Alonso Zapata is a Colombian chess grandmaster who was born on 6 August 1958. He is the first person from Colombia to receive the title of grandmaster, earning this recognition in 1984. Prior to this, he was awarded the title of International Master in 1982. Apart from these honours, Zapata has won a multitude of chess championships at various levels, both in Colombia and internationally.
Zapata's international career began with his participation in the World Junior Chess Championship of 1977, where he finished in 5th place. Since then, he has gone on to represent Colombia in a total of eight Chess Olympiads, from 1978 to 1998. His notable victories include winning the 1991 Tolosa chess tournament (jointly), the 1992 Capablanca Memorial and the 2005 Cannes Open.
In addition to his playing career, Zapata has also served as a chess coach, assisting the national teams of Barbados and Puerto Rico in preparation for the Chess Olympiad competition. He has further contributed to the chess community through his work as a chess journalist for a Colombian newspaper.