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Happened Today in the Chess World - Mar 20, 2024

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Reykjavik 1988, World Cup: World Champion Garry Kasparov will be defeated by Andrei Sokolov
Photo: skaksogufelagid.is - Source: dgriffichess.wordpress.com

Today is Grandmaster Andrei Sokolov's birthday. He was born in Vorkuta, Russia, on March 20, 1963.
World Champion U20 in 1982, Sokolov became the Soviet Champion in 1985 and reached the finals of the Candidates after having beaten Vaganian and Jussupow. In the finals, Sokolov lost to Karpov. In the next Candidates' cycle, Sokolov lost to Spraggett, and since then, he could not get back to the top of the chess world.
Sokolov won two Olympiads with the USSR Team and a French championship after moving to France. He played in two Olympiads with the French Team.
Sokolov reached his peak rating in January 1987, with 2645 Elo points, which made him the third player in the world.
In his career, Sokolov defeated four world champions: Kasparov, Karpov, Smyslov, and Khalifman.

Robert Fontaine (2567)-Andrei Sokolov (2582), Aix-les-Bains (French championship) 2007
Black to move and checkmate in five