Gaprindashvili Nona

Nona Gaprindashvili (b. May 3, 1941, Zugdidi) is a Georgian chess Grandmaster, world champion among women (1962–1978).

In 1999, the Georgian Sports Journalists Association named her the best female athlete of the 20^th century in Georgia, International Grandmaster among women (1976) and the first International Grandmaster among men (1978); Master of Sports of the USSR (among women in 1958, among men in 1971) and Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1964), International Master (among women in 1961, among men in 1962). She was the first Grandmaster among women in the USSR (1975).

Gaprindashvili is a five-time world champion (1962, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1975), five-time USSR champion (1964, 1973, 1981, 1983, 1985) and four-time Georgian champion (1956, 1959, 1960, 1961); She played six matches for the World Championship. In 1962, she defeated Elisaveta Bykova (9:2), in 1965, 1969 and 1972 – Alla Kushnir (8.5:4.5;  8.5:4.5; 8.5:7.5); in 1975 – Nana Alexandria (8.5:3.5). In 1978, she lost the Champion title to Maia Chiburdanidze (6.5:8.5). She won the European Champions Cup among women two times (1969, 1972); She is 11-time Women's Chess Olympiad Champion (Soviet Union team – 1963, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986; 1992) and the Second Prize winner (1990). She won 9 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals.

In 1998, she was the captain of the Georgian Women's team at the World Chess Olympiad (Bronze Medal).

She has eight victories at the Women's World Senior Championship (1995, 2009, 2014, 2015,2016, 2018, 2019, 2022). She is the first owner of “Chess Oscar” among women (1982). She won 21 first-place prizes in the international tournaments for women (in 1971 in Belgrade, in 1975 in Timișoara). In 1977, she tied for first place at Lone Pine International. She participated in tournaments that were traditionally played by men (Hastings Challengers, 1963-1964, place I-II; Hastings Premier tournament, 1964-1965, place V; Zvole, 1966, place III-IV; Gothenburg, 1968, place III; Tbilisi, place IV-VI; Dortmund, 1974, place III-IV; Sandomierz, 1976, place II-IV; Dortmund, 1978, place II-III; Reggio Emilia, 1983, 1st place; Luanda, 1985, 2nd place). At various times her coaches were V. Karseladze, M. Shishov, A. Gipslis, E. Ubilava.

Gaprindashvili greatly contributed to the development of women's chess in the world and especially in Georgia. She was the Chairman of the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess (1978-1986), a deputy of the Supreme Council of Georgia, the first President of the Georgian National Olympic Committee (1989-1996) and the Honorable President (from 1996). In 1996, she was awarded three highest awards of international sports organizations for her prominent contribution to the development of the Olympic Movement: the Honorary Order of the World Olympic Committee Association, the Order of the International Olympic and European Olympic Committees.

She was the President of the Georgian Chess Federation (2000-2002).

She has received state awards: Order of Lenin (1965), Order of Honor of Georgia (1994), Vakhtang Gorgasali First Degree Order (2001), Presidential Order of Excellence (2015). In 1997, FIDE established the international “Nona Gaprindashvili Cup”, which is awarded to the country with the best rate among women and men at the World Chess Olympics. The Tbilisi Chess Palace was named after her (2001), and in 2016, her star was opened in front of the palace.

Gaprindashvili is an Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi (2000). A street in Tbilisi is named after her.

 

Literary work: არსი ჩემი ცხოვრებისა, ლიტ. ჩანაწერი ვ. ვასილიევისა, თბ., 1976. „რჩეული პარტიები“ თბ. 2001.

D. Gurgenidze