FIDE regrets to announce the death of Grandmaster David Bronstein in Minsk, Belarus on 5 December 2006.

David Ionovich Bronstein was born 19 February 1924 in Bila Tserkva, near Kyiv, Ukraine.

The Champion of Ukraine (1939), of Moscow (1946), of USSR (1948 and 1949). The winner of the first Interzonal tournament (1948) and the first Candidates Tournament in Budapest (1950)

He drew the challenge match for the title of world champion by a score of 12-12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion (1951).

He represented USSR at the Olympiads of 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958, winning board prizes at each of them. See Bronstein's overall Olympic record.

David Bronstein also wrote a number of chess books and articles. Many of them like Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953, The Modern Chess Self Tutor, 200 Open Games became bestsellers.

He was one of the strongest chess players in the world. His games demonstrated a high degree of creativity, fantasy, tactical ingenuity, and surprise.

/ from fide.com /

by Moshe Pyernik @ 06 Dec 2006 07:13 pm

In an interview that was published in NIC a few years ago, GM David Bronstein somewhat sadly indicated that he is only remembered with respect to his match against Botvinik and his book about the Zurich 1953 tournament. Could one ask for more than these two fantastic achievements?

by Eugene Kuzikov @ 07 Dec 2006 06:54 pm

GM David Bronstein was one of the pioneers of computer chess.

by Frank Dixon @ 31 Jan 2007 04:58 pm

GM David Bronstein achieved at the top level in everything he attempted in chess: playing, analyzing, writing, and innovating. He will always be remembered by true chess lovers.