Ortvin Sarapu

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Ortvin Sarapu MBE (22 January 1924 in Narva, Estonia – 13 April 1999 in Auckland, New Zealand)

Known as "Mr NZ Chess", he dominated New Zealand chess from his arrival in New Zealand from Estonia in 1950 until his retirement in 1998.

Represented New Zealand at 10 Chess Olympiads. and won the New Zealand Chess Championship on a record 20 occasions.

In 1952 he played C. J. S. Purdy, then champion of Australia, for the championship of Australasia. The match, played at Auckland, was drawn, the players becoming joint champions for 1952. Sarapu took first place at the Melbourne International Tournament in 1955.

Was awarded the International Master title in 1966 by FIDE, the second New Zealand player to gain this rank, the first being Robert G Wade.

He was awarded an MBE for his services to chess.

[edit] Literature

• Ortvin Sarapu: 25 Years in the New Zealand Chess Championship (1952-1977), 1978.
• Ortvin Sarapu: "Mr. Chess". The Ortvin Sarapu story. New Zealand Chess Supplies, Wainuiomata 1993. ISBN 0-473-01607-9
• Ortvin Sarapuu: Minu malelugu. Kupar, Tallinn 1998. ISBN 9985-61-117-9

[edit] See also

• New Zealand Chess Championship
• New Zealand Chess Federation
• Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE)
• International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF)

[edit] External links

• Bio and games from chessgames.com
• Official NZCF Website
• NZ History Encyclopedia entry for Sarapu
• Sarapu's Chess Olympiad Record