Biography of Vlastimil Hort

Vlastimil Hort (born 12 January 1944 in Kladno; died 12 May 2025 in Eitorf) was a Czechoslovak-German chess grandmaster. In the 1960s and 1970s he was among the leading international players, and later became known in German-speaking countries as a commentator and storyteller of chess.

Early years and rise

Hort learned chess as a child and played for the Czechoslovak national team at the age of sixteen. He received the grandmaster title in 1965. His career took him through Interzonal tournaments, national championships and many team competitions in which he represented Czechoslovakia and later Germany.

Elite chess and the Candidates cycle

In 1970 Hort played for the World team in the USSR versus Rest of the World match and won his board duel against Lev Polugaevsky. In 1976 he qualified through the Manila Interzonal for the Candidates matches for the world championship. In the quarterfinal he faced Boris Spassky and lost narrowly after a close match.

A time-out for Spassky

The Candidates match against Spassky is also remembered for a gesture by Hort. When Spassky was ill and had no regular time-out left, Hort gave him one of his own pauses. Alongside this moment stand his tournament results, his Olympiad games and his later work as a communicator of chess.

Germany and Schach der Großmeister

In 1985 Hort emigrated to West Germany. He later won German championships as well and remained active as a player, columnist, author and commentator. Together with Helmut Pfleger he shaped the television program Schach der Großmeister, which explained grandmaster games to a broader audience.

Death and memory

Hort played in 14 Chess Olympiads for Czechoslovakia and Germany. He connected tournament practice with teaching, humor and a close relationship with chess enthusiasts. Vlastimil Hort died in Eitorf on 12 May 2025. He was 81 years old.