Lubomir Kavalek, international chess grandmaster, dies at 77
Press
Published on: January 19, 2021
Shortly after earning the title of international grandmaster in 1965, Lubomir Kavalek was told by Czech chess legend Karel Opocensky, “You are now nailed to the chess board.” The words proved prophetic. Over the next five decades, Kavalek became a towering figure in chess—winning championships in both Czechoslovakia and the U.S., assisting Bobby Fischer in his legendary 1972 victory over Boris Spassky, and writing a long-running chess column. He passed away on Jan. 18 at 77, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the game.
Shortly after Lubomir Kavalek was named an international grandmaster of chess in 1965, he was aboard a train en route to Prague when a countryman, the celebrated Czech player Karel Opocensky, made an observation that proved prophetic.
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