Friedrich Oldlon, Grandmaster, who led Iceland’s rise in chess, dies at 90

Fridrik Olafsson, Grandmaster chess who helped make his hometown of Iceland a stronghold of the game, died partially by beating four heroes in the world, including Bobby Fisher, the dominant American player, on Friday in Reykavik, the country’s capital. It was 90.

The death, in the hospital, was Declare By the International Chess Federation, the Game Management Authority. He was the president of the organization from 1978 to 1982, when he was known as the World Chess Union.

Mr. Olafon’s ascension to the chess highlands was unexpected; Iceland was not known as chess force at the time. But by the eighties of the last century, because of his great example, he had more Grandmasters for the individual more than any other country.

Mr. Olafun learned the teacher almost himself, and he learned the game by watching his father playing.

One day, when he was 7 or 8 years old, he was studying with the interest of his father’s movements on the chess board in a friendly match against a relative, as Mr. Oldon said in an interview with this obituary in 2014. Frederick did and won.

He played in his first championship at the age of 11. When he was 13 years old, he was a master’s level and among the 15 best players in Iceland. At the age of 17, he won the National Championship, the first six titles.

He continued to win the 1953 Scandinavian championship and participate first with Victor KorchenwiOne of the best players in the twentieth century, at the Himings International Chess Conference 1955-1956, which was then one of the best tournaments in the world, in Hastings, England.

In 1958, he qualified for the Penzonia championship in Portoz, Yugoslavia, where he met, then hit, Mr. Fischer. He and Mr. Fischer tied fifth, who qualified for the candidates championship, which was chosen to choose a competitor to the world championship. Mr. Olvon, Grandmaster, made a play in that tournament, which made him one of about 50 in the world at the time.

In the 1959 candidates’ Championship, also in Yugoslavia, he did not do so, as he finished seventh among eight competitors. He said, “I was not really ready.” “I just came very quickly.”

He will never compete in that tournament again.

While continuing competition from time to time, Mr. Olvon began to focus more to become a lawyer, study at the Icelandic Academy of Law and Iceland University, then work in the Icelandic Ministry of Justice.

But then, in 1972, Reagapik was chosen as a world championship site between Mr. Fischer and Boris SpaskyThe hero of government from Russia.

Mr. Fischer won what became known as the “Century Match”, which sparked global chess interest. Mr. Olafon’s passion also regained the game. He decided to take another stab in playing professionally.

He said, “I wanted to see how much I can achieve.”

His second work period did not succeed, although he linked him to the first annual championship at Wijk Aan Zee, the Netherlands, ahead of the top players like MichaelFormer world champion.

Mr. Olafun, the fourth president of the World Chess Federation, was elected in 1978. It was dominated by his case by issues surrounding the competition between Anatoli Karpov, the hero of the Soviet Union, and Mr. Korshnawi, the former Soviet star who defected to the West in 1976.

Mr. Karpov and Mr. Korchenwi played in the championship in the Philippines before Mr. Oldon took office, in what was easily the bitter match in history: Mr. Karpov kept the title by winning six games and lost five, with 21 games in the clouds.

In 1981, Mr. Korchenwi qualified again to confront Mr. Karpov, this time in Italy. But the wife of Mr. Korshnawi, Bella, and her son, Igor, was prevented from going out to leave the Soviet Union; Igor was imprisoned for refusing to join the Soviet army.

Mr. Olafun sought to obtain his release and postpone the match for three months while traveling to Moscow for negotiation. In the end, the Soviet authorities agreed to release the family members, but only after the match, which Mr. Karpov won easily.

Despite the decision, the Soviet authorities pressed the re -election of Mr. Olafun as President of the Federation in 1982, and threw their support for Florencio CampomanesFilipini, who won the job. Mr. Olafon retired from chess again. In 1983, he was appointed Minister of the Icelandic Parliament and held this position for 22 years until he retired in 2005.

He was born in Reykavik on January 26, 1935.

Among the survivors of his wife, Odor Juliotemoter. His daughters, Bergvot and edition; Five grandchildren and five grandchildren.

During his career, Mr. Olafun scored two victories for each of them, Mr. Fischer, Mr. Tal Tigran PetrosianArmenian Sofiti player who was six years old world champion before Mr. Spacci won the title.

Mr. Karpov also faced the World Championships, in Buenos Aires in 1980, but under curiosity. Mr. Olafon was attending his opening ceremony as president of the World Chess Federation when a single competitor did not appear; Mr. Olafon was recruited to fill the vacancies. This led him to a match against Mr. Karpov, who considered everything that was not defeated at the time.

Mr. Olafon won, to become the only president to sit for the federation who beat the ruling world champion in an official competition.

Ash Wu The reports contributed.