Mark Taimanov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mark Taimanov |
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Taimanov in 1996
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| Full name | Mark Evgenievich Taimanov |
| Country | Soviet Union → Russia |
| Born | 7 February 1926 Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 28 November 2016 (aged 90) Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Title | Grandmaster (1952) |
| Peak rating | 2600 (July 1971) |
Mark Evgenievich Taimanov (Russian: Марк Евгеньевич Тайманов) was a famous Soviet and Russian chess player. He was born on February 7, 1926, and passed away on November 28, 2016. For over 25 years, from 1946 to 1971, he was one of the world's top 20 chess players.
Taimanov earned the important title of Grandmaster in 1952. He also won the USSR Chess Championship in 1956. He was a candidate for the World Chess Championship in 1953 and 1971. Some chess opening moves are even named after him. Besides chess, Taimanov was also a very talented concert pianist.
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Early Life and Talents
Mark Taimanov was born in Kharkiv, a city where his parents were studying at the time. When he was just six months old, his family moved to Leningrad. His father, Evgeny Taimanov, was an engineer. His mother, Serafima Ilyina, was a piano teacher. She helped Mark discover his love for music.
Mark was the oldest of three children. When he was ten, he acted as a young violinist in a Soviet children's film called Beethoven Concerto (1936). He practiced the violin for a whole year for this role. Years later, famous violinist Isaac Stern even praised his playing in the movie!
During World War II, Mark and his father moved to Tashkent to stay safe. His mother and two siblings stayed in Leningrad. They had to survive the difficult Siege of Leningrad before they could also leave in March 1942.
Chess Career Highlights
Mark Taimanov became an International Master in 1950. Two years later, in 1952, FIDE (the World Chess Federation) gave him the highest title: International Grandmaster. He was consistently among the world's best players for more than 25 years.
Playing for Soviet Teams
Taimanov often played for Leningrad in chess competitions within the Soviet Union. He also represented the "Burevestnik" (Students) sports club in team events.
USSR Chess Championships
He played in the USSR Chess Championship 23 times. This was a record, shared with another famous player, Efim Geller. Taimanov tied for first place twice. In 1952, he lost a playoff match to Mikhail Botvinnik, who was the World Champion at that time. But in 1956, he won the championship title! He tied with Yuri Averbakh and Boris Spassky in the main tournament, then won a special playoff match against them.
The Match Against Bobby Fischer
In 1971, Taimanov played against Bobby Fischer in a very important match. This was part of the Candidates Tournament, where players compete to challenge the World Champion. Taimanov lost the match to Fischer by a score of 6–0. This was a very unusual and surprising result.
Taimanov later said that Fischer was an "incredibly tough defender." After this big loss, the Soviet government was very embarrassed. They found it hard to believe that a Soviet player could lose so badly to an American. They took away Taimanov's salary and stopped him from traveling outside the country. The official reason they gave was that he had brought a forbidden book into the country. However, many believed this was just an excuse for his loss.
Later, the officials "forgave" Taimanov and lifted the travel ban. This might have been because Fischer also won his next matches by very large scores against other strong players. Taimanov wrote a book about this match called How I Became Fischer's Victim. He considered this match a very important moment in his chess career.
Other Tournaments and Team Play
In 2001, Taimanov finished second at the first European Senior Chess Championship. He also played for the USSR in many international team events, winning many gold medals. He helped the Soviet team win gold at the 1956 Chess Olympiad in Moscow. He also won team and board gold medals four times at the European Team Chess Championship.
Taimanov's Chess Legacy
Mark Taimanov is remembered for his strong play. He was one of the few players who managed to beat six different world champions! These champions included Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky, and Anatoly Karpov.
Some chess openings are even named after him. These include variations in the Sicilian Defence, Modern Benoni, and Nimzo-Indian Defence. Taimanov also wrote several books about chess, including some about his own named variations. His favorite chess players were Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal, and Garry Kasparov.
Music Career
Beyond chess, Mark Taimanov was a highly respected concert pianist in the Soviet Union. He formed a famous piano duo with his first wife, Lyubov Bruk. Some of their recordings were even featured in the "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" series. Taimanov was friends with famous musicians like composer Dmitri Shostakovich, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, and pianist Sviatoslav Richter.
Personal Life and Passing
Mark Taimanov was married four times. He had twins when he was 78 years old, meaning there was a 57-year age difference between his oldest child and his youngest. His younger sister, Irina Taimanova, is also well-known as an opera director and TV presenter. Mark Taimanov passed away in Saint Petersburg on November 28, 2016, at the age of 90.
See also
In Spanish: Mark Taimánov para niños
- List of Jewish chess players
