Thomas Luther

Grand Master (1994 )

Thomas Luther (* November 4, 1969 in Erfurt ) is a German grandmaster in chess.

Childhood and youth

At age 4, Luther learned the game of chess. Even as a child he was much occupied with classical chess literature and brought so much even with. In 1978 he became a member of the HSG Medicine Erfurt. 1980, 1981 and 1984, he won the East German championship in his age group. Furthermore, it was established in 1986 GDR Champion in correspondence chess at the 12th GDR youth championship. From 1985, Luther played with microelectronics Erfurt in the league of the GDR.

Chess career

1988 awarded him the World Chess Federation FIDE the title of International Master. After further successes, including runner-up in the GDR in Zittau in 1989, 2nd in Altensteig 1991 victory in Andorra in 1992, steering and Hamburg in 1993, and after winning the German championship in 1993 (after a 2-0 victory in the playoff against Thomas Pähtz ) 1994 he became Grand Master.

World and National Championships

In 1997 he took part in the World Championship in Groningen. In this co- tournament he won with 3.5 to 2.5 in the first round against Portisch, but different in the 2nd round with 0.5-1.5 against Akopian from. In 2001 he reached at the World Championships in Moscow to a 3-1 victory in the first round against Sergei Volkov again round 2 Since he retired after a 0.5-1.5 defeat against Ilia Smirin from. In 2002 he won in Saarbrücken for the second time the German championship before Alexander Graf and Florian Handke. His third German championship title he won in 2006 in Osterburg, after scoring against the tied Vitaly Kunin and Artur Yusupov.

National team of Germany

Thomas Luther represented the German Chess Federation as a member of the German national team at several international competitions. 1998 ( in Elista, 6th place ), 2000 ( in Istanbul, 2nd place ), 2002 ( in Bled, 14th place ) and 2006 ( in Turin, 15.Platz ), he participated in the Chess Olympiad. Outstanding thereby winning the silver medal in 2000 in Istanbul.

IPCA

At the Chess Olympiad 2010 he played on top board for the International Physically Disabled Chess Association and scored 6.5 points over 10 games. In 2001 he was with the German national team fourth at the World Championships in Yerevan. In 2003 he played in the European Team Championship in Plovdiv ( 11th place ).

Tournament successes

Thomas Luther was victorious in numerous international tournaments, such as Lippstadt (1994 ), Hastings (1994 ), Bissen / Luxembourg (1995), Apolda (1994 and 1999), Turin (1996 ), St.Ingbert (1996 ), Asti ( 1997), Cienfuegos / Cuba ( 1997), Bad Arolsen (1998), Nova Gorica / Slovenia ( 2000), Boeblingen (2005 ), Upper Wart ( 2005), Bad Homburg ( 2008), Nuremberg ( 2009). In October 2011, he won the inaugural Dresden World Chess Games for Disabled with 7 points from 7 games.

Shared the first place (that is, in points, but poorer fine score) among others at tournaments he Aachen (1990 ), Lippstadt (1996 ), Koszalin / Poland ( 1996), Erfurt (1997), Cali / Colombia (2000 ), Boeblingen (2000 ) Bad Arolsen (2004), Arco (2004), Schwarzach (2005), Augsburg ( 2009).

Clubs

From 1990 played Luther in the German Chess Bundesliga, first for Sindelfingen, from 1993 Empor Berlin and from 2001 with SK Erfurt. From 2006 he was reported for the SC Kreuzberg. He currently plays for SV Empor Erfurt in the Oberliga Ost. He went in the Austrian League 1998-2001 for Mercury Graz, with whom he won the state championship four times. From 2004 he played for SK Innsbruck / Absam, in the season 2007/2008 for Styria Graz. In 2001 he also played in the French League for TPG Besançon. In the Romanian League, he plays for the CS Contor Group Arad, with the 2005 he was runner-up.

Game

Thomas Luther maintains a tactically oriented style, which makes him even for the strongest players to a formidable opponent. The following game, in which he attacked Robert Hübner directly out of the opening is, but typical. It was played in the semifinals of the German Cup in 2002 and it was crucial for his later title. The comments are even based on personal communications from Thomas Luther.

Black offers a pawn sacrifice. Through guided in Gambit style opening, the game is rapidly gaining focus.

Even after 4 d5xc6 Sb8xc6 creates a Gambit variant with good play for Black.

Either way, Black wants to sacrifice in any case a farmer.

The adoption of the second pawn sacrifice would not risk white. After 6 e6xf7 Ke8xf7 also the tower h8 intervenes into the action.

Furthermore, Black relies on aggressive approach.

The second black knight turns in the attack. The Black's opening strategy was a success.

Black ushers in a combination with material gain. The inconspicuous Springer h2 will lay the white position almost single-handedly in ruins.

A nice attempt with a knight sacrifice to bother the black king, but Black has a remarkable riposte:

Well threatens Dc5 , which would force Qc6 with Springer loss because black is otherwise checkmated.

This queen sacrifice prepares an effective use against the Springers. Black wins decisive material.

Were even worse fits to the discovered check, but other king moves: on Ke2-e1/e3 follows Sd4 -c2 Ladies profit.

The wage of black combination game: the smoke has cleared and black has 2 more farmers.

This farmer breakthrough decides the game. The rest of the sake of completeness:

Personal

Luther, who has a congenital disability ( dysmelia ) to the poor, received as a child of some leaders in the GDR, the assessment, he possessed no athletic perspective. He reported to have recovered from the experience of being able to be as good as others, lots of energy.

Thomas Luther is the author of ChessBase. He has published several educational DVDs. In particular, he is considered one of the leading experts in the field of French defense, on which he wrote several works.

In 2009 he completed his studies at the University of Hagen from the title of this MBA.

Since the FIDE Congress 2010 Thomas Luther FIDE Supervisor for the disabled sport of chess.