Milan Vidmar was a notable Slovene electrical engineer and chess player who gained worldwide acclaim for both his professional achievements and chess-playing abilities. Born on June 22, 1885, in Ljubljana, Austria-Hungary (now Slovenia), he was known as a Grandmaster and significant chess author, serving as the arbiter of several important chess events.
Vidmar’s early chess career spanned from 1907, where he played his first match against Rudolf Spielmann in Vienna, until the end of World War II, with a career-best performance at the Carlsbad tournament in 1911. He held the prestigious title of International Grandmaster and made a significant contribution to the chess world through his analytical and authored works including ‘Goldene Schachzeiten’ and ‘Grosse Schachspieler: unser Jahrhundert’.
Alongside his impressive chess career, Vidmar was also a highly respected engineer, specializing in the field of electrical engineering. He completed his academic qualifications in this field at the University of Vienna and was the director of the Institute for Electrical Plants and Networks at the University of Ljubljana. He made noteworthy contributions to the theory of transformers and was bestowed with many honourable titles for his works in the professional engineering sector.
Vidmar’s influence extended to his role in Yugoslav chess institutions, as the president of the Yugoslav Chess Federation for many years. Despite his prominent chess career, he never wanted to be a professional chess player, remaining an amateur throughout his life. Even so, he was one of the top few players in the world from 1910 to 1930.
Towards the end of his life, Vidmar involved himself in cultural and political roles in his homeland, Slovenia. He was a member of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts and also served as the President of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. He passed away on October 9, 1962, leaving behind a significant legacy in chess and scientific field. His contributions to the game of chess continued to be recognized long after his death.