Vladimir Mikhailovich Liberzon (April 23, 1937-August 4, 1996) was an Israeli chess Grandmaster. Born in Moscow, Liberzon won a number of important chess tournaments, including the Moscow City Championship and the USSR Young Masters’ tournament.
Liberzon moved to Israel in 1973, where his international career truly took off. He won top place in several international tournaments, including the Beer-Sheva International in 1976 and the Biel Chess Festival in 1977.
Liberzon was known for his excellent form and consistency in play, winning the Israeli championship without losing a single game in 1974. He represented his new home country in eight Chess Olympiads, holding a record of +29 -6 =44.
Despite these triumphs, the true high point of Liberzon’s career was when he played and defeated the reigning World Champion, Tigran Petrosian, in a game in USSR 1962. Out of 18 games they played against each other, Liberzon won twice, lost eight times and drew the remaining games.
Sadly, Liberzon’s promising career was cut short. He fell sick in the early 1980s and stopped playing international chess, eventually passing away in 1996.
Vladimir Liberzon left behind a lasting legacy in the world of chess, with impressive record and memorable games. He was awarded the International Grandmaster (GM) title in 1965, proving himself as an outstanding chess player.