# Leonid Shamkovich

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Soviet chess grandmaster

Leonid Shamkovich Shamkovich at the 1980 Chess Olympiad, Malta Personal information Native name Леони́д Шамко́вич Born (1923-06-01)1 June 1923 Rostov-on-Don, Soviet Union Died 22 April 2005(2005-04-22) (aged 81) Brooklyn, New York City Chess career Country Soviet Union (until 1974) Israel (1975-1978) United States (after 1979) Title Grandmaster (1965) Peak rating 2540 (July 1973) Peak ranking No. 41 (July 1973)

**Leonid Aleksandrovich Shamkovich** ([Russian](/source/Russian_language): Леони́д Алекса́ндрович Шамко́вич; June 1, 1923 – April 22, 2005)[1] was a [chess](/source/Chess) [Grandmaster](/source/International_Grandmaster) and chess writer.

He was born in a Jewish family in [Rostov-on-Don](/source/Rostov-on-Don) in [Russia](/source/Russia).

## Chess career

Shamkovich became a Grandmaster in 1965 and won several tournaments, with his best victory coming at [Sochi](/source/Sochi) in 1967, where he tied for first place with [Nikolai Krogius](/source/Nikolai_Krogius), [Vladimir Simagin](/source/Vladimir_Simagin), [Boris Spassky](/source/Boris_Spassky) and [Alexander Zaitsev](/source/Alexander_Zaitsev_(chess_player)). Other notable results included a tie for 3rd at the 1962 [Moscow](/source/Moscow) Championship (behind [Yuri Averbakh](/source/Yuri_Averbakh) and [Evgeny Vasiukov](/source/Evgeny_Vasiukov)) and finishing third at [Mariánské Lázně](/source/Mari%C3%A1nsk%C3%A9_L%C3%A1zn%C4%9B) 1965 (behind [Paul Keres](/source/Paul_Keres) and [Vlastimil Hort](/source/Vlastimil_Hort)).

Shamkovich left the Soviet Union in 1975, moving first to Israel, then Canada, and finally the United States, where he lived the remainder of his life. He won the 1975 [Canadian Open Chess Championship](/source/Canadian_Open_Chess_Championship). He continued to play through the 1990s, and wrote several chess books.

Shamkovich tied for first place in the 1987 [U.S. Masters Chess Championship](/source/U.S._Masters_Chess_Championship).

His *Sacrifice in Chess* begins: "A real sacrifice involves a radical change in the character of a game which cannot be effected without foresight, fantasy, and the willingness to risk."

## Personal life

His aristocratic bearing and manner of speech earned him the nickname "Prince".

Shamkovich died of complications from [Parkinson's disease](/source/Parkinson's_disease) and [cancer](/source/Cancer) in his [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn) home on April 22, 2005.

## Books

- *Caro–Kann 4 ...Nd7*, Leonid Shamkovich & [Eric Schiller](/source/Eric_Schiller), Chess Enterprises, 1987. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-931462-26-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-931462-26-6).

- *Chess Sacrifices*, Leonid Shamkovich & A. Kalajs (Translator), Chess Player, 1976. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0900928994](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0900928994).

- *The Chess Terrorist's Handbook*, Leonid Shamkovich & Paul Hodges (Editor), American Chess Promotions, 1995. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0939298570](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0939298570).

- *Fischer–Spassky 1992: World Chess Championship Rematch*, Leonid Shamkovich, Jan R. Cartier & Lou Hays (Editor), Hays Publishing, 1993. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1880673904](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1880673904).

- *The Gruenfeld Defense*, Leonid Shamkovich & Jan R. Cartier, Hays Publishing, 1997. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1880673157](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1880673157).

- *Karpov–Kasparov 1990: An Expert Analysis*, Don Maddox, [Ron Henley](/source/Ron_Henley_(chess_player)) & Leonid Shamkovich (Contributor), [Three Rivers Press](/source/Three_Rivers_Press), 1991. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0812919233](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0812919233).

- *Kasparov's Opening Repertoire*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [B.T. Batsford](/source/Anova_Books), 1995. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7134-5744-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7134-5744-9), and[4871874885](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/4871874885).

- *Killer Chess Tactics: World Champion Tactics and Combinations*, [Raymond Keene](/source/Raymond_Keene), Eric Schiller & Leonid Shamkovich, [Cardoza Publishing](/source/Avery_Cardoza), 2003 (2nd Edition). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1580421119](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1580421119).

- *The Modern Chess Sacrifice*, Leonid Shamkovich, [David McKay Company](/source/David_McKay_Publications), 1978 (2nd Edition). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0679130543](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0679130543).

- *A New Era*, Michael Khodarkovsky, Leonid Shamkovich & [Garry Kasparov](/source/Garry_Kasparov) (Foreword by), [Ballantine Books](/source/Ballantine_Books), 1997. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0345408907](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0345408907).

- *Play The Tarrasch*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [Pergamon Press](/source/Pergamon_Press), 1984. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0080297484](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0080297484).

- *Sacrifice in Chess*, Leonid Shamkovich, Alfred Kalnajs & Son, 1972. [ASIN](/source/Amazon_Standard_Identification_Number) [B00070WWB8](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00070WWB8).

- *Saving Lost Positions*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [B.T. Batsford](/source/Anova_Books), 1987. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-02-053770-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-02-053770-0).

- *Saving Lost Positions*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [Ishi Press](/source/Ishi_Press), revised in 2011. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4871874410](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4871874410).

- *Schliemann Defense*, Eric Schiller & Leonid Shamkovich, [Ishi Press](/source/Ishi_Press), 2012. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4871874366](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4871874366).

- *The Schliemann Defense • Volume 1 Tartakower Variation: 5...Nf6*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, Chess Enterprises, 1993. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-945470-32-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-945470-32-0), and[4871874362](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/4871874362).

- *The Schliemann Defense • Volume 2 Classical Variation*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, Chess Enterprises, 1996. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-945470-60-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-945470-60-6), and[4871874362](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/4871874362).

- *Spanish Gambits*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, B.T. [B.T. Batsford](/source/Anova_Books), 1986. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0713452969](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0713452969).

- *Spanish Gambits*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [Ishi Press](/source/Ishi_Press), updated in 2011. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4871874403](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4871874403).

- *Spanish: Schliemann (Jaenisch)*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [B.T. Batsford](/source/Anova_Books), 1983. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7134-4248-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7134-4248-4), and[4871874362](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/4871874362).

- *Tactical Chess Training*, Leonid Shamkovich & Jan R. Cartier, Hays Publishing, 1996. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1880673102](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1880673102).

- *The Tactical World Of Chess*, Leonid Shamkovich, [Three Rivers Press](/source/Three_Rivers_Press), 1981. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0679134008](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0679134008).

- *World Champion Tactics*, Leonid Shamkovich & Eric Schiller, [Cardoza Publishing](/source/Avery_Cardoza), 1999. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1580420051](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1580420051).

## See also

- [List of Jewish chess players](/source/List_of_Jewish_chess_players)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** McClain, Dylan Loeb (7 May 2005). ["Leonid Shamkovich, 81, Ex-Soviet Chess Grandmaster, is Dead"](https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907EED71430F934A35756C0A9639C8B63). *The New York Times*.

## External links

- [Leonid Shamkovich](https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=14904) player profile and games at [Chessgames.com](/source/Chessgames.com)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Japan Netherlands Norway Israel Academics CiNii Other SNAC Yale LUX

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