Gurgenidze Bukhuty Ivanovich (13.11.1933 – 24.05.2008)

Georgian Grandmaster (1970), a geologist by profession. He played in 9 USSR championships between 1957 and 1985, peaking in 1958 when he was equal seventh. He was twelve times Georgian champion between 1958 and 1986. He became a GM for Chess Composition in 1990 and the USSR Champion of Chess Composition.

Best results: Equal first with Mihail Tal at Tbilisi 1969-70 and at Olomouc in 1976. A member of the Soviet team that won the Gold medals at the World Student Olympiads of 1957 and 1958. Gurgenidze was the trainer of Maya Chiburdanidze, Nana Ioseliani and Nana Alexandria.

His name is attached to the Gurgenidze Variation in the Sicilian defence: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.b4 and a system of the Modern Defence: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5.

Peak rating: 2540 in 1971.