To Gligoric with Love

Tribute by Josip Asik

The best ever chess player in Serbia and ex-Yugoslavia, GM Svetozar Gligoric turned 85 on February 2nd, 2008. On his birthday there was a big celebration tournament, entitled “To Gligoric with Love”, in the city of Pancevo, near to Belgrade. It was the idea of Milorad Mitrovic, international chess organizer, to make this day very special for Gligoric and all chess players in Serbia. In the rapid chess tournament, the number of invited players was limited to exactly 85, in order to show symbolism of Gligoric’s present age.

The living chess legend was warmly welcomed by many chess lovers who came to show him their gratitude and respect. Svetozar Gligorić (Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Глигорић) was born in Belgrade on February 2, 1923, and won the Yugoslav championship eleven times. He earned twelve Chess Olympiad medals, starting with Gold in Dubrovnik 1950 and totalling one gold, six silver and five bronze. He won six medals (5 silver, one bronze) in European championships, the last in 1983. During three decades after II World war he was candidate for World Championship title and one of the best players outside the Soviet Union.

Tournament poster “To Gligoric with Love”

The hall was packed, not a single seat left empty

A gift from the Major of Pancevo, Srdjan Mikovic – a beautiful Danube river landscape

Gligoric with the Nedeljkovic chess family

WGM Verica Nedeljkovic was second on World Chess Championship Candidates Tournament in Plovdiv 1959, her husband Srecko, a well known cardiologist, was the trainer of the Yugoslav national team at the Chess Olympiad in Dubrovnik 1950 (Gold medal!), and their son Milos (left), President of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Belgrade University, is a keen chess enthusiast.

Birthday songs by a local music orchestra

Before the start of the commemorative tournament

The tournament had exactly 85 players, including 23 GMs, 21 IMs, twelve FMs, four WGMs, one WIM and three WFMs. It was a nine round Swiss at 15 minutes per game. Five players shared first, with Serbia's “number one”, GM Ivan Ivanisevic, taking the trophy.

18-26th were IM D. Nestorovic, FM Bogosavljevic, GM Cabrilo, GM Rajkovic, IM Pap, IM Brenjo, IM Z.Arsovic, GM Lajthajm, GM Miladinovic with 5.5 points.

IM Zoran Arsovic and FM Budimir Vujacic, behind IM Sasa Velickovic and IM Misa Pap

GMs Branko Damljanovic and Dragan Solak waiting for their opponents

Top seed GM Ivan Ivanisevic plays FM Boban Bogosavljevic – draw

Trophy for the winner: GM Ivan Ivanisevic with organizers from Pancevo Town

All Photos by Josip Asik, Petar Katanic and Nebojsa Baralic

Josip Asik is a FIDE Master and sports editor of Television Politika in Belgrade, as well as chess columnist of newspaper Vecernje Novosti.