HAPPENED-TODAY-IN-THE-CHESS-WORLD-APR-25-2024

GM John Nunn - source: wikipedis.org

Today is the birthday of Grandmaster John Nunn. He was born in London, UK, on April 25, 1955.
Known as one of the most intelligent chess players, Nunn is a GM, an author, a composer, and a mathematician.
Carlsen himself once said, talking about Nunn: "Being too intelligent can be a burden. It can get in your way. I am convinced that the reason [he] never became the World Champion is that he is too clever for that".
His early prowess in chess was evident from his achievements as a youth. At 12, he claimed the title of British U14 Champion, then became the London U18 Champion at just 14 years old. Notably, this was before the prevalence of computer usage and the boom of chess prodigies. Remarkably, at 15, he entered Oxford University to study mathematics, becoming the youngest undergraduate since 1520. By 23, he had obtained his Ph.D. and commenced his career as a lecturer. Despite his academic success, his passion for chess remained strong. In 1981, he decided to forsake his place at Oxford University to pursue a professional chess career. During his prime, he ranked among the World's Top 10 players. However, he fell short of achieving the ultimate title and reaching the pinnacle of chess success.
Nevertheless, his contributions to the chess world were far from over. Nunn emerged as a prolific and esteemed chess author, penning over 40 books, several of which, like "Understanding Chess Middle Games," quickly earned recognition as classics in the field.
Furthermore, his achievements extended beyond traditional play. Nunn excelled in chess composition solving, boasting a record as a three-time World Champion in the discipline. Additionally, he is the only fourth individual in history to attain Grandmaster Titles in chess composition and over-the-board play.

John Nunn-John fedorowicz (Hoogovens Tournament - Wijk aanZee, 1991)
White to move