David Bronstein, 82, Leading Soviet Chess Grandmaster

David Bronstein, who died on Tuesday aged 82, was a leading Soviet chess grandmaster and writer; like Viktor Korchnoi, he was often described as the greatest player never to have won a world championship.Bronstein’s first international tournament success occurred at the Satsjobaden Interzonal of 1948, when he qualified for the first Candidates’ Tournament of 1950 in Budapest. He went on to win the title over Isaac Boleslavsky (whose daughter, Tatiana, he later married) and, the following year, entered the world title challenge match.He came agonizingly close to his goal when he drew the match (12-12) with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion. But a tie went to the previous champion, and Bronstein never came so close again.It was rumored that Bronstein, a Ukrainian, was forced to throw the match by the Soviet authorities to allow the Russian Botvinnik to win. In his book “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (1995), Bronstein wrote: “I was subjected to strong psychological pressure from various sources and it was entirely up to me to yield to that pressure or not.”Bronstein’s game demonstrated a high degree of creativity and tactical verve. He introduced many new ideas into the King’s Indian Defense and King’s Gambit. His theoretical work on the King’s Indian Defense is reflected in his book “Bronstein on the King’s Indian” (1999).He helped originate Rapid Chess, played with 30 minutes or less for the game, and he developed a form of Random Chess well before Bobby Fischer claimed ownership of the concept.In a series of books, Bronstein sought to explain in simple terms the elements of strategy; rather than burden the reader with pages of turgid analysis of all possibilities, he aimed to amplify the ideas behind the players’ moves.A second cousin to Leon Trotsky, David Ionovich Bronstein was born on February 19 1924 at Bila Tserkva, near Kiev, in the Ukraine. He was taught chess by his grandfather and began playing competitively at the age of six.His rise was meteoric. After he won a tournament for adults and juniors at Kiev in 1938 he became one of the strongest young Soviet players.Conscripted into the Red Army during World War II, he managed to avoid combat because of his poor eyesight. After the war, the family was under surveillance because they were related to Trotsky, and his father served seven years in the Gulag.Bronstein came to the notice of the chess world when, aged 20, he inflicted a defeat on Mikhail Botvinnik in the 1944 Soviet championship.Once, during an exhibition match, Bronstein recalled how he and Smyslov had agreed to a draw in 12 moves. A chess official protested, pointing out that, after all, the Soviet Chess Federation was paying them. `Do you really believe that I will attack Smyslov for only three roubles a day?” Bronstein retorted.The Soviet authorities allowed Bronstein to travel abroad until 1976, when he refused to sign a letter condemning the defection of Viktor Korchnoi.During the 1990s, Bronstein toured the world giving displays and lectures.

David Bronstein, 82, Leading Soviet Chess Grandmaster

David Bronstein, 82, Leading Soviet Chess Grandmaster

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