Ratmir Dmitrievich Kholmov was a Russian chess player. He was born on 13 May 1925, Vasyuki, Russia and died on 18 February 2006 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Despite being less recognised globally, he was one of the strongest Soviet players during his time. He won many international tournaments, but was never able to play in the World Chess Championship due to political reasons.
Kholmov learned chess at the age of 12 and played in several tournaments as a junior player. His progress was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Russian military and was awarded two medals.
In the post-war period, his chess career flourished. He won the Lithuanian Chess Championship twelve times and the USSR Chess Championship in 1963. He also won numerous international tournaments and was awarded the title of Grandmaster in 1960. He was also a five-time Chess Olympiad champion representing the Soviet Union.
Despite his success, Kholmov was not well-known outside of the Soviet Union due to the Soviet Union's restricted policies regarding international play for their chess players. These policies largely revolved around the ideological rivalry with the Western Bloc and did not allow Kholmov to compete in the World Chess Championship cycle.
Among Kholmov's notable games is his victory over Bobby Fischer at the 1965 Havana tournament, where Kholmov adopted a defensive strategy that led to Fischer's defeat. Despite his victories over numerous other famous players, this game against Fischer is considered one of his most famous games.
Kholmov's playing style was characterized as solid but uncompromising, with an emphasis on deep understanding of the position rather than tactical complications. Despite changes in the chess world with the advent of computer analysis, Kholmov's classical style still provides valuable lessons for modern players.
Kholmov passed away in 2006, but he remains an important figure in chess history, particularly within the context of Soviet chess. He left behind an extensive collection of well-regarded games which continue to be studied by chess players around the world.