Aleksandar Matanović (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Александар Матановић; 23 May 1930 – 9 August 2023) was a Serbian chess grandmaster and the founding editor-in-chief of Chess Informant, which publishes the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.
| Aleksandar Matanović | |
|---|---|
 Matanović competing in 1961 | |
| Country | Serbia |
| Born | 23 May 1930 Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| Died | 9 August 2023 (aged 93) |
| Title | Grandmaster (1955) |
| Peak rating | 2525 (January 1976) |
Chess career
editMatanović was junior champion of Yugoslavia in 1948 and awarded the GM title in 1955. He was Yugoslav national champion in 1962 (joint with Minić), 1969 and 1978 (he took second place in 1951, 1956, 1959 and 1967).[1][2]
His main tournament results included second place at the Vrnjacka Banja zonal tournament 1967, first place at Opatija 1953, second at Belgrade 1954, first at Hamburg 1955, first at Beverwijk 1957, tied for first at Buenos Aires 1961, first at Zevenaar 1961 and second at Jerusalem 1964. He had an Elo rating of 2490,[3] and was one of just a few living players in the world with Morphy Number 3. Following the death of Yuri Averbakh at the age of 100 on 7 May 2022, Matanović became the oldest living grandmaster.[4]
Matanović was the author of leading chess encyclopedias and the founding editor-in-chief of Chess Informant, a position he held from 1966. He was also a radio announcer and producer.
Death
editAleksandar Matanović died on 9 August 2023, at the age of 93.[5][6]
Bibliography
edit- Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (five volumes), Chess Informant
- Encyclopaedia of Chess Endings (five volumes), Chess Informant
- Chess as a Destiny
Citations
edit- ^ Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1996) [First pub. 1992], The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 251, ISBN 0-19-280049-3
- ^ Matanović, Aleksander, ed. (1996), Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, Belgrade: Sahovski Informator
- ^ Matanovic, Aleksandar FIDE Online Chess Personal card
- ^ Doggers (PeterDoggers), Peter (16 May 2022). "Yuri Averbakh, 1922-2022". Chess.com. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ "Preminuo Aleksandar Matanović, simbol zlatnog doba našeg šaha". Danas. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ Chessbase.com: Remembering Aleksandar Matanovic (1930-2023)
References
edit- Adriano Chicco, Giorgio Porreca: Dizionario enciclopedico degli scacchi, Mursia, Milano 1971.
External links
edit
- Aleksandar Matanovic rating card at FIDE
- Aleksandar Matanovic player profile and games at Chessgames.com (645 games)
