Three ended in controversial circumstances: At his strongest in the mid-seventies to mid-eighties, Hübner participated in many of the elite tournaments of the day, and was invited at Montreal 1979 (The Tournament of Stars), playing alongside Anatoly Karpov, Mikhail Tal, and Jan Timman.

He remained active on the international circuit into the 2000s but was never a full-time chess professional due to his academic career.

contributions are detailed analysis and study of the chess games of world champions – notably Bobby Fischer and Alexander Alekhine.

[8] When anti-doping tests were introduced into international chess, Hübner declared his withdrawal from the German national team.

[10] On 5 January 2025, Hübner died due to complications from stomach cancer, which he had been diagnosed with two years prior.