Julio Kaplan - Biography

Julio Argentino Kaplan Pera (born 25 July 1950, Argentina) a Puerto Rican chess player and former world junior champion.

Born in Argentina, he emigrated in 1963 to Puerto Rico, where he was raised and studied, and then later in his life to the United States, where he works for Autodesk. Earlier in his career, In the 1980s he programmed dedicated chess computers for SciSys and Saitek. In the early 90s he collaborated on the chess program Socrates.

In 1967, he was the Puerto Rico National Chess Champion. In addition, in 1967, he also won the World Junior Chess Championship in Jerusalem, followed by the well-known Raymond Keene, Jan Timman, Robert Hübner, etc. This victory earned Julio Kaplan the International Master title.

In 1968, he tied for 6-9th in Malaga. In 1969, he took 4th in Stockholm (World Junior Championship, Anatoly Karpov won). In 1969, he tied for 8-9th in San Juan (Boris Spassky won). In 1970, he won the 6th El Segundo Open, won the 6th Monterey International Open, and won the 2nd Central California Championship, held in Hayward. In 1971, he won the 22nd Annual California Open, held in Fresno. In 1973, he took 8th in São Paulo (Ostojic won). In 1973, he tied for 12-14th in Madrid (Karpov won). In 1974, he tied for 2nd-3rd with Florin Gheorghiu, behind Svetozar Gligorić, in Los Angeles.

Kaplan played for the Puerto Rico National Chess Team in four Chess Olympiads.

• In 1966, at second reserve board in 17th Olympiad in Havana (+6 –4 =4)
• In 1968, at first board in 18th Chess Olympiad in Lugano (+1 –1 =4)
• In 1970, at first board in 19th Chess Olympiad in Siegen (+5 –1 =7)
• In 1972, at first board in 20th Chess Olympiad in Skopje (+7 –1 =9).

He played for the Puerto Rico National Chess Team (1966, 1971) and for the USA (1976) in the World Student Team Chess Championships.

• In 1966, at third board in 13th WSTCC in Örebro (+7 –1 =3)
• In 1971, at first board in 18th WSTCC in Mayagüez (+4 –2 =6)
• In 1976, at first board in 21st WSTCC in Caracas (+3 –0 =5).

He won the individual gold medal at Örebro 1966, and the team silver medal at Caracas 1976.

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans

External links

• Statistics at ChessWorld.net
• Interview (Spanish)