Igor Zaitsev

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Igor Arkadyevich Zaitsev (born May 27, 1938) is a Russian grandmaster of chess. He was born in Ramenskoe, a town outside of Moscow. In 1969, Zaitsev attained the title of Moscow Champion by defeating Yakov Estrin using the Giuoco Piano opening. The next year, Zaitsev was given the title of International Master and in 1976 he became a Grandmaster.

Zaitsev is best known for his contribution to opening theory. His variation of the Ruy Lopez opening (known as the Flohr–Zaitsev Variation, being jointly named for Grandmaster Salo Flohr) follows one of the main lines of the Ruy Lopez and remains in wide use today. In the Flohr-Zaitsev Variation, Black plays 9... Bb7 after the following moves have been played: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3.^[1] The move is popular because it fianchettoes the light-squared bishop, putting pressure on White's pawn on e4.

Zaitsev became one of the trainers of World Champion Anatoly Karpov in the late 1970s, following the death of Karpov's coach Semyon Furman in March, 1978. Karpov popularized the line at the top level, playing it with success for many years.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

1. ^ Hooper, David & Whyld, Kenneth (1992), “Zaitsev Variation”, The Oxford Companion to Chess (2 ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 456, ISBN 0-19-280049-3 

[edit] External links

• FIDE rating card for Igor Zaitsev
• Igor Zaitsev at ChessGames.com