1976 in chess
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FIDE top 10 by Elo rating - January 1976- 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...
2695 - 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...
2670 - 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...
2635 - 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...
2635 - 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...
2630 - 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...
2625 - Lajos PortischLajos PortischLajos Portisch is a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, whose positional style earned him the nickname, the "Hungarian Botvinnik"...
2625 - Efim GellerEfim GellerEfim Petrovich Geller was a Soviet chess player and world-class grandmaster at his peak. He won the Soviet Championship twice and was a Candidate for the World Championship on six occasions...
2620 - 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...
2620 - 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...
2620
Chess news in brief
- 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...
commences his tenure as world champion in a positive way, with confident and sometimes dominant performances at many of the strongest tournaments on offer. Undoubtedly the strongest of all is the 44th Soviet Championship, where he runs out winner with 12/17, ahead of Yuri BalashovYuri Balashov-Chess career:He was awarded the grandmaster title in 1973. Balashov was Moscow Champion in 1970 and 2nd to Anatoly Karpov in the 1976 USSR Chess Championship. In 1977 he won Lithuanian Chess Championship. He finished 1st= at Lone Pine 1977 and 1st= at Wijk aan Zee 1982.Balashov represented the...
(11/17), 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...
and 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...
(both 10/17). At 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...
he scores 12½/15, ahead of 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:...
(11/15) 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"...
(10½/15). In 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...
, he wins a quadrangular contest from Walter Browne, Fridrik Olafsson and Timman. A winning score of 7/9 at Montilla-MorilesMontilla-MorilesMontilla-Moriles is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located in the southern part of the province of Córdoba...
comfortably eclipses Lubomir Kavalek, Ricardo CalvoRicardo Calvo-Ricardo Calvo vs Viktor Korchnoi:This game between Ricardo Calvo and GM Viktor Korchnoi is known as "Calvo's Salvo", and was played at the Havana Olympiad 1966: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Ba7 7. c4 Nc6 8. O-O Qh4?!, a dubious move by Korchnoi that will allow his...
and 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...
(all 5½/9). The new champion's only slip occurs 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,...
/BatangasBatangas City- Foreign Rule :The first Spanish missionaries arrived in Batangas City since 1572. Finally on 1581 Spanish authorities governing the Philippines created a pueblo in the area which included the hill where the present Provincial Capitol of Batangas stands after the formal end of the Coumintang...
, where it is Eugenio TorreEugenio TorreEugenio Torre is a chess Grandmaster . He is considered the strongest chess player the Philippines has ever produced during the 1980s and 1990s period, following the heels of Fischer-era Filipino chess champions National Master Ramon Lontoc, International Master Renato Naranja, IM Rodolfo Tan...
who tops another four player event ahead of Karpov, 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...
and Walter Browne. Karpov is awarded the Chess Oscar for the fourth successive year, while Fischer's name is dropped from the official FIDE rating list. - FIDE vice-president Florencio CampomanesFlorencio CampomanesFlorencio Campomanes was a Filipino political scientist, chess player, and chess organizer.- Education :...
meets with 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...
in BangkokBangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and continues to speak optimistically about a potential match with Karpov, who appears to be open to the possibility. Much less likely is that Fischer will take his place at the forthcoming Candidates tournament. 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...
is the probable replacement if Fischer fails to meet the confirmation deadline. - In the next cycle of the world championship, InterzonalInterzonalInterzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation, and were a stage in the triennial World Chess Championship cycle.- Zonal tournaments :...
tournaments are held at Biel and Manila. The Biel event is won by 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...
with 12½/19, ahead of Tigran Petrosian, Lajos PortischLajos PortischLajos Portisch is a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, whose positional style earned him the nickname, the "Hungarian Botvinnik"...
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....
(all 12/19). After a play-off, it is Tal who misses out on a place in the Candidates' phase. Manila is a triumph for Brazilian star 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...
