Nikolai Krogius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nikolai Krogius |
|
|---|---|
Krogius in 1995, Bad Liebenzell
|
|
| Full name | Nikolai Vladimirovich Krogius |
| Country | Russia |
| Born | 22 July 1930 Saratov, Russian SFSR, USSR |
| Died | 14 July 2022 (aged 91) New York City, U.S. |
| Title | Grandmaster |
| Peak rating | 2575 (January 1971) |
Nikolai Vladimirovich Krogius (Russian: Николай Владимирович Крогиус) was a famous Russian chess player. He was born on July 22, 1930, and passed away on July 14, 2022. He earned the title of Grandmaster, which is the highest title a chess player can achieve.
Nikolai Krogius was more than just a chess player. He was also an International Arbiter, a psychologist, a chess coach, and an author. He won many chess tournaments, especially in the city of Sochi in Russia. He also played in seven Soviet Chess Championship finals. At his best, in 1967, he was ranked among the top 20 chess players in the world!
He earned a special degree called a doctorate in psychology. He focused on sports psychology, which helps athletes perform their best. He was a coach for the World Chess Champion Boris Spassky. Krogius also led the USSR Chess Federation, which was a big chess organization. He wrote or helped write five chess books. In 1993, he even shared the title of World Senior Chess Championship winner.
Contents
Early Chess Adventures
Nikolai Krogius started playing chess at a young age. In 1946, he played in the Soviet Junior Championship in Leningrad. He didn't win, but he was competing against future stars like Tigran Petrosian.
He slowly got better and better. In 1949, he played in a tough tournament in Leningrad. This was a semi-final for the Soviet Championship. He didn't make it to the final round that time. He kept trying and improving his skills.
In 1954, Krogius was chosen to play for the Soviet team in the World Student Olympiad in Oslo. He played very well, winning seven out of nine games. His team won a silver medal. He was steadily climbing up the ranks in the strong Soviet chess world.
Reaching the Soviet Final
Krogius finally qualified for his first Soviet Championship final in 1957. The final tournament was held in Riga in 1958. He played well for his first time, finishing in the top half of the players. This showed he was already playing at an International Master level.
He also played for the USSR team in matches against other countries. He played against Bulgaria in 1957 and Yugoslavia in 1958. These were important experiences for him. He continued to play in Soviet finals, getting better results over time.
In 1960, he got his first chance to play in an international tournament in Varna. He tied for first place there. He earned the title of International Master in 1963, which is a high honor in chess.
Becoming a Grandmaster
Nikolai Krogius achieved a big win in 1964 at the Chigorin Memorial tournament in Sochi. He finished clearly in first place. This amazing performance earned him the highest title in chess: Grandmaster! He received this title later that same year.
He continued to play strongly in many tournaments. In 1965, he was part of the USSR team for the European Team Championships in Hamburg. He won a gold medal for his performance on his board. His team also won the overall gold medal.
Krogius got a special chance to play in a tournament in Western Europe in 1966. This was a big deal because the Soviet Chess Federation controlled who could travel. He played well, sharing second and third place. He also had great results in other tournaments, including sharing first place at Sochi in 1967.
At his peak, around 1967-1968, chess experts ranked him as high as 17th or 18th in the world. This shows how strong a player he was. He won another tournament in Varna in 1969.
Coaching a World Champion
Nikolai Krogius earned his special degree in psychology. He became an expert in sports psychology, especially for chess players. This led him to become a coach for Boris Spassky. Spassky was a top chess player who became World Champion in 1969. Krogius helped Spassky prepare for his big matches.
He also helped Spassky in the famous 1972 World Chess Championship match against Bobby Fischer in Reykjavík. This match was called the "Match of the Century." Even while coaching, Krogius continued to play in tournaments himself.
He played in his last Soviet Championship final in 1971. Over the years, he played in seven Soviet finals, which were always very challenging tournaments.
Later Years and Legacy
By the mid-1970s, Krogius started playing in fewer tournaments. He began to focus more on writing chess books. He wrote or co-wrote five books that helped others learn about chess.
He also took on important roles in chess administration. He was the captain of the USSR team in a big match against the Rest of the World in London in 1984. He even served as the President of the USSR Chess Federation. He was also a key person on Anatoly Karpov's team for the World Championship match in 1990.
In the 1990s, Krogius returned to playing chess in "Senior" tournaments for older players. In 1993, he tied for first place at the World Senior Championship in Bad Wildbad. He continued to play actively until 1998.
Nikolai Krogius was a unique person in chess history. He was one of the first to combine a career as a professional sports psychologist with his love for chess. He helped World Champion Boris Spassky and played a big role in chess organizations. He was known for his tactical playing style, often winning against other strong players. He showed that you can have success both on the chessboard and in other fields.
Personal Life
Nikolai Krogius was born in Saratov on July 22, 1930. He was married to Irina and they had two daughters. He passed away in New York City on July 14, 2022, at the age of 91.
