Rudolph Pokorny

Who is Rudolph Pokorny?

Rudolph Pokorny was an Austro–Mexican chess master.

Born in Tischnowitz, he moved to America. He was a manager of the hair-dressing parlors of Rudolph Pokorny & Co.

The July 1909 Chess Weekly reported: "Before sailing for Havana on board the steamship Mérida yesterday, José R. Capablanca, the Cuban chess champion, announced the receipt by him of a challenge from Rudolf Pokorny, the new chess champion of Mexico, who is desirous of playing him a match of 15 games in New York next October." The same item, reproduced from the Brooklyn Eagle, reported Capablanca's reaction: "Within six weeks, I will be back to get in shape for my matches with Pokorny and Rubinstein."

The November 1909 American Chess Bulletin reported: "The failure of Mr Pokorny of Mexico, in consequence of an accident sustained by him, to appear in this country for the proposed match with Capablanca, has been a source of general disappointment. In some quarters the Mexican expert, for it seems the title of "Champion" has been applied to him erroneously. Through Mr Louis Uedemann of Chicago we learn that the Austro-Mexican had been a resident of that city some years ago and was well known to chessplayers there."