1974 in chess
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FIDE top 10 by Elo rating - January 1974- Bobby FischerBobby FischerRobert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
2780 - Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
2660 - Mikhail TalMikhail TalMikhail Tal was a Soviet–Latvian chess player, a Grandmaster, and the eighth World Chess Champion.Widely regarded as a creative genius, and the best attacking player of all time, he played a daring, combinatorial style. His play was known above all for improvisation and unpredictability....
2660 - Boris SpasskyBoris SpasskyBoris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
2655 - Viktor KorchnoiViktor KorchnoiViktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit...
2650 - Lajos PortischLajos PortischLajos Portisch is a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, whose positional style earned him the nickname, the "Hungarian Botvinnik"...
2650 - Tigran PetrosianTigran PetrosianTigran Vartanovich Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian grandmaster, and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else...
2640 - Mikhail BotvinnikMikhail BotvinnikMikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...
2630 - Lev PolugaevskyLev PolugaevskyLev Abramovich Polugaevsky was an International Grandmaster of chess and frequent contender for the world chess championship, although he never achieved that title...
2625 - Bent LarsenBent LarsenJørgen Bent Larsen was a Danish chess Grandmaster and author. Larsen was known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play and he was the first western player to pose a serious challenge to the Soviet Union's dominance of chess...
2620
Chess news in brief
- The meteoric rise of Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
continues to hold the attention of the chess world, as he chalks up win after win in the latest world championshipWorld Chess ChampionshipThe World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....
qualifying cycle. His Moscow based, Candidates' quarter-final match against Lev PolugaevskyLev PolugaevskyLev Abramovich Polugaevsky was an International Grandmaster of chess and frequent contender for the world chess championship, although he never achieved that title...
, is a one-sided affair and Karpov emerges the victor by 5½-2½. In the other candidates' quarter-final matches, Viktor KorchnoiViktor KorchnoiViktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit...
beats Henrique MeckingHenrique MeckingHenrique Mecking was a leading Brazilian chess Grandmaster in the 1970s. He was a very strong player at an early age , drawing comparisons to Bobby Fischer, although he did not achieve the International Grandmaster title until 1971...
in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, GeorgiaAugusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, Tigran PetrosianTigran PetrosianTigran Vartanovich Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian grandmaster, and World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence, which emphasised safety above all else...
beats Lajos PortischLajos PortischLajos Portisch is a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, whose positional style earned him the nickname, the "Hungarian Botvinnik"...
in Palma de MallorcaPalma de MallorcaPalma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, and Boris SpasskyBoris SpasskyBoris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
beats Robert Byrne in San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. In the semi-finals, Korchnoi defeats Petrosian by 3½-1½ in OdessaOdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, while Karpov is again utterly convincing, winning 7-4 against Spassky in LeningradLeningradLeningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
. The battle between Karpov and Korchnoi in the (Moscow) final proves to be a tense and difficult struggle, although the younger man ultimately triumphs 12½-11½, amidst a large number of draws. As the winning candidate, Karpov is scheduled to meet Bobby FischerBobby FischerRobert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
for a world championship decider in 1975 and for his efforts in 1974, is awarded his second successive Chess Oscar. Meanwhile, Fischer puts forward a plan to FIDE for the conditions of the title match. Running to 179 numbered paragraphs, each of his conditions are acceptable to all parties, except for two. The rejected conditions concern the match being of unlimited length (first to win 10 games, regardless of draws) and that the title stays with the holder in the event of the score reaching 9-9. Fischer insists he will not back down on these stipulations and threatens to resign his title if they are not accepted. He has until April 1975 to finally decide. - Evgeny Vasiukov excels at ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, winning the tournament with 10½/14, ahead of Tigran Petrosian (9½/14) and Bent LarsenBent LarsenJørgen Bent Larsen was a Danish chess Grandmaster and author. Larsen was known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play and he was the first western player to pose a serious challenge to the Soviet Union's dominance of chess...
(9/14). - Montilla-MorilesMontilla-MorilesMontilla-Moriles is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located in the southern part of the province of Córdoba...
is won by Ivan RadulovIvan RadulovIvan Radulov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster.As a chess player, he was most prominent during the 1970s, winning the Bulgarian Championship in 1971, 1974, 1977 and 1980. He just missed out at the 1976 event, finishing 2nd...
with 5½/9. In joint second place are Lubomir Kavalek and Helmut PflegerHelmut PflegerHelmut Pfleger is a German chess Grandmaster and author. He was one of the most promising chess players in the sixties and seventies. By profession, he is a doctor of medicine.- Chess career :...
