Juan Manuel Bellón López is a Spanish chess Grandmaster (GM) and coach. Born in Cartagena on 8th February 1950, he moved to Spain and became a Spanish citizen in 1951. Bellón has been champion of Spain six times: in 1969, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1978, and 1981. He is also four-times champion of the Closed Tournament International Villa of Madrid, and a two-time Spanish under-18 champion.
Bellón was awarded the GM title in 1978 and has since had an extensive chess career. He has represented Spain in numerous chess Olympiads. He played on the Spanish team that won the gold medal in the 1st Mediterranean Chess Championship in Tangier in 1970.
Bellón is married to Swedish Grandmaster Pia Cramling. Their daughter, Anna Cramling Bellón, is also a known chess player. He has been involved in promoting chess to young people and girls, encouraging them to compete in tournaments. He also worked as a coach for his wife's hometown club Wasa SK in Stockholm.
In his chess career, he has crossed paths with several renowned chess players, such as Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Boris Spassky. He's even considered one of the best Spanish chess players in history.