950 Fichtl & Filip, 1952 Filip, 1953 Pachman, 1954 Filip, 1955 Sefc, 1956 Alster, 1957 Pachman, 1959 Pachman, 1960 Fichtl, 1961 Pachman, 1962 Kavalek, 1963 Pachman, 1964 Jansa, 1965 Augustin, 1966 Pachman, 1967 Kozma, 1968 Kavalek, 1969 Hort, 1970 Hort, 1971 Hort, 1972 Hort, 1973 Smejkal, 1974 Jansa, 1975 Hort, 1976 Prandstetter, 1977 Hort, 1978 Prandstetter, 1979 Smejkal, 1980 Ambroz, 1981, Ftacnik, 1982 Ftacnik, 1983 Ftacnik, 1984 Hort, 1985 Ftacnik

Czechoslovakia International Championship

1985 Ubilava (USSR) CZE: 1.Ftacnik, 1986 Smejkal, 1987 Naumkin (USSR) CZE 1.Meduna, 1988 P. Blatny, 1989 Chernin (USSR) CZE 1.Ftacnik, 1990 P. Blatny, 1991 Gazik, 1992 Rasik.

Czech Republic Championship

1993 Babula, 1994 Hracek, 1995 Mokry, 1996 Haba, 1997 P. Blatny, 1998 Movsesian, 1999 Vokac, 2000 P. Blatny, 2001 Meduna, 2002 Haba & Navara, 2003 Stocek,2004 Navara, 2005 Navara, 2006 Laznicka, 2007 Polak, 2008 Babula, 2009 Simacek, 2010 Navara, 2011 Stocek.

Navara and Laznicka leading the national team in 2009