Robert Byrne

Born April 20, 1928 in New York

Member quarterfinal match candidates (1974).
Winner of international tournaments Santa Fe (1961), Torremonolis (1976, 77), Harare (1983).
Grandmaster since 1964, Mr..

Robert Byrne - figure in the chess world is rather unusual. Suffice it to say that he became a professional chess at the age when many already are thinking about retirement. A teacher of philosophy of one of New York College, to the end of the sixties, he played only sporadically, occasionally. Nevertheless, by the beginning of the fifties, Robert was already among the leading players in the U.S.. Twice he became the champion of the country, defended the honor of many stripes on the Olympics, since 1952. Yet his chief success Byrne has become a real professional.

Interzonal tournament in Leningrad, 1973. Very few people expected the 45-year-old American grandmaster (still not Fisher and Reshevsky!), Any miracles or revelations were. Many people somehow forgot that Robert has always featured excellent exposure, good knowledge of theory and a keen tactical vision. It is these qualities will guarantee its success in the Leningrad inter-zonal.

Immediately after the tournament Byrne has publicly expressed his desire to play a quarterfinal with Spassky. Illusions about the outcome of this fight is not fed, Robert, but the match with former world champion - good advertising. Dreams Come True. Byrne's opponent in the quarter was just Spassky. Especially the fight in the match did not work. I think Byrne was not in the least upset - his ceiling, he always knew. However, this did not prevent him (and probably even helped) even during the ten years, showing a very decent results. Suffice it to recall the next interzonal in Biel where before falling into the contenders Robert lacked only a half-point.

Robert - excellent chess journalist and commentator. In this once you can convince readers of his chess column in the newspaper "New York Times", as well as the section of parties commented on the magazine "Chess Life".