Career
In 1934 Czerniak emigrated from Poland to Palestine (then the British Mandate). In April 1939, he played in the First Lasker Chess Club Championship in Tel Aviv. Czerniak played for his adopted country at first reserve board in the 6th Chess Olympiad at Warsaw 1935 (+6 =2 −5), and at first board in the 8th Olympiad at Buenos Aires 1939 (+4 =2 −10).
In September 1939, when World World War II broke out, Czerniak, along with many other participants in the 8th Chess Olympiad, decided to stay in Argentina.
Immediately after the 8th Olympiad, in October 1939, he tied for 3rd–4th with Gideon Ståhlberg, behind Miguel Najdorf and Paul Keres in the Buenos Aires 1939 chess tournament (Circulo). In 1940, he tied for 7–9th in Argentine championships (Torneo Mayor).
In 1941, he took 2nd, behind Paulino Frydman in Buenos Aires, and tied for 6th–8th in the March del Plata 1941 chess tournament. In 1943, he took 2nd, behind Najdorf, in Rosario, and took 3rd in Buenos Aires.
In 1949, he took 4th in March del Plata, and tied for 3rd–4th in Argentine championships (Torneo Mayor).
In 1950, he tied for 9th–11th in March del Plata. In 1950 Czerniak settled in Israel. In 1958, he took 2nd, behind January Hein Donner, at Beverwijk.
In 1961, he tied for 1st–3rd with Milan Matulović and Petar Trifunović at Netanya.
In 1962, he tied for 1st–2nd with Hiong Liong Tan at Amsterdam (2nd International Business Machines Corporation Tournament). In 1963, he tied for 2nd–3rd with Donner, behind Lajos Portisch, at Amsterdam (3rd International Business Machines Corporation).
In 1963, he took 2nd, behind Nikola Padevsky, at Polanica Zdrój (Rubinstein Memorial). In 1964, he tied for 4th–9th at Polanica Zdrój.
In 1966, he tied for 7th–8th at Tel Aviv.
In 1968, he tied for 2nd–3rd with Daniel Yanofsky, behind Robert Fischer, at Netanya. Czerniak played for Israel in nine Chess Olympiads: 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968, and 1974. Czerniak was awarded the International Master title in 1952.
He wrote many chess books in three languages.
In 1956 he founded the first Israeli chess magazine, 64 Squares. Foreign more than thirty years he was the chess editor of the Israeli daily Haaretz.
The yearly chess festival in Tel Aviv is named after him. Ernst Rojahn (NOR) versus
Moshe Czerniak, 8th Olympiad at Buenos Aires 1939, Uncommon King"s Pawn Opening, B00, 1/2-1/2
Moshe Czerniak versus
Daniel Yanofsky, Tel Aviv 1966, Caro-Kann Defense, Breyer Variation, B10, 1-0
Moshe Czerniak versus João Maria Cordovil (POR), 21st Olympiad at Nice 1974, Sicilian Defense, B29, 1-0 White"s 9th move, giving away a Rook and a check, resembles a problem and is extremely strong, as the game proved.