February 8, 2022, marks the 100^th birthday of the great Russian chess master, the oldest living World Grand Master, and one of the most senior members of the Russian Imperial and Royal Orders, Iurii Lvovich Averbakh

(See https://chesswood.ru/biography/yuri-averbakh.html.)

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Iurii Averbakh was born in Kaluga on February 8, 1922, into the family of a forest manager, Lev Lazarevich Averbakh. In 1925 his family moved to Moscow. There Iurii Lvovich studied at the former Medvednikovskaya gymnasium on Starokonyushenny Lane. From childhood he loved classical literature and sports. He tried a number of different sports but in the end he chose chess, for which he had a natural aptitude since the age of 3 and which he began to play seriously from the age of 7.

He graduated from the Moscow Higher Technical Institute. During the Second World War, he repaired tanks and other heavy equipment at a military base near Naro-Fominsk.

Iurii Lvovich won the All-Union School-Age Tournament in 1938. He became of Master of Sport of the USSR in 1944, and three-time winner of the Moscow Championship Tournament (in 1949, 1950, and 1962). He was also won the Chess Championship of the USSR (in 1954). He competed in 15 other championship tournaments of the USSR, and in the Spartakiade of the Peoples of the USSR as part of the Moscow Team: in 1959, taking first place, and in 1963, taking second.

He made his international debut at the 1949 Moscow - Budapest Match-Tournament. As part of the USSR national team, he won the European team championships (in 1957 and 1965). He also won a number of other international competitions: Dresden (1956); Jakarta (1960, 1979); Adelaide (1960); Vienna (1961); Moscow (1962); Rio de Janeiro (1965); Christchurch (1967); Bucharest (1971); Polanica-Zdrój (1975); the A. K. Rubinshtein Memorial Match, and others. As part of the USSR national team, he participated in matches against chess players from Argentina, Great Britain, the USA, Uruguay, France, Sweden, and Yugoslavia.

He was a member of the “Zenith” Sports Society.

He was a member of the Executive Committee (1978–1982) and Central Committee of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) (1974–1982). He was the chairman of FIDE’s Qualifications Commission, co-chair of the Planning and Development Commission (1978—1986), and co-chair of the Communications and Publications Commission (1986–1991). He was also the chair (1972–1977) and vice-chair (1962–1972, 1978–1991) of the Chess Federation of the USSR.

He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the bulletin Chess Moscow (1958-1962), and the journals Chess in the USSR and The Chess Bulletin (1962-1991), and was also Assistant Editor of the encyclopedic dictionary Chess (1981-1991). For years he was the host of the TV program “Chess School” (1969-1991).

Iurii Lvovich was a chess theorist, historian, and writer. He authored studies of famous chess matches, and made a particularly significant contribution to the theory of openings. He also is the author of classic studies of endgames. Many works by Iurii Lvovich have been translated into foreign languages. For his numerous achievements he was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1981), and the medal “For Valorous Labors” (1957).

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia awarded him the Imperial Order of St. Anna III Class, the Imperial and Royal Order of St. Stanislaus II Class, and the Imperial Order of St. Anna II Class, the insignia of which were personally presented to him by H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia.

On the eve of his 100^th birthday, and by a Decree dated November 8/21, 2021, Iurii Lvovich Averbakhk was awarded the Imperial and Royal Order of St. Stanislaw I Class by Her Imperial Highness, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Russian and international chess. As a result of this award, he also became a hereditary nobleman.

The Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, her son and heir, H.I.H. The Grand Duke George of Russia, and his spouse, H.S.H. Princess Victoria Romanovna, wish Iurii Lvovich good health and happiness.

Members of Her Imperial Highness’s Chancellery join Their Imperial Highnesses in congratulating Iurii Lvovich on his milestone birthday.

#Авербах #шахматы #чемпионСССРпошахматам #ФИДЕ #шахматнаяфедерация