Henri Grob


Henri Grob was a Swiss chess player, artist and painter. He pioneered eccentric chess openings, such as 1.g4, sometimes known as Grob's Attack. He was awarded the title of International Master in 1950 at its inauguration.
Grob was considered as a leading Swiss player from the 1930s to 1950s and was invited to many prestigious closed tournaments. In 1926, he tied for 10-12th in Meran. In 1932, he tied for 9-12th in Bern. In 1934, he tied for 13-14th in Zürich 1934. In 1935, he took 3rd, behind Flohr and Koltanowski, in Barcelona, took 3rd in Rosas, and took 10th in Bad Nauheim. In 1936, he took 10th in Dresden, tied for 3rd-4th in Reus, and took 2nd, behind Erik Lundin, in Ostend.
In 1937, Grob won as first on tie-break, 1st-3rd with Reuben Fine and Paul Keres in Ostend.
In 1939, he took 9th in Stuttgart. In 1947, he tied for 2nd-3rd, behind Savielly Tartakower in Baarn, and took 5th in Venice. In 1947/48 he tied for 2nd-4th, behind László Szabó, in Hastings. In 1948, he took 8th in Venice. In 1949/50 he took 4th in Lucerne. In 1951, he took 10th in Bad Pyrmont.
Grob represented Switzerland in Chess Olympiads.
He also played for Switzerland in some friendly matches.
Grob played several matches.

He was Swiss champion twice, in 1939 and 1951.
Between 1946 and 1972, Grob played 3,614 correspondence chess games. He won 2,703, lost 430, and drew 481 games. All of the games were played against readers of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, a leading Swiss newspaper.
Grob married nine times. When once asked if he were married he replied "Fast immer".

Notable games

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