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Happened Today in the Chess World - Apr 4, 2024

THE HUNGARIAN BOTVINNIK

Thessaloniki Olympiad 1984: Lajos Portisch -Lubomir Kavalek
Source: worldchesshof.org

Today is Grandmaster Lajos Portisch's birthday. He was born in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, on April 4, 1937.
Eight times Hungarian champion, number three in the world in 1980 with 2655 Elo points, Portisch was on the go from the sixties to the nineties, participating in eight Candidates and reaching the semifinals twice.
Portisich participated, between 1956 and 2000, in a staggering twenty Olympiads with his country's national team, winning a gold, three silver, and two bronze medals
His international event successes are countless, including first place in Wijk aan Zee, Amsterdam, Hastings, Tilburd, and Reggio Emilia.
Portisch defeated six world champions in his career: Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Karpov, and Anand.
He is incredibly knowledgeable at a theory level, especially with White; Portisch has always had positional play as his strength.
Portisch was one of Karpov's seconds in the 1990 match against Kasparov.

Lubomir Kavalek-Lajos Portisch, Sousse Interzonal 1967
Black to move