"Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing" -- Robert HUBNER


Alla Kushnir dies

: Created:23 Aug 2013 , by

If it had not been for the supreme talents of Nona Gaprindashvili, Alla Kushnir would have been world champion many times. 

She was born in Moscow but emigrated to Israel in 1974. Three times she challenged Nona Gaprindashvili but the Georgian grandmaster repelled her assaults. In her Times obituary there is a nice story, "Although on the eve of her departure to Israel, Kushnir was already becoming a non-person, Nona Gaprindashvili courageously came to the departure hall of the railway station with a bag of gifts, bid farewell to Alla, kissed her and wished her happiness."

At the Haifa Chess Olympiad of 1976 Kushnir won both individual and team gold medals. She had one more go at the world championship but lost a tense match to future champion Maya Chiburdanidze in the final match of the qualifying tournament.

Afterwards she carved out a fresh career in archaeology becoming a professor and much more. A talented woman!