Kurt Richter

Kurt Paul Otto Joseph Richter (24 November 1900, Berlin – 29 December 1969, Berlin) was a German International Master and writer.  In 1922, Richter for the first time, won the Berlin City Chess Championship. In 1928, he tied for 1st-2nd in Berlin. In 1928, he won in Wiesbaden. In 1930, he tied for 4-5th in Swinemunde. In 1930, he tied for 3rd-5th in Prague. In 1931, he lost a match to Gosta Stoltz (0.5 : 1.5) in Berlin. In 1931, he took 2nd, behind Ludwig Rellstab, in Berlin.

Nazi authorities and the local Munich Nazi leaders spared no effort to make the Munich 1936 Olympiad a resounding success for the "New Germany." Part of preparation was to have a new chess set designed in order to replace the Staunton sets invented in England and adopted by a still fledgling FIDE.

The result was the following design was used:

A few hundred of these sets were made and used throughout the Munich event.  These sets seem to have had a long life after the war in German clubs.

Richter played for Germany at two official and one unofficial Chess Olympiads: at fourth board (+6 –3 =3) at Hamburg 1930, fourth board (+7 –1 =7) at Prague 1931, first board (+8 –2 =8) at Munich 1936. He won two team bronze medals (1930, 1936) and one individual bronze medal (1931).

In 1932, he won in Hamburg. In 1932, he tied for 1st-2nd in Kiel. In 1932, he took 3rd in Berlin. In 1932, he took 4th in Swinemünde. In 1932/33, he tied for 1st-2nd in Berlin. In 1933, he took 2nd, behind E.D. Bogoljubow, in Bad Aachen. In 1933, he tied for 5-6th in Swinemünde. In 1933, he tied for 4-5th in Bad Salzbrunn. In 1934, he took 2nd, behind Gideon Ståhlberg, in Bad Niendorf.  In 1935, he tied for 1st-2nd in Berlin. In 1935, he took 2nd in Swinemünde. In July 1935, he won in Bad Aachen (3rd GER-ch). In September 1935, he played in Zoppot (GER vs SWE match). In 1936, he won in the Berlin championship. In 1936, he took 2nd in Swinemünde. In 1936, he tied for 8-9 the in Poděbrady (Salo Flohr won). In 1937, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Berlin. In 1937, he took 4th in Bad Elster. In 1937, he tied for 1st-2nd in Bad Saarow. In July 1937, he took 2nd, behind Georg Kieninger, in Bad Oeynhausen (4th GER-ch). In 1937, he took 3rd in Berlin (Friedrich Sämisch won). In 1938, he took 9th in Bad Harzburg (Vasja Pirc won). In 1938, he won in the Berlin championship. In 1938, he tied for 4-5th in Berlin. In July 1938, he tied for 5-7th in Bad Oeynhausen (5th GER-ch). The event was won by Erich Eliskases. In May 1939, he took 2nd, behind Bogoljubow, in Stuttgart (1st Europa-Turnier).

During World War II, Richter played in several strong tournaments. In June 1940, he won in Berlin (BSG), and took 2nd, behind Bogoljubow, in Berlin. In August 1940, he tied for 3rd-4th in Bad Oeynhausen (7th GER-ch). In November 1940, he took 3rd in Cracow/Krynica /Warsaw (the 1st GG-ch). In 1941, he tied for 3rd-4th in Berlin. In August 1941, he took 3rd, behind Paul Schmidt and Klaus Junge, in Bad Oeynhausen (8th GER-ch). In September 1941, he tied for 5-6th in Munich (2nd Europa-Turnier). The event was won by Stoltz. In September 1942, he tied for 3rd-5th in Munich (1st European Championship, Europameisterschaft). The event was won by Alexander Alekhine.

After the war, he participated in the Berlin championships. He tied for 1st-2nd (1948), tied for 3rd-4th (1949), tied for 2nd-3rd (1950), took 2nd (1951), took 3rd (1952).

Awarded the IM title in 1950. He was co-editor of Deutsche Schachblätter and Deutsche Schachzeitung. Author of several chess books.