Igor Bondarevsky

Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky (Russian: Игорь Захарович Бондаревский) (May 12, 1913, Rostov-on-the-Don, Russia – June 14, 1979, Pyatigorsk) was a Soviet Russian chess Grandmaster in both over-the-board and correspondence chess, an International Arbiter, a trainer, and an author of chess books. Bondarevsky shared the 1940 Soviet title, and later coached World Champion Boris Spassky.

Early years

Igor Bondarevsky played in the 5th Russian Championship, Gorky 1935, scoring 4/9 for a tied 6-7th place; the winner was Alexander Tolush. He won the All-Union First Category tournament, Leningrad 1936, with 11.5/14, unbeaten, by two points. Bondarevsky struggled at Moscow 1937, his first international event, with just 2.5/7 for a tied 7-8th place; the winner was Reuben Fine. But he recovered with a solid performance in his first Soviet Chess Championship final, URS-ch10, Tbilisi 1937, with 9.5/19 and a shared 10-12th place; the winner was Grigory Levenfish. Bondarevsky qualified from URS-ch11sf 1938 with 10.5/17, for a shared 3rd-4th place; the winner was Mikhail Botvinnik. Another disappointing performance followed at the very strong international Leningrad / Moscow 1939 with only 5/17 for 17th place; the winner was Salo Flohr. But he was gaining experience against top-class fields, and this would pay off in the years ahead.

Joins Soviet elite, Soviet Champion

Bondarevsky joined the Soviet elite level with 6th place at URS-ch11, Leningrad 1939, with 10/17; the winner was Mikhail Botvinnik. This exempted him from qualifying for the next Soviet final. Bondarevsky reached his career peak with a share of the Soviet title in URS-ch12, Moscow 1940, along with Andor Lilienthal. This qualified him into the 1941 Absolute Championship of the USSR, staged in Leningrad and Moscow, along with eventual winner Mikhail Botvinnik, runner-up Paul Keres, Isaac Boleslavsky, Vasily Smyslov, and Lilienthal. This was one of the strongest tournaments ever held up to that stage, with six of the world's top 15 players. Botvinnik won, with Bondarevsky in sixth place.

Bondarevsky played in the 1948 Interzonal at Saltsjobaden, placing in a tie for 6th-9th places, and qualifying on to the Candidates' tournament at Budapest 1950, but because of illness, was unable to play. Bondarevsky was named an International Grandmaster in 1950 by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) on its inaugural list. He was awarded the International Arbiter title in 1954, and the title for International Grandmaster of Correspondence Chess (GMC) in 1961. He was an economist by profession.

Coaches the World Champion

He was not only an outstanding player, but he coached Boris Spassky during his ascent to the World Chess Championship, beginning in the early 1960s, and culminating with Spassky's win over Tigran Petrosian in the 1969 title match.

His wife, Valentina Kozlovskaya, was a notable chess player, too.

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