David Bronstein

David Ionovich Bronstein (Дави́д Ио́нович Бронште́йн) (February 19, 1924, Bila Tserkva, Ukraine – December 5, 2006, Minsk, Belarus) was renowned as a leading chess grandmaster and writer. Described as a creative genius and master of tactics by pundits and plaudits the world over, Bronstein provided ample evidence that chess should be regarded as part science, part art. Image File history File links David_Ionovich_Bronstein. ... Image File history File links David_Ionovich_Bronstein. ... February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Bila Tserkva (Ukrainian Бiла Церква, literally White Church, Polish Biała Cerkiew, Russian Белая Церковь, Belaya Tserkov) is a city in Kyivska oblast of Ukraine. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location Location of Minsk, shown within the Minsk Voblast Government Belarus District City Belarus Minsk Voblast Minsk City City 980 (Polatsk) Mayor Mikhail Pavlov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 256 km² Population  - City (2006) 1,780,000 Coordinates Elevation 280. ... Chess is an abstract strategy board game and mind sport for two players. ... The title Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ...

Life

Bronstein learned chess at age six from his grandfather. As a youth in Kiev, he was trained by the renowned International Master Alexander Konstantinopolsky. He achieved the Master title at age 16 for his second-place result in the 1940 Ukrainian Championship, behind Isaac Boleslavsky, who became a very close friend and chess companion (much later in life, Bronstein married Boleslavsky's daughter Tatiana). Location Map of Ukraine with Kiev highlighted. ... Alexander Konstantinopolsky (born 19 February 1910, Zhytomir, Russian Empire, now Ukraine – died 1990, Russia) was an Ukrainian chess master. ... Isaac Yefremovich Boleslavsky (1919 – February 15, 1977) was a Ukrainian-Jewish chess grandmaster. ...

After completing high school, his plans to study Mathematics at Kiev University in 1941 were interrupted by the eastern European spread of World War II. He did study at Leningrad Polytechnical University after the war. Euclid, Greek mathematician, 3rd century BC, known today as the father of geometry; shown here in a detail of The School of Athens by Raphael. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead...

Judged unfit for military service, Bronstein spent the war in various jobs including reconstruction of war-damaged buildings. His father, Johonon, was imprisoned for several years in the Gulag without proper process or evidence, and later it was formally acknowledged there was no evidence that he had committed any crimes. Gulag ( , Russian: ) is an acronym for Главное Управление Исправительно—Трудовых Лагерей и колоний, Glavnoye Upravleniye Ispravitelno-trudovykh Lagerey i kolonii, The Chief Directorate [or Administration] of Corrective Labour Camps and Colonies of the NKVD. Anne Applebaum, in her book Gulag: A History, explains: // Literally, the word GULAG is an acronym, meaning Glavnoe Upravlenie Lagerei, or Main Camp...

With the tide turning towards an eventual Soviet war victory over the Nazi invaders, Bronstein was able to once again play some competitive chess, and he defeated Soviet champion Mikhail Botvinnik at the 1944 USSR Championship. Bronstein raised his skill dramatically to place third in the 1945 USSR Championship, and he won both his games played on board ten, helping the Soviet team to victory in the famous 1945 USSR vs. USA Radio Chess Match. Soviet redirects here. ... National Socialism redirects here. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17, 1911 [O.S. August 4] - May 5, 1995) was a Jewish Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... The Soviet Top League (Russian: ) was the top division of Soviet Union football. ... The Soviet Top League (Russian: ) was the top division of Soviet Union football. ...

Bronstein's first international tournament success occurred at the Saltsjöbaden Interzonal of 1948, which he won. He qualified for the Candidates Tournament of 1950 in Budapest, becoming the eventual winner over Boleslavsky in a (Moscow) 1950 play-off. The period 1945-50 saw a meteoric rise in Bronstein's development, as he reached the World Chess Championship challenge match, in 1951. Saltsjöbaden is a suburb of Stockholm, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea and part of Nacka Municipality. ... Interzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. ... The Candidates Tournament was an annual chess tournament in which various chess players play against each other. ... Nickname: Paris of the East, Pearl of the Danubeor Queen of the Danube Location of Budapest in Hungary Country Hungary County Pest Mayor Gábor Demszky (SZDSZ) Area    - City 525,16 km²  - Land n/a km²  - Water n/a km² Population    - City (2006) 1,695,000  - Density 3570/km... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... Current World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik. ...

