1 November 2015

Isaac Linder Passed Away

The famous chess historian and writer was 94.

Famous chess historian and writer Isaac Maxovich Linder (20.11.1920 – 31.10.2015) passed away in Moscow on October 31.

He learned chess at school, studying at the Young Pioneers Stadium together with Vassily Smyslov, Yury Averbakh, and Vladimir Simagin. At the age of 14 he participated in a simul of Emanuel Lasker, and the former World Champion praised his play. Having graduated from the school with honors, Isaac Linder enrolled the History faculty of the Moscow State University. Upon competition of the education in 1943, joined the military and participated in the Great Patriotic War. Received a medal “For the victory over Germany”. 

After the war, Isaac Maxovich became a radio journalist and chess columnist in popular magazines “Znanie-Sila”, “Nauka I Zhizn”, and APN Sputnik magazine.

In 1947 he also started exploring the history of chess. He published more than 500 titles, including more than 50 books, many of which written together with his son Vladimir. 

Isaac Linder was a consultant of the Soviet-Cuban film Capablanca (1986), where he also played an episodic role of grandmaster Rudolf Spielman.

He was one of the initiators and main authors of the Chess Encyclopedic Dictionary (1990).

His last book is dedicated to first Russian chess master Alexander Petrov. The book was put on hold for 20 years, but this year was prepared for print by publisher Andrey Elkov. For the last half a year Isaac Maxovich was supervising the pre-printing treatment of the book and expected its publication...

Russian Chess Federation expresses deep condolences to relatives and friends of Isaac Maxovich Linder.