(both 5/9). Oddly, the winner is the lowest rated of the ten contestants and while there is a large percentage of draws, many of the games are exciting and worthy of such a strong competition. - The 14th IBM tournament is held at AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and is a close run affair, with three grandmasters all sharing first place. Borislav IvkovBorislav IvkovBorislav Ivkov is a Serbian chess Grandmaster. He was the first ever World Junior Champion in 1951. He won the Yugoslav Championship in 1958 , 1963 and 1972. He was a World championship candidate in 1965, and played in four more Interzonal tournaments, in 1967, 1970, 1973, and 1979...
, Vladimir TukmakovVladimir TukmakovVladimir Borisovich Tukmakov is a Jewish-Ukrainian chess grandmaster. He gained the Grandmaster title in 1972.His career first blossomed when he helped and then led the USSR to consecutive wins of the World Student Team Championship from 1966 to 1972, bagging nine gold medals along the way.In the...
and Vlastimil JansaVlastimil JansaVlastimil Jansa is a Chess Grandmaster from the Czech Republic .He learned chess while in hospital at the age of eight and at fourteen, became the youth champion of Prague. In 1959, he finished second in the Czechoslovak national junior championship...
score an identical 10/15. As with the Manila and Montilla tournaments, the entrants are all titled players, making for one of the strongest events of the year. - The NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
OlympiadChess OlympiadThe Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
is held at the Palais des Expositions. Offering an enormous playing arena, the venue should surpass those of recent years, but a lack of air-conditioning and poor lighting provokes some criticism from the participants. After managing only narrow wins at SiegenSiegenSiegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
and SkopjeSkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, the Soviets reassert their pre-eminence at Nice, winning convincingly with 46/60, to silver medalling Yugoslavia's 37½/60. Third place is shared between the USA and Bulgaria with 36½/60. Bulgaria's excellent showing can be partly explained by the incentives offered by their federation. A team medal of any kind would have earned each player a car, but they just miss the bronze on tie-break. Anatoly Karpov, Boris Spassky, Tigran Petrosian and Mikhail TalMikhail TalMikhail Tal was a Soviet–Latvian chess player, a Grandmaster, and the eighth World Chess Champion.Widely regarded as a creative genius, and the best attacking player of all time, he played a daring, combinatorial style. His play was known above all for improvisation and unpredictability....
take home individual gold medals for outstanding performances on their respective boards, while Viktor Korchnoi and Gennady KuzminGennady KuzminGennady Pavlovich Kuzmin is a Soviet - Ukrainian chess master and trainer. He should not be confused with Russian Grandmaster, Alexey Kuzmin.As a player, he reached his peak strength in the early to mid 1970s and in 1973, was awarded the International Grandmaster title by FIDE, the governing...
must settle for bronze. Petrosian scores 12½/14 for an 89.3% performance, the best of the event. Michael SteanMichael SteanMichael Francis Stean is an English chess grandmaster and author.-Junior career:He learned to play chess before the age of five, developing a promising talent that led to junior honours, including the London under-14 and British under-16 titles.There was more progress in 1971, when he placed third...
picks up the $1000 Turover Brilliancy Prize for 'best game of the Olympiad' against Walter Browne. Wolfgang UhlmannWolfgang UhlmannWolfgang Uhlmann is a prominent German International Grandmaster of chess. Despite being a dedicated professional chess player, and undoubtedly the GDR's most successful ever, he has also had a career in accountancy.-Chess career:...
coins the phrase "One is permitted to lose to Karpov with Black" after suffering defeat in their round 4 encounter. - Tony MilesTony MilesAnthony John Miles was an English chess Grandmaster.- Early achievements in chess :Miles was born in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham...
wins the 13th World Junior Chess ChampionshipWorld Junior Chess ChampionshipThe World Junior Chess Championship is an under-20 chess tournament organized by the World Chess Federation ....
, held in Manila, after narrowly missing out the previous year to Alexander BeliavskyAlexander Beliavsky-External links:...
