see chessnote no. 4905 <Ilmar Raud and Argentinian chess>. It includes two pictures

"RAUD, THE YOUNG ESTONIAN MASTER, STARVES TO DEATH

At third board of the Estonian team was Ilmar Raud. Estonian champion in 1934, performances for his native country had been little inferior to those of his distinguished friends Keres and Schmidt. English chess followers had met him in Margate, the Easter before, where he took fourth place in an exceptionally strong Reserves tournament.

During the Buenos Aires tournament, the war broke out...Raud remained behind with many others...Of these masters, Najdorf, Eliskases and Stahlberg are experts of the topmost calibre, who could be relied on to make their way in any community with a pretension to civilisation. Najdorf's success has been scintillating; as one of the greatest lightning players of all time, he has been able, through whirlwind simultaneous displays, to make money - and spend it - like water.

But what of those not quite top-notchers? The history of chess is studded with miserable stories of near-success, and now Ilmar Raud, in dying, has given us another. His play had always shown flashes of brilliance but that solidity essential for a consistent record was not there. It is said that his mother begged him to return home and that one of his brothers was killed when the Soviets annexed Estonia.

The long-awaited tournament at Mar del Plata gave the many European masters their chance. Stahlberg's triumph was Raud's failure: he could only finish fourteenth out of eighteen players, with four of the five Argentine players above him. That meant that whilst Stahlberg would be offered many and many an engagement and be welcomed as tutor in many a rich home, Raud would be unwanted. There is not even a bare subsistence in Argentine cafe chess. Soon after, came Raud's last tournament, an event staged by the Circolo Argentino. His principal competitors were Frydman, who finished first, and Grau and Luckis who tied for second place. Raud led the tournament for several rounds, but then began to slip back. He refused to participate in the supper offered by the officials of the organising body. In the final score-table he finished fourth.

Conditions in South America's chess world are extraordinary. Grau has achieved a position of extraordinary power and influence and is virtually dictator of Argentine chess; it is authentically stated that his chess organising activities have netted him at least 5,000 pounds in two years. Yet tournament after tournament goes through in the most haphazard and unsatisfactory fashion. Dates and venues are altered at random; even at Mar Del Plata, the masters' accommodation was very unsatisfactory and the bonus per point, originally announced as ten pesos, turned our finally to be eight only. Sometimes no prize-money is paid until weeks after the tournament is over.

Through the Circolo Argentino's tournament (which Grau organised) finished in April, the prize distribution did not take place until June 29th (a personal telephone call by Luckis to Palau, Grau's right-hand man achieved this!).

Frydman, Paulin 11.5;
Grau, Roberto 9;
Luckis, Markas 9;
Raud, Ilmar 8;
Sulik, Franciszek 7;
Czerniak, Moshe 7;
Winz, Victor 7;
Guimard, Carlos 6.5;
Gerschman, José 5.5;
Palau, Luis 5;
Benkö, Francisco 5;
Puiggrós, Guillermo 5;
Ojeda, Joaquin 3;
de Ronde, A. 2.5;

<" It was played at the Círculo in June/July 1940, and won by Frydman 11½/13, followed by Grau and Luckis 9; Raud 8, Winz, Czerniak and Sulik 7; Guimard 6½, etc. In "Ajedrez Americano" No. 63, p. 197, and no. 64, page. 130, a chronicle, commented games and the final table of positions are transcribed. <Nothing is mentioned about Raud's absence at the closing dinner.> In Caissa no. 27, page 222, a magazine that represented the <“anti-Grau”> sector mainly in the person of Adolf Seitz, there is only a very brief note, and in no. 29, page. 271, a broader chronicle with the table of positions. ">

NOTA BENE:

NOTA BENE:

The Game could not have been played in Mar del Plata 1941. That was another Game I Raud vs M Luckis, 1941

 * Indeed, as we saw already in edochess, the Buenos Aires Hebraica (SHA) 1941 Tournament resulted in:

1 Frydman, Paulin  12.5 ;

2 Ståhlberg, Gideon   12 ;

3 Pilnik, Herman    11.5 ;

4 Feigins, Movsa   11 ;

5 Sulik, Franciszek 9 ;

6 Czerniak, Moshe  9 ;

 7 Iliesco, Juan  8 ;

8 Bolbochán, Jácobo   7.5 ;

9 Winz, Victor;

10 Marini, Luis  6 ; 

11 ***** <Raud, Ilmar> ***** 5.5 ;

12 Puiggrós, Guillermo   4.5 ;

13 Rauch, Meir   5 ;

14 Gerschman, José  4.5 ;

15 Kleinsteins, Zalamans   3 ;

16 Benkö, Francisco  3.

**  NOTES :  (1) Two weeks before Ilmar Raud death!;