Jan Hendrik Timman (born December 14th, 1951 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch chess Grandmaster who was one of the world's leading players from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. At the peak of his career, he was considered to be the best non-Soviet player and was sometimes referred to as "the Best of the West". He has won the Dutch Chess Championship nine times and has been a Candidate for the World Championship several times.
Timman's prowess in chess began to show early, as he achieved the Grandmaster title in 1974 at the age of 22. After this, he went on to place high in numerous tournaments throughout the late '70s and early '80s. He won the Dutch Championship for the first time in 1974. He was victorious in several international tournaments, which emerged him as a contender for the World Championship.
In 1993, Timman lost the FIDE World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov and finished second in the PCA World Championship Candidates Tournament. Despite these losses, he remained a prolific player in the world of chess.
After his active career, Timman remained involved with chess as a prominent journalist and author, contributing to New In Chess magazine and authoring numerous books and game collections. He is highly respected for his deep understanding of chess and his ability to communicate this understanding to others.
In addition to his player career and chess-related writings, Timman is known for his exploits as a composer of endgame studies. These have been published in a book named after him, "Timman's Titans", which was released in 2016. His studies have received numerous awards, marking his contribution to this specific aspect of chess.
Noteworthy about Timman's private life: he is married and has a daughter. He is also a big fan of the Canadian singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell. Timman's fondness for Mitchell became so famous in the chess world that it served as the basis for an April Fool's joke in 2004.
Timman is one of the most important figures in the modern history of chess in the Netherlands. His career has not only been a personal success story, but has also significantly contributed to the popularity and appreciation of the game in his home country and beyond.