Nikolic Predrag (11.09.1960)

Bosnian Grandmaster (1982) who lived in Holland for few years. Former coach of Cyprus and Turkish national teams. Vice European Champion in 2004, Champion of Bosnia in 2007.

Nikolic started to play chess at 7 years old, he became Yugoslav U20 Champion in 1978. Twice Yugoslav Champion in 1980 and 1984, he escaped the Balkan war in 1996 and moved to Holland where he became Dutch Champion in 1997 and 1999.

Best results: won or shared first at Nis 1977, Smederevska Palanka 1977, Sarajevo 1983, Vrsac 1983, Smederevska Palanka 1984, Kraljevo and Novi-Sad1984, Reykjavik and Bor 1986, Sarajevo and Havana 1987, Wijk aan Zee 1989, Ljubljana 1989, Sibenik 1989, Bled 1991, Wijk aan Zee 1994, Reykjavik 1996, Selfoss Milk Master 2002 and 2003, Noteboom Memorial (NED) 2008, Leiden Open 2010. Qualified for the 1991 Candidates, he lost his quarter-final match on tie-break to Boris Gelfand 4-4. In a match, he beat Henrique Mecking in Sao Polo 3½-2½

A participant in the World Championships in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004. A participant in the Olympiads between 1980-84 and in 1990 for Yugoslavia at board 6 where he was awarded an individual gold for the best performance. At the 1983 European Team Championship, he took a team silver and an  individual gold medals. As a member of the Bosnian team, he won a team silver medal for the second place at the Moscow 1994 Olympiad.

Peak rating: 2671 in 2004, he was the fifth best world-ranked player between 1988 and 1987.