Bronstein, David Ionovich: Soviet grandmaster and chess writer

Bronstein, David Ionovich – Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, a contender for the title of world champion of 1951, the two-time champion of the USSR. Bronstein was one of the strongest players in the world since the mid-1940s to mid-1970s. Colleagues called him a creative genius and a master tactician. In addition, he was a well-known chess writer and his book “the international tournament of grandmasters” has become a real ENCYCLOPAEDIA for beginners and more experienced players.

Childhood and youth

Bronstein David Ionovich was born 19 February 1924 in Bila Tserkva (Ukraine) on the territory of the former USSR, was brought up in a poor Jewish family. Father - Jonah Miller - was an ordinary worker at a flour factory, and his mother, Mariya Davydovna, was chief of the Department on work among women (Department of workers and peasants) to the district Committee. In 1926 the Bronstein family moved to the city of Berdyansk, near the Azov coast, and soon, four years later, moved to Kiev. Here Bronstein David Ionovich first goes to school. The boy was well enough, however, the greatest attraction he felt for the various sections and mugs – was fond of mathematics, chess and aeromodelling.

The Kiev chess school

At the age of six his grandfather taught him to play chess, and soon the game becomes almost the most important sense of life. The guy is constantly spending time at the chess Board, he could play even against himself. At the age of twelve David wins his first chess tournament (the competition was held as part of the school). This achievement was the motivating factor to enroll in a chess section. His coach was a famous international chess master Alexander of Constantinople.

Recommended

Competition is the rivalry between participants in the market economy. Types and functions of competition

Competition – a concept inherent in a market economy. Every participant in the financial and commercial relations, seeks to take the best place in the environment where it must operate. For this reason, there is stiff competition. The struggle ...

The mayor: powers and duties. Elections of the mayor

Normal functioning of all systems of the settlement, competent and timely execution of tasks in the sphere of economic, social and other areas of development is impossible without control of the mayor. But how voters can evaluate the quality of work ...

Francisco Franco: biography and political activities

When the civil war began in Spain, General Francisco Franco (Francisco Paulino of Hermenegildo Teodulo Franco Bahamonde - full name) celebrated its arakatzailea, but he seemed already tired of life and much older than his years. To unpresentable appe...

Chess school influenced the development of the skills of young chess players, and soon the fifteen-year-old David Bronstein takes part in the Kiev championship in chess, where it takes second place. By the following year, sixteen-year-old David won the title of master of sports (1940), taking second place in the championship of Ukraine on chess.

Dark times

In 1937, the Bronstein family is going through a serious tragedy – father repress as an enemy of the people and wins the conclusion of the camp for 7 years. In the future, this fact is reflected in the fate of David. After graduating from high school in 1941, a young chess player had plans to study mathematics at Kiev University, but “stained” the reputation of the family blocked the road to the University.

The Great Patriotic war: the life of a chess player

During the great Patriotic war, a young chess player was forced to travel to the city of Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz), in the Caucasus, because he was sent to work in one of the hospitals (laws of war). In the Soviet army, a young chess player does not hit because of poor vision. Bronstein, David Ionovich repeatedly asked to voluntarily go to the front, but didn't take it. In 1943, when he completed the battle of Stalingrad, Bronstein, along with youth brigade sent to urban reconstruction. During working hours he worked in construction, and by night studied and improved variations of chess openings, writing down the combinations on scraps of paper.

After the red army's victory over Nazi Germany, a young Bronstein was invited to Moscow to take part in the thirteenth national championship in chess in which David speaks with a rather poor result: anger stimulates the player to develop further. However, in 1945 Bronstein David Ionovich entered the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute where you will study for only one year.

Achievements and titles

Incredible natural talent Bronstein even more appeared after the great Patriotic war. In 1946, he defeated all opponents in a chess tournament of the championship of Moscow, and in 1948 and 1949 he won the USSR Championships in chess. The first major international triumph Bronstein was at the tournament in the town of Saltsjöbaden (Sweden) in 1948, where it was awarded the title of grandmaster.

In 1950, Budapest hosted the candidates tournament in chess, in which Bronstein confident even with such strong players as Isaac Boleslavsky, Gideon Stahlberg and Paul Keres. As a result, Soviet grandmaster became the winner of the candidates tournament in 1950, and now in the way of David was only the champion of the world & ndash; Mikhail Botvinnik.

Match for the world title against Botvinnik

In 1951, playing for the title of world champion was found Mikhail Botvinnik (the world champion) and David Bronstein (chess player who won the candidates tournament). The world chess community did not share the opinion that Bronstein can be some chances of winning – all rooting for Mikhail Botvinnik. The game was equal and very difficult for both teams after the seventh game the score was 4 : 3 in favor of the current champion. The struggle continued, the players take turns winning each other or agreed to a draw. Young Bronstein played perfectly, sometimes it seemed that the Challenger will become the champion. Such a momentwas! The overall score after the 22nd party was Bronstein – 11.5 to about 10.5. There were only two parties to the honorary title of “world champion”. David Ionovich fought as best they could, but the penultimate party lost miserably, having played a dubious endgame. The last game ended in a draw-the score was 12 : 12. Mikhail Botvinnik the last breath confirmed the right to wear the chess crown. Under the rules of the chess world Cup, a draw – it is a testimony that title was reserved by the current champion.

Bronstein responded quite calmly and even with humor, saying: “Nothing, if I have Botvinnik, would you all looked at me with their mouths open”.