, with 13/19. The other qualifiers are Vlastimil HortVlastimil HortVlastimil Hort is a chess Grandmaster of Czech nationality. During the 1960s and 1970s he was one of the world's strongest players and reached the Candidates stage of competition for the world chess championship, but was never able to compete for the actual title.Hort was born in Kladno,...
and Lev Polugaevsky (both 12½/19). - The 22nd Chess 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 in HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel, just 19 miles from conflict-stricken Lebanon. Amidst political turmoil, many teams including favourites USSR, decide to boycott the event. Max EuweMax EuweMachgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
refuses to cancel, leaving the forty-eight remaining teams to compete using a Swiss pairing formatSwiss system tournamentA Swiss-system tournament is a commonly used type of tournament where players or teams need to be paired to face each other for several rounds of competition. This type of tournament was first used in a Zurich chess tournament in 1895, hence the name "Swiss system". The Swiss system is used when...
for the first time in an Olympiad. USA win with 37/52, Netherlands take silver with 36½/52 and England the bronze with 35½/52. The women's event is won by Israel (17/21), ahead of England (silver) and Spain (both 11½/21). A rival event, with thirty-two participating nations, is independently organised in TripoliTripoliTripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
and is titled the "Against Israel Olympiad". - 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...
, is joint winner at Amsterdam's IBM tournament with Tony MilesTony MilesAnthony John Miles was an English chess Grandmaster.- Early achievements in chess :Miles was born in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham...
(both 9½/15), ahead of Gyula SaxGyula SaxGyula Sax is a Hungarian chess player and International Arbiter , born in Budapest.He was awarded the IM title in 1972 and the GM title in 1974. He was the Hungarian Chess Champion in 1976 and 1977 . In 1971-72, he was the European Junior Champion, and he placed first at Rovinj-Zagreb 1975,...
on 9/15. At the tournament's conclusion, Korchnoi approaches the Dutch authorities to seek asylum and becomes the first of the USSR's high profile players to defect to the West. His wife and son remain in the USSR, unable to leave. The Soviet authorities condemn Korchnoi's actions and strip him of all his domestic titles and honours. They ask FIDE to annul his grandmaster title and debar him from the world championship cycle. FIDE refuse to comply, on the grounds that his membership is individual to him and not as a representative of a state. A letter is published in Sovietsky Sport, denouncing Korchnoi in very strong terms and is signed by thirty-one Soviet grandmasters including Tigran Petrosian, 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...
and Mikhail Tal. Notably, it is not signed by 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...
or 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...
. Karpov chooses not to sign, but pens his own letter of dismay, which is critical of Korchnoi in a milder manner. Bobby Fischer sends Korchnoi a telegram, congratulating him on his defection. - At Las Palmas, Efim GellerEfim GellerEfim Petrovich Geller was a Soviet chess player and world-class grandmaster at his peak. He won the Soviet Championship twice and was a Candidate for the World Championship on six occasions...
wins with 10½/15. Following are Bent Larsen (10/15), Robert Byrne and Robert HubnerRobert HübnerRobert Hübner is a respected German chess Grandmaster, chess writer, and papyrologist . At eighteen, he was joint winner of the West German Chess Championship...
(both 9½/15). - A strong 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...
tournament is won by Tigran Petrosian with 5½/7, ahead of Larry Christiansen, Vasily Smyslov, Oscar PannoOscar PannoOscar R. Panno is an Argentine chess Grandmaster.Panno won the World Junior Chess Championship in 1953, and also won the championship of Argentina the same year....
, Miguel NajdorfMiguel NajdorfMiguel Najdorf was a Polish-born Argentine chess grandmaster of Jewish origin, famous for his Najdorf Variation....
, Miguel QuinterosMiguel QuinterosMiguel Quinteros is an Argentine chess grandmaster.He won the Argentine Chess Championship at the age of 18 and in 1969 took eighth place at the Mar del Plata Zonal tournament...