Widely considered to be one of the greatest post-war players not to have won the world championship (an accolade he shares with the likes of Paul Keres, Victor Korchnoi and Bent Larsen), he came agonizingly close to his goal when he drew the 1951 challenge match for the title of world champion by a score of 12-12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion. Bronstein and Botvinnik had greatly contrasting chess styles, personalities, and lifestyles, and disliked each other. Bronstein led by one point with two games to go, but lost the 23rd game and drew the 24th and final game. Under FIDE rules, the title remained with the holder, and Bronstein was never to come so close again. He later wrote that it was likely better that he didn't win the world title, since his artistic personality would have been at odds with Soviet bureaucracy. Paul Keres Paul Keres (born January 7, 1916, in Narva, Estonia; died June 5, 1975, in Helsinki, Finland) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and one of the strongest chess players of all time, apart from the World chess champions. ... Viktor Korchnoi (Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й) (born March 23, 1931) is sometimes reckoned to be the strongest chess player never to have been world champion. ... Bent Larsen Bent Larsen (born March 4, 1935) is a Danish chess player. ... The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ... Soviet redirects here. ...

It has often been alleged that Bronstein was forced to throw the match by the Soviet authorities to allow Botvinnik to win. Similarly, in the 1953 Candidates Tournament in Zurich, it has been speculated that there was pressure on the top non-Russian Soviets, Keres and Bronstein, to allow Vasily Smyslov to win. Even in the wake of glasnost, however, Bronstein never fully confirmed these rumors in his public statements or writings, admitting only to 'strong psychological pressure' being applied. A further rumor, that Bronstein was related to Leon Trotsky (whose real family name was Bronstein), was treated as unconfirmed but doubtful by Bronstein in his book The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1995). Soviet redirects here. ... The Candidates Tournament was an annual chess tournament in which various chess players play against each other. ... Location within Switzerland   Zürich[?] (German pronunciation IPA: ; usually spelled Zurich in English) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a Russian chess grandmaster. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Note: This page is very long. ...

He took many first prizes in tournaments, among the most notable being the USSR Championships of 1948 (jointly with Alexander Kotov) and 1949 (jointly with Vasily Smyslov). He tied first with Mark Taimanov at the World Students' Championship in 1952 at Liverpool. He won the 1955 Goteborg Interzonal with an unbeaten score. Bronstein was also a six times winner of the Moscow Championships, and represented the USSR at the Olympiads of 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958, winning board prizes at each of them, and losing just one of his 49 games in those events. Along the way he won four Olympiad team gold medals. Further major tournament victories were achieved at Hastings 1953-4, Belgrade 1954, Gotha 1957, Moscow 1959, Szombathely 1966, East Berlin 1968, Dnepropetrovsk 1970, Sarajevo 1971, Sandomierz 1976, Iwonicz Zdroj 1976, Budapest 1977, and Jurmala 1978. Alexander Kotov (Александр Александрович Котов) (August 12, 1913 – January 8, 1981) was a chess grandmaster and author. ... Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a Russian chess grandmaster. ... Mark Evgenievich Taimanov (Марк Евгеньевич Тайманов) (born February 7, 1926) is a leading Russian chess player and concert pianist. ... Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. ... Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg [jøːtəbɔrj]) is a city and a municipality on the western coast of Sweden, in the County of Västra Götaland. ... Interzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... The Chess Olympiad is a chess event which has been officially organised by FIDE since 1927 and takes place in even years. ... Shown within East Sussex Geography Status: Borough Region: South East England Historic County: Sussex Admin. ... Belgrade (Serbian: Београд or Beograd  ) is the capital and largest city of Serbia. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ... East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... REDIRECT Dnipropetrovsk ... Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) Coordinates: Country Bosnia and Herzegovina Entity Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Canton Sarajevo Canton Mayor Semiha Borovac Area    - City 142 km²  (54. ... Nickname: Paris of the East, Pearl of the Danubeor Queen of the Danube Location of Budapest in Hungary Country Hungary County Pest Mayor Gábor Demszky (SZDSZ) Area    - City 525,16 km²  - Land n/a km²  - Water n/a km² Population    - City (2006) 1,695,000  - Density 3570/km...

