Gennadi Sosonko
Encyclopedia
Gennadi Borisovich Sosonko ' onMouseout='HidePop("74117")' href="/topics/Troitsk,_Chelyabinsk_Oblast">Troitsk
, Russia) is a Dutch
chess
Grandmaster (GM).
At the beginning of his career, in 1958, he won in the Leningrad
juniors championship.
Sosonko moved from the Soviet Union to the Netherlands via Israel in 1972. This was a highly publicised defection, which led to the Soviet Union Chess Federation pressuring FIDE to declare him an "unperson".
He won the Dutch Championship
in 1973 and 1978 (jointly).
His tournament record includes 1st at Wijk aan Zee
1977, 1st at Nijmegen 1978, 3rd at Amsterdam
1980, 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1981, 3rd at Tilburg
1982 and 4th at Haninge 1988. He also drew a match with Jan Timman
(+1 =0 −1) in 1984.
Sosonko played eleven times for Dutch team at the Chess Olympiad
s in 1974-84, and 1988-96. He won two individual medals: gold at Haifa 1976
, bronze at Nice 1974
, and two medals for team: silver at Haifa 1976, and bronze at Thessaloniki 1988
.
FIDE, the World Chess Federation, awarded Sosonko the International Master (IM) title in 1974, the GM title in 1976 and the FIDE Senior Trainer title in 2004.
Sosonko has also authored three non-technical chess books centering heavily on his chess life in the Soviet Union and his relationships with and memories of both leading Soviet players and lesser-known but colorful characters in chess history. His books, published by New in Chess
, are Russian Silhouettes, The Reliable Past, and Smart Chip from St. Petersburg.
Troitsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast
Troitsk is a town in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, located east of the southern Ural Mountains and approximately south of Chelyabinsk. It stands on the east-flowing Uy River, a branch of the Tobol River. Population: 83,862 ; -History:...
, Russia) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
Grandmaster (GM).
At the beginning of his career, in 1958, he won in the Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
juniors championship.
Sosonko moved from the Soviet Union to the Netherlands via Israel in 1972. This was a highly publicised defection, which led to the Soviet Union Chess Federation pressuring FIDE to declare him an "unperson".
He won the Dutch Championship
Dutch Chess Championship
The Dutch Chess Championship was officially established in 1909, although unofficial champions stretch back to the 1870s.-Early years:-Official championships:...
in 1973 and 1978 (jointly).
His tournament record includes 1st at Wijk aan Zee
Corus chess tournament
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament formerly called the Corus chess tournament takes place every year, usually in January, in a small town called Wijk aan Zee, part of the larger Beverwijk in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands...
1977, 1st at Nijmegen 1978, 3rd at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
1980, 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1981, 3rd at Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
1982 and 4th at Haninge 1988. He also drew a match with Jan Timman
Jan Timman
Jan Timman is a Dutch chess Grandmaster who was one of the world's leading players from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. At the peak of his career he was considered to be the best non-Soviet player and was known as "The Best of the West"...
(+1 =0 −1) in 1984.
Sosonko played eleven times for Dutch team at the Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
s in 1974-84, and 1988-96. He won two individual medals: gold at Haifa 1976
22nd Chess Olympiad
The 22nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between October 26 and November 10, 1976, in Haifa, Israel.-References:* OlimpBase...
, bronze at Nice 1974
21st Chess Olympiad
The 21st Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between June 6 and June 30, 1974, in Nice, France.-References:* OlimpBase...
, and two medals for team: silver at Haifa 1976, and bronze at Thessaloniki 1988
28th Chess Olympiad
The 28th Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between November 12 and November 30, 1988, in Thessaloniki, Greece.-References:...
.
FIDE, the World Chess Federation, awarded Sosonko the International Master (IM) title in 1974, the GM title in 1976 and the FIDE Senior Trainer title in 2004.
Sosonko has also authored three non-technical chess books centering heavily on his chess life in the Soviet Union and his relationships with and memories of both leading Soviet players and lesser-known but colorful characters in chess history. His books, published by New in Chess
New In Chess
New In Chess is a chess magazine that appears eight times a year with chief editors International Grandmaster Jan Timman and Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam. It contains notes by top players and chess prodigies on their own games...
, are Russian Silhouettes, The Reliable Past, and Smart Chip from St. Petersburg.