, Tony Miles, Ken Rogoff, 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....
and Walter Browne (all 5/7). - Vlastimil Hort has a good year, winning two category 10 events and taking his rating beyond the 2600 level. At Banja LukaBanja Luka-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
he wins with 10/15, ahead of Milan VukicMilan VukićMilan Vukić is a Bosnian chess Grandmaster. He has been a champion of Bosnia & Herzegovina and of the former state of Yugoslavia, both during its constitution as a Socialist Federal Republic and as a Federal Republic .-Biography:Curiously, he only started to play chess as a young man, having...
on 9½/10. At VinkovciVinkovciVinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
, he shares first place with Gyula Sax on 10½/15, ahead of Lev Polugaevsky and Georgi TringovGeorgi TringovGeorgi Petrov Tringov was a Grandmaster of chess from Bulgaria. He won the Bulgarian national chess championship in 1963, the year he was awarded the Grandmaster title, only the second Bulgarian player thus honored...
(both 10/15). - YerevanYerevanYerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
is a success for Oleg RomanishinOleg RomanishinOleg Mikhailovich Romanishin is a Ukrainian chess grandmaster and former European junior champion.Many honours and awards were bestowed on him as a young man. After winning the European Junior Championship in 1973, he became an International Master the same year...
. His 10½/15 gives him a clear point win over Boris Gulko and Vladimir SavonVladimir SavonVladimir Andreyevich Savon was a Ukrainian chess player.He learned how to play late, at the age of 13....
, who share second place. At the year end 1976/77 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...
, Romanishin enjoys a winning margin of two clear points. - 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...
, Lev Polugaevsky wins the 11th Chigorin MemorialChigorin MemorialThe Chigorin Memorial is a chess tournament played in honour of the chess legend Mikhail Chigorin , founder of the Soviet School. The first and most important edition was the one played in 1909 in St. Petersburg. Later on, the tournament was mainly played in the Black Sea resort Sochi. From 1993...
jointly with Evgeny SveshnikovEvgeny SveshnikovEvgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov is a Latvian, former Soviet International Grandmaster of chess, and a chess writer.-The player:...
(both 10½/15), ahead of Vitaly TseshkovskyVitaly TseshkovskyVitaly Valerianovich Tseshkovsky is a Russian chess Grandmaster and a former champion of the USSR.Tseshkovsky was born in Siberia into a Polish family ....
, who trails by a full point. - Serving as a warm-up for the main Premier League Soviet Championship in Moscow (see above), the First League Championship is held in MinskMinsk- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. Remarkably, this 'second-string' event is still stronger than any other national championship and the entry includes Mark TaimanovMark TaimanovMark Evgenievich Taimanov is a leading Soviet and Russian chess player and concert pianist.-Chess:He was awarded the International Grandmaster title in 1952 and played in the Candidates Tournament in Zurich in 1953, where he tied for eighth place. From 1946 to 1956, he was among the world's top...
, Alexander BeliavskyAlexander Beliavsky-External links:...
, Lev AlburtLev AlburtLev Osipovich Alburt is a chess Grandmaster and a well-respected chess writer. He was three-time Ukrainian Champion, and after defecting to the United States in 1979, became three-time U.S. Champion.-Career:...
, 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...
and Semyon FurmanSemyon FurmanSemyon Abramovich Furman was a Soviet chess International Grandmaster and trainer. He is best known for developing Anatoly Karpov into a World Chess Champion, but was a formidable player himself, as well as a successful coach for several other world-class players...
. Making the headlines however, are Iosif Dorfman who wins convincingly with 11½/17, ahead of Vitaly Tseshkovsky, Evgeny Sveshnikov and Nukhim RashkovskyNukhim RashkovskyNukhim Nikolayevich Rashkovsky is a chess Grandmaster and coach from Russia.His first meaningful chess moves were played at the Sverdlovsk Palace of Pioneers, one of many training schools for talented young players in Soviet Russia.He was a regular patron of the long-running Soviet Chess...
(all 10/17). - 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...
impresses at 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....