. Miles' good form keeps him on track to becoming England's first grandmaster. - The 42nd USSR Chess ChampionshipUSSR Chess ChampionshipThis is a list of all the winners of the USSR Chess Championship. It was the strongest national chess championship ever held, with eight world chess champions and four world championship finalists among its winners...
is won jointly by Alexander Beliavsky and Mikhail Tal (both 9½/15), ahead of Rafael VaganianRafael VaganianRafael Artemovich Vaganian, also transliterated Vahanyan is an Armenian chess grandmaster known for his sharp tactical style of play...
and Lev Polugaevsky (both 9/15). - The annual Las Palmas tournament results in a win for Ljubomir LjubojevicLjubomir LjubojevicLjubomir Ljubojević is a Grandmaster of chess. He was born on November 2, 1950, in Titovo Užice, Yugoslavia . Ljubojević was awarded the International Master title in 1970 and the GM title in 1971. He was Yugoslav champion in 1977 and 1982. He won the 1974 Canadian Open Chess Championship...
, whose tally is 11/15. He is a full point clear of second placed pair Alexander Beliavsky and Fridrik Olafsson, both having 10/15. - There is a strong entry at SochiSochiSochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
, where Lev Polugaevsky triumphs at the 7th Chigorin Memorial, with a total of 11/15. Runner-up is Alexei Suetin (9/15). Polugaevsky continues the winning form he displayed earlier at SolingenSolingenSolingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the northern edge of the region called Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr area, and with a 2009 population of 161,366 is the second largest city in the Bergisches Land...
, where he scored 10/14, taking the tie-break from Lubomir Kavalek (also 10/14) and finishing well ahead of Boris Spassky and Bojan KurajicaBojan KurajicaBojan Kurajica is a Croatian-Bosnian chess grandmaster .Kurajica grew up in Split. He earned the International Master title in 1965 by winning the World Junior Championship...
(tied third on 8½/14). - ReykjavikReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
is won by Vasily SmyslovVasily SmyslovVasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
with 12/14, ahead of Gyozo ForintosGyozo ForintosGyőző Victor Forintos is a Hungarian chess master and by profession, an economist.He first participated in the Hungarian Championship as early as 1954 and became the national champion in 1968/9....
(11/14) and, tied in third place on 10½/14, Dragoljub VelimirovicDragoljub VelimirovicDragoljub Velimirović is a Serbian and former Yugoslav chess grandmaster, born in Valjevo.-Biography:...
and David BronsteinDavid BronsteinDavid Ionovich Bronstein was a Soviet chess grandmaster, who narrowly missed becoming World Chess Champion in 1951. Bronstein was described by his peers as a creative genius and master of tactics...
. - Mikhail Tal wins at HalleHalle, Saxony-AnhaltHalle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
in East Germany with 11½/15, ahead of Rainer KnaakRainer KnaakRainer Fritz Albert Knaak is a German Chess Grandmaster.He learned the game at the age of 5 from his father, Hans Knaak. Rapid progress brought him to the pinnacle of junior chess and in 1966, 1969 and 1970, he was crowned national junior champion in his age range...
(10½/15) and Jan SmejkalJan SmejkalJan Smejkal is a Czech chess player and, since 1972, an International Grandmaster. In the 1970s, he was among the world chess elite...
(10/15). He is also a winner at LublinLublinLublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
and Novi SadNovi SadNovi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
. - Vladimir LiberzonVladimir LiberzonVladimir Mikhailovich Liberzon was a Russian–born Israeli chess grandmaster.-Biography:Liberzon played in several Soviet championships, his best result being fourth at the 36th Championship, Alma-Ata 1968/69...
is victorious in VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, taking first place with 9½/13, ahead of Vasily SmyslovVasily SmyslovVasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
(9/13) and Duncan SuttlesDuncan SuttlesDuncan Suttles is an International Grandmaster of chess who was the strongest Canadian player between the eras of Abe Yanofsky and Kevin Spraggett. He is one of the few over-the-board grandmasters who also holds the title of Grandmaster of Correspondence Chess. Suttles has been inactive in...
(8½/13). A strong field includes rising stars Ulf AnderssonUlf AnderssonUlf Andersson is a leading Swedish chess player. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1970 and the Grandmaster title in 1972 .-Career:...
and Jan TimmanJan TimmanJan Timman is a Dutch chess Grandmaster who was one of the world's leading players from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. At the peak of his career he was considered to be the best non-Soviet player and was known as "The Best of the West"...
, as well as former USSR Champion Vladimir SavonVladimir SavonVladimir Andreyevich Savon was a Ukrainian chess player.He learned how to play late, at the age of 13....
