BIRTHS

Yuraj Nikolac (1932), a Croatian Grandmaster.
Gennady Sagalchik (1969), an American Grandmaster born in Belarus.
Elena Krjuchkova (1969)an Uzbek Woman Grandmaster.
Marius Manolache.(1973), a Romanian Grandmaster
Jean-Noel Riff (1981), a French Grandmaster.

DEATHS

Alexander Fritz (15.01.1857-1932), a German Master known for the variation of  Two Knights Defense  (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4).
Sandor Takacs (10.02 1893-1932) a Hungarian Master who was a member of the Hungarian team at the 1930 Olympiad.
Lajos Steiner (14.06.1903-1975) was a strong Hungarian–born Australian International Master who emigrated to Australia before WWII and became few times Australian Champion.

WORLD EVENTS

1500 Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil.
1864 The U.S. Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864 that mandates that the inscription In God We Trust be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.
1864 The U.S. Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864 that mandates that the inscription In God We Trust be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.
1876 Tsjaikovsky completes his “Swan Lake” ballet
1915 The use of poison gas in World War I escalates when chlorine gas is released as a chemical weapon in the Second Battle of Ypres.
1945 World War II: Führerbunker: After learning that Soviet forces have taken Eberswalde without a fight, Adolf Hitler admits defeat in his underground bunker and states that suicide is his only recourse.
1951 Ticker-tape parade for General MacArthur in NYC
1977 Optical fiber is first used to carry live telephone traffic.
2005 Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi apologizes for Japan’s war record.
(Source: Wikipedia and Onthisday)

GAME OF THE DAY