, his 11½/15 giving him a wide margin of victory over Dragoljub VelimirovicDragoljub VelimirovicDragoljub Velimirović is a Serbian and former Yugoslav chess grandmaster, born in Valjevo.-Biography:...
(10/15) and Vlastimil Hort (9½/15). - At DubnaDubnaDubna is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. It has a status of naukograd , being home to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, an international nuclear physics research centre and one of the largest scientific foundations in the country. It is also home to MKB Raduga, a defence aerospace company...
, Vitaly Tseshkovsky runs out the winner with 10/15. Fellow Soviet, Igor ZaitsevIgor ZaitsevIgor Arkadyevich Zaitsev is a Russian grandmaster of chess. He is of Armenian descent.-Early life and family:He was born in Ramenskoe, a town outside Moscow...
finishes second with 9½/15, while Aivars GipslisAivars GipslisAivars Gipslis was a Latvian chess FIDE Grandmaster and also an ICCF Grandmaster, and a chess writer.-History:...
, Tony Miles, Vladimir Savon nad Alexei Suetin all share third on 9/15. Miles' score is enough to secure him his final GM norm and the title. He becomes England's first over-the-board GM, joining Keith Richardson in the field of Correspondence ChessCorrespondence chessCorrespondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
and Comins MansfieldComins MansfieldComins Mansfield was a chess problem composer. He gained title International Grandmaster FIDE in 1972 and 94,33 points in FIDE Album.-Biography:...
the problem composerChess problemA chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using chess pieces on a chess board, that presents the solver with a particular task to be achieved. For instance, a position might be given with the instruction that White is to move first, and checkmate Black in two...
. Miles wins the race from Ray Keene, his principal rival, and claims the £5,000 prize put up by businessman Jim Slater, a chess sponsor and enthusiast. - 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...
's 38th Hoogovens tournament, Ljubomir Ljubojevic and Fridrik Olafsson share first with 7½/11. Following a point behind are 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...
and Mikhail Tal. - The 13th 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...
in CienfuegosCienfuegosCienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
is won by Boris Gulko on 10½/15, ahead of Yuri Razuvaev and Guðmundur SigurjónssonGuðmundur SigurjónssonGuðmundur Sigurjónsson is an Icelandic chess Grandmaster.He became International Master in 1970, grandmaster in 1975 and has won the Icelandic Chess Championship three times . Played for Iceland in the Chess Olympiads of 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1986...
(both 10/14). - Fridrik Olafsson and Jan Timman triumph at Reykjavik (both 11/15), ahead of Miguel Najdorf and 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...
(both 10½/15). - The World Junior Chess ChampionshipWorld Junior Chess ChampionshipThe World Junior Chess Championship is an under-20 chess tournament organized by the World Chess Federation ....
is held at Groningen at the year end. Unusually, it is combined with the European Junior Chess ChampionshipEuropean Junior Chess ChampionshipThe first chess youth championship in Europe was the yearly European Junior Championship for under age 20. It was played from 1971–2002. FIDE officially introduced the European Junior Championship in 1970 at their Annual Congress and so the 1971/72 edition was the first official European...
. American Mark DiesenMark DiesenMark Carl Diesen was an American chess player. He earned the International Master title in 1976 by winning the World Junior Championship...
places first and takes the World title. Lubomir FtacnikLubomir FtácnikĽubomír Ftáčnik is a Slovak chess player and a former European Junior Champion.He became European Junior Champion in 1976/77 and was awarded the International Master title shortly after...
takes second spot and becomes European champion. - At 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,...
, Rosendo Balinas wins with 10/14 ahead of Lev Alburt and Vladimir Savon (both 9/14). - During the FIDE Conference held in Haifa alongside the Olympiad, three more countries are granted membership. The inclusion of Bermuda, Mauretania and Papua and New Guinea brings the total membership to ninety-seven nations.
- Boris Spassky is granted a one year visa to spend time in France with his new French-born wife. The Soviet authorities prohibit him from playing chess while he is away, despite his protests. While in France, he is requested to sign the Korchnoi condemnation letter at the Soviet Embassy in Paris, but he declines.
