Viktor Korchnoi, Russian-born Swiss chess player, Died at 85

  Sports

Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi March 23, 1931, and died on June 6, 2016.

He was a professional chess grandmaster and author.

Viktor was regarded one of the strongest players never to have become World Chess Champion.

Born in Leningrad, Soviet Union, Korchnoi defected to the Netherlands in 1976 and later resided in Switzerland for many years.

He played three matches against Anatoly Karpov.

During 1974, Viktor lost the Candidates final to Karpov, who was declared world champion in 1975 when Bobby Fischer refused to defend his title.

He has won two consecutive Candidates cycles to qualify for World Championship matches with Karpov in 1978 and 1981, losing both.

Viktor Korchnoi was a candidate for the World Championship on ten occasions (1962, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1991).

Viktor Korchnoi was also a four-time USSR chess champion, a five-time member of Soviet teams that won the European championship, and a six-time member of Soviet teams that won the Chess Olympiad.

During September 2006, Korchnoi won the World Senior Chess Championship.

He died in the Swiss city of Wohlen.

Viktor Korchnoi passed away at 85 yrs old.