. - The Hastings International Chess CongressHastings International Chess CongressThe Hastings International Chess Congress is an annual chess congress which takes place in Hastings, England, around the turn of the year. The main event is the Hastings Premier tournament, which was traditionally a 10 to 16 player round-robin tournament. In 2004/05 the tournament was played in the...
has another good turnout of overseas grandmasters. A four-way tie for first place occurs between László SzabóLászló Szabó (chess player)László Szabó was a prominent Hungarian Grandmaster of chess.Born in Budapest, he burst onto the international chess scene in 1935, at the unusually young age of 18...
, Mikhail Tal, Jan Timman and Gennady Kuzmin (all 10/15). - The 11th Capablanca MemorialCapablanca MemorialThe Capablanca Memorial is a chess tournament that has been held annually in Cuba since 1962.José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera was a famous Cuban chess master who was World Champion from 1921 to 1927. The Capablanca Memorial became the best paid tournament in the world...
Tournament is held in CamagüeyCamagüeyCamagüey is a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation's third largest city. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province.After almost continuous attacks from pirates the original city was moved inland in 1528.The new city was built with a confusing lay-out of winding alleys that made...
, Cuba. Ulf Andersson wins with 11½/15, from Eduard GufeldEduard GufeldEduard Yefimovich Gufeld was a Soviet International Grandmaster of chess, and a chess author.By the late 1950s he established himself as one of the strongest players in the world...
(11/15). Third place is shared between Evgeny Vasiukov and Rainer Knaak on 10/15. - The first Pan-American ChampionshipPan American Chess ChampionshipThe first Pan-American Championship was held in Hollywood, 28 July - 12 August 1945. The line-up was as follows: 1. Samuel Reshevsky 10.5, 2. Reuben Fine 9, 3. Herman Pilnik 8.5, 4. Israel Horowitz 8, 5. Isaac Kashdan 7, 6. Hector Rossetto 6.5, 7-8. Weaver Adams , Herman Steiner 5.5, 9-10....
is held in WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. It is won by Walter Browne ahead of an otherwise weak field. Browne has an eventful and rewarding year, winning the U.S. ChampionshipU.S. Chess ChampionshipThe U.S. Chess Championship is an invitational tournament held to determine the national chess champion of the United States. Since 1936, it has been held under the auspices of the U.S. Chess Federation. Until 1999, the event consisted of a round-robin tournament of varying size...
in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for the first of six times, scoring further victories at Wijk aan ZeeWijk aan ZeeWijk aan Zee is a small town on the coast of the North Sea in the municipality of Beverwijk in the province of North Holland of the Netherlands. The prestigious Tata Steel chess tournament formerly Corus chess tournament and before that called Hoogovens tournament takes place there every year.Due...
and Lone PineLone PineLone Pine is a series of children's books written by Malcolm Saville.Although they were written over a 35-year timespan, between 1943 and 1978, the characters only age by a few years in the course of the series...
, and narrowly losing out to Bent LarsenBent LarsenJørgen Bent Larsen was a Danish chess Grandmaster and author. Larsen was known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play and he was the first western player to pose a serious challenge to the Soviet Union's dominance of chess...
at the 2nd World Open in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. - Jonathan MestelJonathan MestelAndrew Jonathan Mestel is Professor of applied mathematics at Imperial College London who works on magnetohydrodynamics and biological fluid dynamics...
wins the first ever World Cadet ChampionshipWorld Youth Chess ChampionshipThe World Youth Chess Championship is a chess competition for girls and boys under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.The first predecessor of the youth championship was the Cadet Championship. It started off unofficially in 1974 in France for players under 18. The 1975 and 1976 editions were also...
, held in Pont-Sainte-MaxencePont-Sainte-MaxencePont-Sainte-Maxence is a town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
in France. This is to become a regular and important event in the junior chess calendar and is a forerunner to the World Youth Festivals that expand to cover many more age categories. - Bulgaria's great effort and high placing at the Olympiad is followed by an intensely competitive national championshipBulgarian Chess ChampionshipThe Bulgarian Chess Championship is an event inaugurated in 1933 to crown the best chess player in Bulgaria. The championship has been held on a nearly annual basis since, with only a few years missed...
. Held at AsenovgradAsenovgradAsenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...