- Dedicated, portable chess computers that are capable of giving social players a satisfactory game become commercially available.
Births
- Peter SvidlerPeter SvidlerPeter Veniaminovich Svidler is a Russian chess grandmaster.He is six-time Russian champion ....
, Russian GM, world championship contender and former national champion - June 17 - Judit PolgárJudit PolgárJudit Polgár is a Hungarian chess grandmaster. She is by far the strongest female chess player in history. In 1991, Polgár achieved the title of Grandmaster at the age of 15 years and 4 months, the youngest person ever to do so at that time.Polgár was ranked No...
, Hungarian GM and the strongest woman player in history - June 23 - Zhu ChenZhu ChenZhu Chen is a chess Grandmaster. In 2001, she became China's second women's world chess champion after Xie Jun, and China's 13th Grandmaster.She today plays for Qatar.-Biography:...
, Chinese GM and former women's world champion - March 16 - Xu Yuhua, Chinese GM and former women's world champion - October 29
- Liviu-Dieter NisipeanuLiviu-Dieter NisipeanuLiviu-Dieter Nisipeanu is a Romanian chess grandmaster. His peak FIDE rating was 2707 in October 2005, when he was ranked fifteenth in the world, and the highest ranked Romanian player ever...
, Romanian GM and world championship semi-finalist - August 1 - Zoltán AlmásiZoltan AlmasiZoltán Almási is a Grandmaster of chess from Hungary. He is a seven-time Hungarian Chess Champion, winning in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2008...
, Hungarian GM and multiple national champion - August 29 - Vadim ZvjaginsevVadim ZvjaginsevCifuentes-Parada-Zvjaginsev, Wijk aan Zee Open 1995 1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 b6 7.Be2 Bb7 8.O-O Be7 9.Rd1 O-O 10.e4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Qc7 12.Nc3 c5 13.d5 exd5 14.cxd5 a6 15.Nh4 g6 16.Bh6 Rfe8 17.Qd2 Bd6 18.g3 b5 19.Bf3 b4 20.Ne2 Ne4 21.Qc2 Ndf6 22.Ng2 Qd7 23.Ne3 Rad8 24.Bg2? ...
, Russian GM, highly rated player and Olympiad medallist - August 18 - Daniel FridmanDaniel FridmanDaniel Fridman is a German chess master who originates from Latvia. He was Latvian champion in 1996 and German champion in 2008.-Early chess career:...
, Latvian-German GM, former national champion of both countries - February 15 - Dusko PavasovicDuško PavasovicDuško Pavasovič is a Slovenian chess player and Grandmaster.Pavasovič was born in Split, Croatia, but later took Slovenian citizenship. He became a FIDE grandmaster in 1999. On the April 2007 FIDE rating list he has an Elo rating of 2567, making him Slovenia's second highest-rated player after...
, Slovenian GM, winner of the national championship - October 15 - Almira SkripchenkoAlmira SkripchenkoAlmira Skripchenko is a French chess player who has achieved the FIDE International Master and Woman Grandmaster titles...
, Moldovan-French IM and WGM, women's European champion - February 17 - Anna HahnAnna Hahn (chess player)Anna Hahn is an American chess player with the title of Woman International Master.In her native Latvia, she took the women's championship of 1992 and then moved to the U.S., where in 1994 she won the New York City High School Championship, and helped lead Edward R. Murrow to three consecutive...
, Latvian-American WIM and former women's champion of both countries - June 21 - Ramachandran RameshRamachandran RameshRamachandran Ramesh is an Indian chess grandmaster from Chennai who won the 2002 British Championship and 2007 Commonwealth Championship.He is married to WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy. They are India's first Grandmaster...
, Indian GM, former British and Commonwealth champion - April 20 - Yannick PelletierYannick PelletierYannick Pelletier is a Swiss chess player. He has been a Grandmaster since 2001, and won the Swiss Chess Championship in 1995, 2000, and 2002....
