Henri Gerard Marie Weenink

Henri Gerard Marie Weenink was born in Amsterdam in 17.10.1892.

Chess player, chess composer and writer

He learned chess at the age of six, and his headmaster H.J. den Hertog probably had some influence on his play.

He studied mathematics and physics and became bachelor of science in 1914.

On mobilization he served as reserve lieutenant in the infantry during World War I until 1917, when he resumed his studies at the University of Amsterdam, and worked as a mathematician.

Later he became a professional chess player. According to Lodewijk Prins, his ashen face was full of carbuncles.

After his sudden death in 1931, his chess activities were described with great sympathy by Euwe, Niemeijer, Rueb and Van Trotsenburg in a memorial book.

During his highschool years, he became active as a problem solver and started his great composing career. In the FIDE Album he has 14 points.

His famous book "Het schaakprobleem, ideeen en scholen" was published in 1921.

An enlarged version in English "The chess problem", was published later.

His last important act was founding the "Nederlandsche Bond van Probleemvrienden", an organization of Dutch problem friends that still flourishes.

After World war I, Weenink became a strong player, who participated successfully in international events.

He had a sharp, combinative style. Although Euwe was clearly the strongest player, Weenink was one of the few Dutch players, who defeated him more than once.

Weenink was also a chess educator. His generosity led to chess lessons in prisons. Weenink was active as a chess author.

He was problem editor of "Op de hoogte" and "Tijdschrift", chess editor of the "Oprechte Haarlemsche Courant" and editor of the French chess journal "L´Echiquier".

About his chess studies:

His endgame studies make an articstic and sublte impression. They might seem simple, but they are far from simplistic. His work has been an inspiration for many composers, and it was reworked several times by others.

(Info taken: Endgame study composing in the Netherlands and Flanders by Jan van Reek and Henk van Donk).

On Germain Wikipedia is written:

Life
Weenink had to interrupt his mathematics studies in 1914 because he was called up for military service in the First World War. He died of tuberculosis.

Chess
Weenink learned chess at the age of six.

When he was 15 years old, one of his compositions was published for the first time in the Tijdschrift. After the First World War he became a clerk for a chess column in Op te Hoogte and in the Oprechte Haarlemsche Courant. In 1928 he also became a clerk for chess composition in the Tijdschrift. He was one of the few chess professionals in the Netherlands at the time and took part in the Chess Olympiads in 1927, 1928, 1930 and 1931.

Weenink's book about David Przepiórka was published posthumously in 1932, containing 130 tasks by the Polish master colleague.

factories
There is a problem, ideas and ideas. 1921
Eindspelen I-LIV. Margraten 1992 (collection of articles)
David Przepiorka. A Master of Strategy. Amsterdam 1932
literature
Dr. M. Euwe, Dr. M. Niemeijer, Dr. A. Rueb & B. J. van Trotsenburg: H. G. M. Weenink. 1932
Weenink, Hendrik Gerard Marie. In: Harrie Grondijs (ed.): No Rook Unturned. 2nd edition 2004. ISBN 90-74827-52-7. pp. 107–108
Individual evidence
  Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov and others: Chess - encyclopedic dictionary. Sovietskaya enzyklopedija, Moscow 1990, ISBN 5-85270-005-3, p. 153 (Russian)
  Biography on chessgames.com. Retrieved September 5, 2009
  Jan van Reek; Henk van Donk: History of Endgame Study Composing in the Netherlands and Flanders, Margraten, 1992, p. 25, ISBN 90-72939-12-3
  Henri Weenink's Chess Olympiad results on olimpbase.org (English)
Web links
Compositions by Henri Weenink on the PDB server