, the result is a tie between Nikola PadevskyNikola PadevskyNikola Bochev Padevsky is a Bulgarian chess Grandmaster.Padevsky was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city. He became Bulgarian National Champion in 1954, going on to win it in 1955, 1962 and 1964 in a play off after which he gained the status of a grandmaster, after initially being...
and Ivan Radulov (both 10/15), ahead of Evgeny Ermenkov, just a half point off the pace. - The 1st World Computer Chess ChampionshipWorld Computer Chess ChampionshipWorld Computer Chess Championship is an annual event where computer chess engines compete against each other. The event is organized by the International Computer Games Association...
takes place in StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. It is won by the program KaissaKaissaKaissa was a chess program developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It was named so after the chess goddess Caissa. Kaissa became the first world computer chess champion in 1974 in Stockholm.- History :...
(USSR), followed by Chess 4.0Chess (Northwestern University)Chess was a pioneering chess program from the 1970s, authored by Larry Atkin and David Slate at Northwestern University. Chess ran on Control Data Corporation's line of supercomputers. It dominated the first computer chess tournaments, such as the World Computer Chess Championship and ACM's North...
(USA), which defeats third placed Ribbit (CAN) in a play-off for second. There are many interesting games and some surprising moves arise from tactical complications. The championship shows that chess computers are making rapid progress, although the quality of the endgame play is still very poor and poses no threat to human players of average strength. - The People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
makes an application for membership of FIDE. - The first chess book published in the United States by a major publisher using algebraic notationAlgebraic chess notationAlgebraic notation is a method for recording and describing the moves in a game of chess. It is now standard among all chess organizations and most books, magazines, and newspapers...
is printed.
Births
- Gata KamskyGata KamskyGata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and the current World Rapid Chess Champion. He is also the current United States Chess Champion. As of September 2011, he is rated No. 1 in the United States and No...
, Russian-American GM and world championship candidate - June 2 - Sergei RublevskySergei RublevskySergei Rublevsky is a Russian chess grandmaster . He won the prestigious Aeroflot Open in 2004, and became the 58th Russian chess champion after winning the Russian Superfinal in Moscow , one point clear from Dmitry Jakovenko and Alexander Morozevich.He finished in the top 10 in the 2005 FIDE...
, Russian GM and former national champion - October 15 - Konstantin SakaevKonstantin SakaevKonstantin Sakaev is a Russian chess Grandmaster , from St Petersburg and Russian Champion in 1999. He is also a chess writer. Sakaev is on the staff of the Grandmaster Chess School in St...
, Russian GM and former world youth champion - April 13 - Matthew SadlerMatthew Sadler (chess player)Matthew Sadler is an International Grandmaster of chess, and a chess writer.Sadler won the British Championship in 1995 at the age of 21 and again in 1997...
, English GM and former British champion - May 5 - Sofia Polgar, Hungarian IM and WGM, middle sister of Zsuzsa and Judit - November 2
- Sergey VolkovSergey Volkov (chess)Sergey Viktorovich Volkov is a Russian chess Grandmaster.Volkov has been in the FIDE world's top 50 list and has enjoyed many tournament successes, including victory at the 2000 Russian Chess Championship in Samara...
, Russian GM and former Russian champion - February 7 - Igor MiladinovićIgor MiladinovicIgor Miladinović is a Serbian chess grandmaster. On the November 2009 FIDE list his Elo rating was 2553.Miladinović won the 1993 World Junior Chess Championship and at the end of the year was declared for the athlete of the Year in Yugoslavia. In 1994 he played for Yugoslavia in the Moscow...
, Serbian GM and former world junior champion - January 25 - Wang PinWang PinWang Pin is a Chinese Woman Grandmaster chess player. She is currently the 50th highest rated female player in the world, and she used to be the 6th highest rate female player in January to April 2001. Her peak rating was 2506 in October 2000 to January 2001...
, Chinese WGM and many times national women's champion - December 11 - Qin KanyingQin KanyingQin Kanying is a Chinese chess player. She is a FIDE Woman Grandmaster. She is married to GM Peng Xiaomin, who is also her trainer. She won the Chinese Chess Championship five times: in 1988, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2004.-External links:...
, Chinese WGM and many times national women's champion - February 2 - Mohamad Al-ModiahkiMohamad Al-ModiahkiMohammed Ahmed Al-Modiahki is a chess Grandmaster. He was the first player in Qatar to earn the title of grandmaster, and is the country's best player...