, Swiss GM and multiple winner of the national championship - September 22 - Lenka PtacnikovaLenka PtácníkováLenka Ptáčníková or Lenka Ptacnikova, is an Icelandic chess Woman Grandmaster of Czech origin. She won the Nordic championship in Finland in 2005.-External links:...
, Czech-Icelandic WGM, former women's Nordic champion - January 16 - Danny GormallyDanny GormallyDanny Gormally , is a British chess Grandmaster. On the July 2011 FIDE rating list his Elo rating was 2519. His peak rating was 2573 on the January 2006 rating list. Nationally he is ranked 15th, and is the 14th strongest of England's 26 grandmasters...
, English GM, Olympiad team member and British rapidplay champion - May 4 - Wu WenjinWu WenjinWu Wenjin is a Chinese chess Grandmaster.In 2000, he became China's 11th Grandmaster.-Career:In October 1999, Wu came joint first with 6 pts at the Qingdao Daily Cup. In November 2003, Wu came joint second at the Chinese Men's Individual Chess Championship in Shan Wei...
, Chinese GM and former member of the Olympiad team - March 10 - Gabriel SchwartzmanGabriel SchwartzmanGabriel Schwartzman is a Romanian-born American chess Grandmaster.Schwartzman is originally from Bucharest, Romania and moved to Florida, USA. He played in his first chess tournament at the age of 4, obtained the FIDE Master title when he was 12 years old, and just 3 years later became an...
, Romanian-American GM, former winner of the U.S. Open - October 23 - Boris KreimanBoris KreimanBoris Kreiman is an American Grandmaster of chess. Kreiman a 3rd place winner in a U.S. Chess Championship in Seattle is also a winner of the Frank P. Samford, Jr. Chess Fellowship....
, Russian-American GM, player, coach and academy founder - June 7 - John Paul Wallace, Australian IM, youngest ever national champion - November 19
- Josh Waitzkin, American IM, U.S. junior champion and the subject of a movie - December 4
- Demis HassabisDemis HassabisDemis Hassabis is a computer game designer, AI programmer, neuroscientist and world-class games player. A child prodigy in chess, he reached master standard at the age of 13 with an Elo rating of 2300...
, English player, computer game designer, neuroscientist - July 27
Deaths
- Carlos MadernaCarlos MadernaCarlos Hugo Maderna was an Argentine chess master.He was twice Argentine Champion; in 1940 he won a match for the title against Luis Piazzini , then lost a match to Carlos Guimard in 1941, and won the title after play-off with Jacobo Bolbochán and Heinrich Reinhardt in 1950/51.In 1928, he tied...
, Argentine Master, twice the national champion - January 23 - Abram ModelAbram ModelAbram Model was a Russian chess master, although he had his master title taken away by the Soviet chess authorities due to lack of results.Abram Yakovlevich Model was born in Daugavpils, Latvia. Then he lived in St. Petersburg ....
, Latvian-Russian Master, Leningrad champion and Botvinnik's trainer - February 16 - Donald ByrneDonald ByrneDonald Byrne was one of the USA's strongest chess players during the 1950s and 1960s.Born in New York City, he won the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1953, was awarded the International Master title by FIDE in 1962, and played for or captained five U.S. Chess Olympiad teams between 1962 and 1972...
, American IM and US Open champion, lost the "Game of the Century" to Fischer - April 8 - Clarice BeniniClarice BeniniClarice Benini was an Italian chess master.She finished second in the Women's World Championship at Stockholm 1937, behind Vera Menchik but ahead of Sonja Graf, Milda Lauberte, Mary Bain, Mona May Karff, and others...
, Italian Master, national champion, women's world championship contender - September 8 - Jozsef SzilyJózsef SzilyJózsef Szily was a Hungarian chess master.In 1939, he took 12th in Stuttgart . In 1941 he tied for 2nd-3rd with Ludovit Potuček, behind Jan Foltys, in Trenčianske Teplice...
, Hungarian IM, runner-up at first European championship - April 26