Robert Hübner

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GM Robert Hübner

Doctor Robert Hübner (born November 6, 1948 in Cologne, West Germany) is a respected German chess Grandmaster and papyrologist (recognised as an expert in Egyptian hieroglyphics). He is currently ranked as 65th in the world in the July 2005 FIDE rating list with a rating of 2636.

Over the chess board Hübner's technique is recognised as being efficient and ruthless. However his rise to the top of the chess world was hampered by his withdrawals and the strangest tiebreak loss in Candidates matches. He withdrew from his 1971 Candidates Match against Tigran Petrosian over a dispute about intolerable conditions. He withdrew from a 1980 Candidates Match against Viktor Korchnoi. Finally his 1983 Candidates Quarter Final match against Vasily Smyslov was awarded on tie break to Smyslov by the spin of a roulette wheel.

Hübner was at his strongest in the late seventies and early 1980s, participating in many recognised strong tournaments like Tilburg in 1978, and Montreal 1979 (The Tournament of Stars), playing alongside Anatoly Karpov, Mikhail Tal and Jan Timman. He still competes on the international chess circuit today.

Hübner's contributions to chess literature include the study of World Champions and extensive analysis of 19th century chess brilliancies. His recent contributions are detailed analysis and study of the chess games of World Champions - notably Bobby Fischer and Alexander Alekhine.

Hübner served as a second to Nigel Short in his efforts to win the World Chess Championship match against Garry Kasparov in 1993. In 2000 he won with the German team a silver medal in the chess olympics in Istanbul.

He is the eponym of the Hübner Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defence.

Additionally, Hübner is known as one of the world's best xiangqi players not from China.