Borislav Kostić

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Borislav Kostić (aka Boris or Bora Kostic) (February 24, 1887 – November 3, 1963) was a professional chess player from Vršac (Hungarian: Versecz; German: Werschetz), then in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Serbia).

He learned the game around the age of ten and made rapid progress while studying Oriental Trade in Budapest. He also spent time in Vienna, the chess capital of the day and this enabled him to get the high level practice necessary to take his game to the next level. In 1910 he moved to Cologne and from there, travelled and toured extensively, mainly in the Americas, playing matches against local champions and exhibiting his legendary skills as a player of simultaneous blindfold chess. At New York in 1916, he once played twenty opponents without sight of a board and scored +19 =1, while engaging in polite conversation with opponents and spectators.

Kostic played more formal matches against Marshall, Showalter and Leonhardt and won them all. At Havana in 1919 however, this impressive winning streak came to an abrupt end with a 5-0 loss to Capablanca. He also played tournaments while in the United States, including New York 1916, Chicago 1918 and New York 1918, where he finished second behind Capablanca.

On the European circuit, he won at Stockholm in 1913, finished second at Hastings 1919 and won at Hastings 1921/1922. At Trencianske Teplice in 1928, he won ahead of Szabo and Tartakower. At Bled in 1931, he finished in tenth place, but nevertheless outscored such luminaries as Maroczy, Colle and Pirc - the tournament was, at the time, regarded as one of the strongest in history. At Belgrade in 1935, he shared the title of Yugoslav champion with Pirc and went on to become sole champion in 1938. He was a clear winner at Ljubljana the same year.

From 1923–1926, Kostic travelled all over the world, including Australasia, the Far East, Africa, India and Siberia, demonstrating his exceptional skills, generating interest in chess and forging new links with people across the globe. He was undoubtedly a brilliant publicist and ambassador for the game, although this probably prevented him from realising his full potential as a player.

In the late 1920s, he made a return trip to the Americas and also commenced his series of four Olympiad appearances, representing Yugoslavia from 1927–1937.

During the war, he spent time in a concentration camp and afterwards, played chess in a more minor capacity. His final appearance was at the Zurich veterans tournament of 1962, which he won.

Boris Kostic had his grandmaster status ratified in 1950 and he died in Belgrade in 1963, aged 76.