Birthday of Chess Wizard – David Bronstein!

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Today (19th of February) is a birthday of legendary chess player

David Ionovich Bronstein (1924-2006)

Grandmaster (1950), Champion of USSR (1948, 1949),

4-times Olympic Champion  (1952, 1954, 1956 і 1958).

 Bronstein is one of the greatest players not to have won the World Championship - he  tied the 1951 world championship match 12–12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion.

His life and career is linked with following places:

  • Kyiv (Ukraine) – where he started to play chess and reached a level of Master
  • Tbilisi (Georgia) - where he lived during World War II
  • Moscow (Russia) – where he became a Grandmaster and World`s famous chess player and writer
  • Minsk (Belarus) – where he spent his last years and died

 

David Bronstein is widely considered as link in chain between two world champions and tactical genious -  Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Tal

 

Bronstein was a true revolutionary and innovator of chess:

  • He was first who offered to replace classic chess (with postponing game after 40 moves) by Blitz and Rapid
  • He was an inventor of chess digital clock (with a function of incremental)
  • He was an inventor of 960-chess (not a Bobby Fisher- !)
  • Even modern streaming (commenting your chess game to spectators while playing) – it was also an idea of Bronstein!

 

Probably the most popular chess writer ever.

Millions of people started playing chess and loved the game for entire life thanks to his great books:

 International Tournament of Grandmasters

200 attacking games

Wonderful and frantic World of Chess

Manual of Chess

Wizard`s Pupil

David versus Goliaht

Photos:

  • Books by David Bronstein from my collection
  • This one  200 attacking games is with genuine autograph of David Bronstein

 When on the 5th of December, 2006 David Ionovich died, this sad news was commented on chess forums like:

«Soul of Chess has gone»….tear.png


 Great Games of David Bronstein:

 This miniature was played by 16-years old David when he still lived in Kyiv

  • EfimovBronstein (1946)

Three games below – are a classic of King`s Indian

Before it was considered as “Wrong Opening”

David Bronstein gave it quality check on top-level, his brilliant victories amazed the whole chess world.

  •  PakhmanBronstein (1946)

 

  • Zita Bronstein(1946)

 

  • ReshevskyBronstein (1953)

This victory was decisive in challengers superfinal, so it gave a right to Bronstein to play a match for World Champion`s Title versus Mikhail Botvinnik

  •  BoleslavskyBronstein (1950)

 

The best game of 1951 world championship match. White attack and killing shot 37.Bg3!! are amazing

  • BronsteinBotvinnik (1951)

 

This game is called “King David” – fierce  attack started with intuitive sac 14.Bxh6!! by Bronstein versus another chess heavyweight.

That is why Bronstein was considered as predecessor of Mikhail Tal

  • BronsteinKeres (1955)

 

Could somebody else crush Efim Geller in 20 moves?

Feel aesthetic ecstasy after 20.Qg6!!

  • BronsteinGeller (1961)

What about beating Chess King Boris Spassky in 17 moves?

After 17….Nxf5 – Clean ckeckmate on the board 18.c2-c4#!!

Bravo!

  • BronsteinSpassky (1961)

 

Brilliant combination – 24….Rxa3!!

  • MikenasBronstein (1965)

 

23-years old Ljubomir Ljubojevich was called “Serbian Tal”

That moment he was a leader of interzonal tournament with 6 of 7

But was unfortunate to learn masterclass from Elder Wizard

  • Bronstein – Ljuboevich (1973)

At the age of 72, Bronstein could crush a strong Grandmaster

in a manner as if he was 50 years younger

  • Bronstein – Lputian (1996)

 

The last masterpiece of Great Chess Magician

  • Bronstein – Vedder (1997)



 

Avatar of Zavgorodniy_Serg

Amazing article!