Hort was born on 12 January 1944 in Kladno, in what was then Czechoslovakia. He learned to play chess at the age of five in a hospital, where a caring doctor played with him. His great talent soon became apparent. At the age of just 16, Hort was selected for the Czechoslovak national team for the first time for the 1960 Chess Olympiad.
At the Junior World Championships (U20) in The Hague in 1961 | Photo:. H. Lindboom, W. van Rossem / ANEFO, via http://nationaalarchief.nl.)
In 1965 FIDE awarded him the title of Grandmaster. Hort soon became one of the best players in the world and was selected for the world team in the legendary USSR vs. Rest of the World match in 1970. At the height of his career, Hort was ranked sixth in the world in 1977, alongside Mikhail Tal and Lev Polugaevsky. Hort was a candidate for the World Championship. In 1977, he was unlucky to lose to Boris Spassky after losing on time in a winning position in a crucial game. Hort had previously given Spassky, who was ill, a time-out because he did not want to win the competition because of his opponent's illness. In 1979 Hort, like many other players, left Czechoslovakia after the country's leadership was put 'back on track' following the Prague Spring and the invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies.
Vlastimil Hort in a caricature. Drawing: Ottokar Masek
Hort found a new home in the Federal Republic of Germany. With his charming manner and humour, he quickly made many friends, but never lost touch with his old homeland. After the political change in 1990, he was able to meet his old friends in person.
Hort achieved countless successes in chess. He won the Czechoslovak Chess Championship six times and claimed the German Championship title three times. Between 1960 and 1992, Hort participated in 14 Chess Olympiads—eleven times representing Czechoslovakia and three times representing Germany. At the 1972 Chess Olympiad in Skopje, he won the individual silver medal on his board. He also secured a team silver medal with the Czechoslovak team at the 1982 Olympiad in Lucerne. Over the course of his career, Hort won more than 80 tournaments.
Hort spent many years playing team matches in the Bundesliga for SG Porz and made his home in Cologne. This also placed him close to the WDR broadcasting station, where he became a regular commentator—alongside Helmut Pfleger—for the chess program Schach der Großmeister. Hort’s subtle humor, filled with aphorisms and amusing anecdotes, earned the show a loyal following not just among chess enthusiasts, but beyond. In his books as well, Hort shared not only his exceptional games but also a wealth of entertaining stories and personal experiences from the chess world. Later, he moved to Eitorf, where he lived with his wife Brigitte.
Brigitte and Vlastimil Hort
In recent years, Hort increasingly suffered from progressing diabetes. Eventually, he could no longer walk and had to give up playing chess, giving simultaneous exhibitions, and traveling—all of which had always brought him great joy.
In January 2025, Hort had to say goodbye to his close friend Robert Hübner. The two had played together in many tournaments and team competitions, and Hübner was a frequent guest at the Horts’ home in Eitorf, where he greatly appreciated the conversations with Brigitte and Vlastimil—as well as Brigitte’s cooking.
Hort was an extremely friendly and spontaneous person who loved chess immensely. He enjoyed showing games on camera and telling stories at ChessBase in Hamburg. Sometimes he would take the train from Eitorf to Hamburg, make recordings and return home on the same day.
Vlastimil Hort in Hamburg | Photo: André Schulz
He often called spontaneously, curious to know what was happening in the chess world. Sometimes, despite trying for a long time, he couldn’t solve a chess puzzle—a pastime he greatly enjoyed. "Pleez, can you put zis into ze masheen real quick? Eez only five pieces…"
In recent weeks, Vlastimil lost more and more strength and confidence. On 12 May 2025, he closed his eyes forever.
We will all miss him very much...
| Advertising |
