Birth centenary of chess player Paul Keres

Paul Keres (07.01.1916 Narva - 05.05.1975 Helsinki) is the best known Estonian chessplayer of all time. He was born in Narva, graduated from the from the Pärnu Boys’ Gymnasium and studied mathematics at in Tartu University. Chess engrossed him starting from a very young age; in 1935 he became the Estonian master and rose to the absolute peak in 1938, winning the AVRO tournament in the Netherlands. He played at more than 70 international tournaments and won numerous first places; he was the first Estonian chess grandmaster. Keres is regarded to be one of the strongest chessplayer who did not manage to become world champion and therefore he has also been called the eternal second. Keres’s style of playing was extraordinarily versatile; his games included effective combinations and great position play. He also stood also out as a chess theorist and problemist. Keres’s achievements sports ethic and his firm sports ethic has influenced the whole chess world.