2003 World Chess Hall
of Fame Inductees
FIDE named the following five to join the inaugural five inducted last year (Paul Morphy, Wilhelm Steinitz, Robert Fischer, Emanuel Lasker, Jose Raul Capablanca). Each inductee is represented by a plaque that includes a photo of the hall of famer and a paragraph that summarizes his or her career. Below is the text on the plaque from each 2003 inductee.
(1911-1995)
The 6th world champion, Botvinnik lent his name to an era. Winning the title in 1948, he lost and recaptured it against Smyslov and Tal before bowing out after his final title loss to Petrosian in 1963. Botvinnik’s first great success was equal first at Nottingham 1936. He dominated tournament play in the 1940s, developing rigorous training methods and a scientific style emphasizing whole systems of play extending from the opening to the ending. In later years, he devoted himself to developing computer chess.
(1936-1992)
The 8th world champion (1960-61), Tal was the fiercest attacking player ever to hold the title. As a young and irresistible force, he was Soviet champion in 1957 and 1958, interzonal winner in 1958, conqueror of the legendary Bled candidates’ matches in 1959, and the youngest world champion until that time in 1960. Tal was stopped by an immovable Botvinnik and bad health in 1961. But his romantic revolution was not. Many players were inspired by his highly creative and explosive style.
(1929-1984)
The 9th world champion (1963-69), Petrosian ended the Botvinnik era, which had lasted 15 years. Petrosian defended his title successfully in 1966 (against Spassky) becoming the first titleholder since 1934 to do so. After losing the title to the same opponent, Petrosian continued playing in candidates’ cycles. On Soviet Olympiad teams, he lost only once, compiling an amazing record of +79 –1 =50. Petrosian seldom attacked directly, preferring slow, subtle maneuvering.
(1921- )
Smyslov, 7th world chess champion (1957-58), won the title from Botvinnik and lost the rematch. In three matches against his great rival, he scored +18 –17 =34. The most successful tournament player of the 1950s, Smyslov won two candidates’ tournaments, including the great Zurich 1953 event. An opera singer, Smyslov seeks harmony in chess, with every move following logically. In 1984, at age 63(!), he again reached the finals of the world championship candidates’ cycle.
(1937- )
Spassky became 10th world champion from by defeating Petrosian in 1969 and lost the crown in 1972 in Reykjavik, Iceland, to Bobby Fischer in the most famous match of all time. World junior champion and a world title candidate by age 18, Spassky showed an early hyper-aggressive brilliance (King’s Gambits were a specialty) that matured into seamless universality. He played openings, middlegames and endings equally brilliantly. His stunning 15th move against David Bronstein was immortalized in the film classic “From Russia with Love.”
2003
US Chess Hall of Fame Inductees
The US Chess Federation and US Chess Trust inducted three new hall of famers, who joined the 31 previous inductees. (The US Hall was started in 1986.) Below is the text on the plaques of the 2003 US inductees.
(1945- )
Alburt is famed as a grandmaster of both chess and chess teaching. A three-time US champion (1984, 1985, 1990), he also won, among other titles, the European Cup (1976, 1979) and the US Open (1987, 1989). Raised in Odessa, Ukraine, he escaped the old Soviet Union in 1979 and moved to New York City. Alburt now devotes his chess life to teaching, writing and publishing. The Comprehensive Chess Course, which he co-authored and published, is an all-time bestseller.
(1949- )
Born in Sydney, Australia of an American father and Australian mother, Browne is six-time US champion, 11-time National Open champ, 7-time American Open king, 3-time US Open winner, and 3-time World Open winner. He was a dominant presence in American Chess in 1970 & 1980’s. His many international firsts include Reykjavik 1978, Wijk-aan-Zee 1980, Surakarta 1982 and Naestved 1985. Always a favorite of spectators, Browne seeks hair-raising complications regardless of time pressure. A world-class speed chess player, in 1988 he formed the World Blitz Chess Association.
(1930-1976)
Byrne neared the pinnacle of world chess in the 1950s, armed with an aggressive, no-draw style. In the 1954 USA-USSR team match, he stunned world title candidate and Soviet champion Averbakh, +3 – 1, and then won a brilliancy prize against the great Efim Geller in the 1955 return match. Byrne won the 1953 US Open and was on 3 US Olympiad teams. Although plagued by illness, Byrne still beat or drew world champions Smyslov, Fischer, Petrosian and Tal. Professionally, Byrne was an associate professor at Penn State University, where he was beloved by the chess team he coached.