, GM from Qatar, first Arabic grandmaster - June 1 - Artur KoganArtur KoganArtur Kogan is a Ukrainian–born Israeli chess grandmaster.Kogan immigrated from Ukraine to Israel when he was 2 years old and spent more than 20 years in Israel. He currently resides in Tarragona, Spain...
, Ukrainian-Israeli GM who has lived in many countries - January 29 - Roland SchmaltzRoland SchmaltzRoland Schmaltz is a German chess grandmaster. His Elo rating was 2546. He has the nickname "Hawkeye" and is a champion in Bullet chess.-External links:...
, German GM and champion of speed chess - November 15 - Reefat Bin-SattarReefat Bin-SattarReefat Bin-Sattar is a chess player from Bangladesh and the third grandmaster to emerge from the country.An International Master since 1993, Bin-Sattar finally achieved the International Grandmaster title in 2006, when his FIDE rating reached the 2500 level required. All three of his qualifying...
, Bangladeshi GM, the country's third grandmaster - July 25 - Ziaur RahmanZiaur Rahman (chess player)Ziaur Rahman is a chess player from Bangladesh and the second Grandmaster of the country after Niaz Morshed.He passed his SSC from Government Laboratory High School & gratuated from University of Dhaka....
, Bangladeshi GM, the country's second grandmaster - ? - Maria ManakovaMaria ManakovaMaria Manakova is a Woman Grandmaster of chess, born in Russia. She lived in Serbia for several years and played for the Yugoslav women's chess team. Manakova was first board reserve on the silver medal winning Yugoslav team at the European Team Championship in Batumi 1999, although she did not...
, Russian born WGM and model, has lived in Serbia - March 1 - Ryan Palmer, Former Jamaican champion and coach living in the UK - ?
Deaths
- Rashid NezhmetdinovRashid NezhmetdinovRashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov was an eminent Soviet chess player, chess writer, and Checkers player.-Early life:Nezhmetdinov was born in Aktubinsk, Russian Empire, in what is now Aqtöbe, Kazakhstan, of Tatar ethnicity. His parents died when he was very young, leaving him and two other siblings...
, Soviet master, writer and virtuoso of chess combinations - June 3 - CHO'D Alexander, English IM, wartime codebreaker and former British champion - February 15
- Henri GrobHenri GrobHenri Grob was a Swiss chess master.Grob represented Switzerland in Chess Olympiads.* In 1927, at fourth board in 1st Chess Olympiad in London ;...
, Swiss master, former national champion and noted correspondence player - July 5 - Josef LokvencJosef LokvencJosef Lokvenc was an Austrian chess master.In 1925, he was awarded the Chess Master title in Braunau. In 1926, he took 3rd in Vienna. In 1936, he tied for 6-7th in Vienna . In 1938, he tied for 6-7th in Bad Harzburg...
, Austrian IM and former national champion of Germany and Austria - April 2 - Maurice RaizmanMaurice RaizmanMaurice Raizman was a French chess master.Born into a Jewish family in Bendery , he emigrated to France...
, French master and many times the national champion - April 1 - Abram KhavinAbram KhavinAbram Leonidovich Khavin was a Ukrainian chess master.In 1937, he took 6th in Kiev .In 1938, he tied for 4-6th in Kiev ....
, Ukrainian master and former national champion - January 19 - Eugenio SzabadosEugenio SzabadosEugenio Szabados was a Hungarian–Italian chess master.In 1921, he won in Società Scacchistica Torinese Championship. In 1921, he tied for 5-7th in Viareggio. In 1923, he took 3rd, behind Ferrari and Formanek, in Triest . In 1928, he took 5th in Venice. In 1929, he took 8th in Venice...
, Hungarian-Italian IM and former President of the Italian Federation - March 6 - Gottlieb MachateGottlieb MachateGottlieb Machate was a German chess master.He participated several times in Silesian Chess Congresses. In 1926 roku he took 2nd, behind Fritz Sämisch , in Bad Altheide , and won the Silesian Champion title...
, German master and former Olympiad player - May 27 - Leon StolzenbergLeon StolzenbergLeon Stolzenberg was an American chess player. Stolzenberg had been a medic in the hospital at Tarnopol in World War I. Entering the United States after the war, he became one of the leading national and international correspondence chess players. He was several times Michigan state chess...
, American master and leading correspondence player - October 25