Igor Bondarevsky facts for kids

Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky (Russian: Игорь Захарович Бондаревский) was a famous Soviet Russian chess player. He was born on May 12, 1913, and passed away on June 14, 1979. Igor Bondarevsky was also a coach and wrote books about chess.

He earned the highest title in chess, a Grandmaster, for playing chess both in person and by mail (called correspondence chess). He even shared the title of Soviet Champion in 1940. Later, he became the coach for Boris Spassky, who went on to become a World Chess Champion.

Becoming a Chess Star

Igor Bondarevsky started playing in big chess tournaments when he was young. In 1935, he played in the 5th Russian Championship. The next year, he won a tournament in Leningrad without losing a single game! This big win helped him get invited to the Soviet Championship.

His first international tournament was in Moscow in 1937. He then played in his first Soviet Chess Championship in Tbilisi the same year. He kept improving and qualified for the 11th USSR Championship semifinal in 1938.

Reaching the Top in Soviet Chess

By 1939, Bondarevsky was among the best chess players in the Soviet Union. He finished sixth at the 11th USSR Championship in Leningrad. This result meant he automatically qualified for the next championship.

His biggest success came in 1940. He shared first place with Andor Lilienthal at the 12th USSR Championship in Moscow. He finished ahead of other strong players like Paul Keres and Mikhail Botvinnik.

Because there were two winners, a special "Absolute USSR Championship" was held in 1941. This tournament brought together the top six players from the 1940 championship. It was one of the strongest chess events of its time.

In 1948, Bondarevsky played in the Interzonal tournament in Saltsjöbaden. This tournament was a step towards the World Chess Championship. He did well enough to qualify for the Candidates Tournament in Budapest in 1950. However, he couldn't play because he became ill.

After that, he played in fewer tournaments. A notable achievement was his second-place finish at the Hastings Congress in 1960/61.

Earning the Grandmaster Title

In 1950, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) created its first list of International Grandmasters. Igor Bondarevsky was one of the 27 players to receive this prestigious title.

He also became an International Arbiter in 1954. This means he could be a judge in international chess games. In 1961, he earned another Grandmaster title, this time for correspondence chess.

Coaching a World Champion

Igor Bondarevsky is well-known for coaching Boris Spassky. He started working with Spassky in the early 1960s. Their hard work paid off when Spassky won the World Chess Championship in 1969. Spassky defeated Tigran Petrosian to become the new champion.

Personal Life

Outside of chess, Igor Bondarevsky worked as an economist. His wife, Valentina Kozlovskaya, was also a talented chess player.

See also

In Spanish: Ígor Bondarevski para niños