FIDE regrets to announce the death of Grandmaster David Bronstein in Minsk, Belarus on 5 December 2006.

David Ionovich Bronstein was born 19 February 1924 in Bila Tserkva, near Kyiv, Ukraine.

The Champion of Ukraine (1939), of Moscow (1946), of USSR (1948 and 1949). The winner of the first Interzonal tournament (194B-) and the first Candidates Tournament in Budapest (1950)

He drew the challenge match for the title of world champion by a score of 12-12 with Mikhail Botvinnik, the reigning champion (1951).

He represented Russia at the Olympiad of 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958, winning board prizes at each of them.

David Bronstein also wrote a number of chess books and articles. Many of them like Zurich International Chess Tournament 1953, The Modern Chess Self Tutor, 200 Open Games became bestsellers.

He was one of the strongest chess players in the world. His games demonstrated a high degree of creativity, fantasy, tactical ingenuity, and surprise.