Selection of studies composed by

Abram Solomovich Gurvich

(Russia, 12.2.1897 - 18.11.1962).

 

Abram Gurvich was a theatrical and literature reviewer.

He composed studies and became an International Judge in 1956.

More biographical details can be found here on Russian Wikipedia.

He published an anthology of his chess studies in 1961.

Strong chess player and extraordinary composer born in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, who settled in Moscow, where he worked as a literary and theatrical critic and was a member of the Soviet writers' guild.
From 1926 he composed about 80 Studies, of which a little more than half was awarded and distinguished in contests, and his favorite subjects, besides the mate and the drowned, were the minor promotion and the positional tables.
Gurvich addressed the subject of the art of chess composition within his literary specialization, and as coauthor of the excellent anthology "Sovetski shajmatni etiud" (Moscow, 1955) gave an extensive critical essay: "Poetry of chess", in which Outline the fundamental aspects of the Static of the Study.
Years later, when preparing his own collection of endings (that with the title "Etiudi" was published in Moscow in 1961, shortly before his death), Gurvich resorted to that same article. Conveniently updated and illustrated with 69 studies of the greatest composers, I occupy the second and most extensive part of the work; While in the first part only 68 of the 188 pages of the book were intended for the presentation of 70 of his studies commented. Subsequently, in the German edition "Meisterwerke der Endspielkuns" (Berlin, 1964), this article was also published, which contributed to its greater diffusion and to the understanding of the public.
Gurvich is one of the finest and most imaginative composers of the History of the Study. It represents a modern tendency in the composition that, although enriched by novel thematic ideas, is very far from the sensationalism that the same reproaches to him to the "romantic school"
Of his time; And his works, even the most spectacular maneuvers such as the combined game of horses, are always inspired by the principle of "unity" and "static purity" emanating from his captivating ideas.

SOURCE: "The Art of the Study of Chess" - T.IV (Former Soviet Union)
Author: Zoilo R. Caputto- Bs.As. (Argentina) - 1996.

EG index gives the following interesting references to articles in EG with or by him:

Gurvich, A.S. article by A.Pallier - 126 (184); discussion of book "Chess poetry" - 61 (4) photograph - 127 (184)

Pallier, A. A.S.Gurvich (30ii1897 - 18xi1962) 126 (184)

Gurvich, A.S. and Speckmann, W. Meisterwerke der Endspielkunst, 2nd ed (1983) 317 (77).

Study selection by Mario Garcia.

(All his studies, more exact dates, possible corrections or cooks and exact details about sources can be found in the

Harold van der Heijden database V (31-12-2015) )