Savielly Tartakower

Savielly Tartakower, also Ksawery (Xavier) Tartakower (born February 22, 1887 in Rostov-on-Don, died February 4, 1956 in Paris) was a leading Polish and French chess player in the first half of the 20th century.

Tartakower was a colorful character. He liked to play aggressively, risky and full of ideas. He did not win the highest chess prizes, although in the late 1920s he could have fought for the world championship. However, he treated chess more as an art and intellectual entertainment than a competitive field. He was a sociable and well-liked man, also for his sense of humour and sharp wit. He was the author of many chess aphorisms, originally called "tartakowerisms".