Averbakh Selectedgames News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Early this year GM Yuri Averbakh turned 100 and set a world record. He became the oldest ever grandmaster in chess history. Sadly, he passed away in May. Averbakh led a rich and extraordinary life that he narrated himself in his autobiography, "Centre-stage and Behind the Scenes". In the series here our columnist draws on this important work and also explains much that was left unsaid. | Photo: Averbakh at the match USA vs. USSR, New York City, 1954 (via D. Griffith)

There are grandmasters and grandmasters. But there is only one Averbakh. This month he turned 100 and set a record in longevity. He is the oldest grandmaster in chess history. The other day ChessBase paid him a <a href="https://rb.gy/wj9acw">tribute</a> and accolades are still pouring in from the chess world. Not many are aware that he has written his autobiography. Our columnist takes a look. The first part of this series tells us how it all began. | Photo Credit: <a href="https://ruchess.ru/">Chess Federation of Russia</a>