David Bronstein also wrote many chess books and articles, and had a regular chess column in the Soviet newspaper Izvestia for many years. He was perhaps most highly regarded for his authorship of Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953 (English translation 1979). This book was an enormous seller in the USSR, going through many reprints. More recently, he co-authored the autobiographical The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1995), with his friend Tom Furstenburg. Both have become landmarks in chess publishing history; Bronstein seeks to amplify the ideas behind the players' moves, rather than burdening the reader with pages of analysis of moves that never made it onto the scoresheet. Bronstein's romantic vision of chess was shown with his very successful adoption of the rarely-seen King's Gambit in top-level competition. His pioneering theoretical work (along with fellow Ukrainians Boleslavsky and Efim Geller) in transforming the King's Indian Defence should be remembered, and is evidenced in his key contribution to the 1999 book, Bronstein on the King's Indian. Recent issue of the Izvestia newspaper. ... The Kings Gambit The Kings Gambit is a chess opening that begins (in algebraic notation): 1. ... Efim Petrovich Geller (March 2, 1925 – November 17, 1998) was a Soviet chess player. ... The Kings Indian Defence is a chess opening that begins 1. ...

Bronstein was a chess visionary. He was an early advocate of speeding up competitive chess, and introduced a digital chess clock which adds a small time increment for each move made, a variant of which has become very popular in recent years. He challenged computer programs at every opportunity, usually achieving good results. A typical chess clock. ...

In later years, Bronstein continued to play chess at a very good level (jointly winning the Hastings Swiss 1994-5 at age 70), wrote several important chess books, and inspired young and old alike with endless simultaneous displays, a warm, gracious attitude, and glorious tales of his own, rich chess heritage. His health was in decline in his last couple of years, suffering from high blood pressure, and he died on December 5, 2006, at age 82. Shown within East Sussex Geography Status: Borough Region: South East England Historic County: Sussex Admin. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Trivia

The chess game between "Kronsteen" and "McAdams" in the early part of the James Bond movie From Russia With Love is based on a game played between Bronstein and Boris Spassky, from the 1960 USSR Championship. However, the winner of the game in the movie, "Kronsteen", is in fact playing moves based on those made by Spassky in the real life encounter. [1] The James Bond 007 gun logo James Bond 007 is a fictional British agent [1] created by writer Ian Fleming in 1952. ... A 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition From Russia with Love, is the second James Bond film in the official EON Productions series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the suave and sophisticated British Secret Service agent James Bond. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasski) (Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... The Soviet Top League (Russian: ) was the top division of Soviet Union football. ...

Notable chess games

• Ludek Pachman vs David Bronstein, tt Prague 1946, King's Indian (E67), 0-1 A stunning original tactical onslaught which attracted worldwide acclaim.
• Mikhail Botvinnik vs David Bronstein, WCh Moscow 1951, Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 (E47), 0-1 Although Bronstein had a slight minus record against Botvinnik, he beat Botvinnik several times with the Black pieces. Here's one of his wins from their 1951 World Championship match.
• David Bronstein vs Paul Keres, Goteborg Izt 1955, Nimzo-Indian (E41), 1-0 A dramatic game between two attacking geniuses.
• Stefan Brzozka vs David Bronstein, USSR 1963, Dutch, Leningrad, Main Variation with c6 (A88), 0-1 A surprising and deep positional breakthrough. The most interesting part of the game starts with White's 42nd move, trying to sacrifice an exchange in order to achieve a seemingly sterile blocked position.
• David Bronstein vs Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Petropolis Izt 1973, Alekhine's, Four Pawns' (B03), 1-0 A long-range rook sacrifice eventually brings home the point in scintillating style to win the First Brilliancy Prize.

See also

• Game clock - for Bronstein delay

A typical chess clock. ...

References

• The Oxford Companion to Chess (Hooper and Whyld) - 1984
• (Guinness) Chess; The Records (Whyld) - 1986
• International Championship Chess (Kazic) - 1974
• The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Sunnucks) - 1970
• Two Hundred Open Games (McMillan) - 1973
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Cadogan) - 1995
• Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953 (English Translation Dover) - 1979

Further reading

• Twelve Great Chess Players and Their Best Games by Irving Chernev; Dover; August 1995. ISBN 0-486-28674-6

External links

• David Bronstein at ChessGames.com

• 40 winning combinations in Bronstein's games
• Bronstein obituary at Guardian Unlimited
• [2] Chessbase article in Memoriam