When it comes to chess and great grandmasters, such men's surnames as Fisher, Karpov and others are heard in conversations. But there are great and outstanding women in this intellectual sport. Nona Gaprindashvili for many years held the championship at the championships among women.
Chess biography
The future great athlete and international grandmaster was born in early May 1941 in Georgia. Almost everyone in the family was fond of chess, so little Nona Gaprindashvili mastered this game from an early age. This was facilitated by the fact that her brothers were constantly engaged with her and themselves participated in city competitions.
Nona accidentally hit her first championship. Her brothers should have participated, but one of them caught a cold, and it was urgent to seek a replacement. Nona was included in the list, and her first opponent, who was much older and more experienced, she quickly put a checkmate, which attracted the attention of the coaches. At the age of 12, she entered a chess school.
The first leader and mentor of Nona Gaprindashvili is Karseladze Vakhtang Ilyich, who not only took care of her during training, but also protected her from enthusiastic audiences and fans during the championships. For higher awards and competitions at the strongest level, the young chess player was prepared by the well-known trainer in the USSR, Mikhail Shishov, and was assisted by grandmaster Aivar Gipslis.
Nona Gaprindashvili, a chess player who has no equal to this day, has held her champion title for a record time for this game - for 16 years. In subsequent championships, she was in 2nd or 3rd place.
A family
Nona Gaprindashvili was born in a large family. She had 5 older brothers, thanks to whom she became interested in chess. The father of the future grandmaster worked in a technical school in the city of Zugdidi, where the whole family lived, as an accounting teacher. Mother, Vera Grigolia, kept the household and kept order in the house.
From childhood, son David accompanied his famous mother at the championships and was present at almost all awards. He currently works in the UK, and lives there with his family. Nona Gaprindashvili has a grandson and granddaughter, with whom she tries to meet as often as possible, which is not allowed by her workload in social and political activities.
Achievements
The winner of many awards and achievements as a result of her painstaking work is Nona Gaprindashvili. The biography of the great chess player interested the whole world. Nona becomes famous and in demand when at the age of 21 she won the title of world champion. But the first glory comes to her in 15 years. In adult competitions, a young girl defeats her rivals one by one and becomes the champion of Georgia.
Having won the women's chess championship in 1963 and repeated her triumph after 3 years, Nona Gaprindashvili set a goal for herself - to become the winner in the competition for men. Hours of training and painstaking work on the strategy and tactics of the game led to the fact that in 1978, after multiple victories in competitions among men, None was awarded the title of Grandmaster.
Having lost to her compatriot Maya Chiburdanidze in the World Cup , Nona remained one of the best chess players in the following years . Until 1990, she participated in many competitions and Olympics, taking prizes and adding new victories and regalia to her piggy bank. She was awarded orders, medals and badges of honor not only for victories, but also for her contribution to the development of the game in the country.
Currently, Nona Gaprindashvili, whose photo can be seen in our article, constantly participates in various games and tournaments for veterans and takes prizes. Unlike many of her colleagues in the workshop, she did not retire after achieving all goals, but continues to actively participate in the life and development of her favorite game.
Social work
In 1991, after the collapse of the Union, independent sports and other associations began to form in Georgia. Until 1996, the head of the Olympic Committee was Nona Gaprindashvili, a well-known and titled chess player for this period of time. For a long time she remained the honorary president of the NOC.
In 2008, Nona Gaprindashvili headed the "Democratic Party of United Georgia" and worked in this direction for several years. From the very beginning of her career to the present day, the great chess player has been trying to develop and popularize the game.