Career
He was awarded the International Master title in 1957 and the International Grandmaster title in 1978. Among his notable games is the one at the 16th Chess Olympiad, held in Varna in 1962, where he defeated Bobby Fischer. He played for Romania in eleven Chess Olympiads from 1956 to 1982.
He was a participant of four zonal FIDE tournaments (1954–1982).
In 1972, he tied for 5–7th in Vrnjačka Banja. In 1956, he took 3rd, behind Yuri Averbakh and Ratmir Kholmov, in Dresden.
In 1962, he tied for 1st–2nd in Sofia. In 1966, he took 2nd in Zinnowitz.
In 1966/67, he tied for 1st–2nd with Dragoljub Čirić in Reggio Emilia.
In 1968/69, he tied for 1st–4th in Reggio Emilia. In 1974, he tied for 1st with László Szabó in Dortmund. In 1981, he tied for 2nd–4th in Barcelona.
Ciocâltea died at the chess table, while playing a chess game at a Spanish tournament in September 1983.
Starting in 1984, the RATB Sports Association organizes the annual, the strongest chess competition in Romania. Victor Ciocaltea vs Robert James Fischer, Varna 1962, 15th Olympiad, Sicilian, Fianchetto, B50, 1-0
Victor Ciocâltea vs László Szabó, Hamburg 1965, European Union-ch T, Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer Defense, C94, 1-0
Victor Ciocaltea vs Nona Gaprindashvili, Beverwijk 1969, Modern Defense, Standard Defense, B06, 1-0
Miguel Quinteros vs Victor Ciocaltea, Málaga 1971, King"s Indian, Fianchetto, E62, 0-1.