BIRTHS

Rudolf Spielmann (1883–20.08.1942), an Austrian Master. He was known as “The Master of Attack”.
Andor Lilienthal (1911-08.05.2010), a Soviet-born Hungarian Grandmaster. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living Grandmaster.
Carlos Bielecki (1940), an Argentine International Master who won the World Junior Championship in 1959.
Roman Dzindzihashvili (1944), US Grandmaster and author born in Georgia who won the U.S. Championship in 1983 and again in 1989.
Konstantine Shanava (1985), a Georgian Grandmaster who was World U16 champion in 2001.
Volodymyr Eryomenko (1987), a Ukrainian Grandmaster.
Natalia Zhukova (1979), Ukrainian Grandmaster born in Germany who was twice European Women’s Champion.

DEATH

Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (17.08.1911-1995), Soviet Grandmaster who was the 5th World Champion (mostly from 1948-1963).

CHESS EVENTS

1928 Netherland. E. Bogoljubov (USSR) became the first official Champion of FIDE as a result of defeating Dr. Max Euwe (NED) by the score 4½ -3½. The games were played in Amsterdam and The Hague.
2001 Almira Skripchenko-Lautier of Moldova won the European Women’s Championship held in Warsaw.

WORLD EVENTS

1494 Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Jamaica and claims it for Spain.
1821 Emperor Napoleon dies in exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
1835 The first railway in continental Europe opens between Brussels and Mechelen.
1912 Pravda, the “voice” of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, begins publication in Saint Petersburg.
1925 The government of South Africa declares Afrikaans an official language.
1936 Italian troops occupy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
1955 West Germany gains full sovereignty.
2005 Tony Blair’s Labour Party is re-elected for a third consecutive term in UK general election.
(Source: Wikipedia-Onthisday)

GAME OF THE DAY