Roberto Grau


Roberto Gabriel Grau was an Argentinian chess master.
Grau played in many Argentinian championships. In 1921/22, he tied for 3rd–4th. In 1922, he tied for 2nd–3rd. In 1923/24, he tied for 2nd–4th. In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Richard Réti.
In 1926, he won in Buenos Aires and won a match for the title against Reca. He was also Argentinian Champion in 1927 and 1928. He won a match against Isaias Pleci in 1929, lost matches to Pleci in 1930, and Carlos Guimard in 1937. Grau won again Argentinian championships in 1934 and a match against Luis Piazzini in 1935, in 1935 and a match against Jacobo Bolbochán in 1936, in 1938 and a match against Guimard in 1939.
In tournaments, he won in 1921/22 at Montevideo. In 1923, he won in Buenos Aires. In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Max Euwe, in Paris. In 1925, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Reca, behind Luis Palau, in Montevideo. In 1928, he won in Mar del Plata. In 1929, he won in Rosario. In 1930, he tied for 2nd-3rd in Buenos Aires. In 1930, he took 5th in Buenos Aires. In 1930, he took 15th in San Remo.
In 1934, he took 2nd, behind Aaron Schwartzman, in Mar del Plata. In 1934/35, he took 5th in Buenos Aires. In 1938, he tied for 5-6th in Montevideo, an event won by Alekhine. In 1939, he took 4th, behind Fenoglio, Guimard and Julio Bolbochán, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1939, he took 7th in Buenos Aires.
Grau played for Argentina in Chess Olympiads.
He was one of the original signatories in the formation of FIDE at Paris 1924.
He also wrote a four volume series on chess titled "Tratado General de Ajedrez", first published in 1940.
The opening line 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 3. Qb3 e5 is called the Grau gambit.