Ян Тимман, известный нидерландский шахматный гроссмейстер, прозванный лучшим на Западе, скончался в возрасте 74 лет. Девятикратный чемпион Нидерландов и бывший второй номер мира ушел из жизни 18 февраля 2026 года, оставив неизгладимое наследие в соревновательной игре, писательстве и шахматной журналистике. Похвалы от организаций вроде FIDE подчеркивают его творческий стиль и вклад в игру.
Ян Тимман родился 14 декабря 1951 года в Амстердаме, Нидерланды. Он начал изучать шахматы в восемь лет и рано проявил талант, выиграв чемпионат Нидерландов среди юниоров в 14 лет и завоевав бронзовую медаль на чемпионате мира среди юниоров 1967 года в Иерусалиме в 15 лет. Тимман стал международным мастером в 1971 году и гроссмейстером в 1974 году, третьим нидерландским игроком, достигшим этого звания после Макса Эйве и Яна Хейна Доннера. В том же году он выиграл свой первый из девяти национальных чемпионатов Нидерландов, с победами в 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987 и 1996 годах. During the Soviet-dominated era, Timman emerged as the strongest non-Soviet player, earning the nickname «the best of the West.» He reached second place in the world rankings in January 1982, behind Anatoly Karpov. His career featured numerous tournament wins, including shared victories at Hastings 1973/74 with Mikhail Tal, Sombor 1974 with Boris Gulko, Netanya 1975, Reykjavík 1976 with Fridrik Olafsson, Amsterdam IBM 1978, Nikšić 1978 with Gulko, Vidmar Memorial 1979, Amsterdam IBM 1981, Wijk aan Zee 1981 and 1985, Linares 1988, Euwe Memorial 1987 and 1989 with Karpov, World Cup Rotterdam 1989, Las Palmas 1981, Mar del Plata 1982, Bugojno 1984, and Sarajevo 1984 with Viktor Korchnoi. Timman's pursuit of the world title included qualifying for the Candidates in 1985 after winning the Taxco Interzonal. He made deep runs in subsequent cycles, reaching the 1990 final where he lost to Karpov, and the 1993 final where he lost to Nigel Short. Following Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short's split from FIDE, Timman faced Karpov in the 1993 FIDE World Championship match across Zwolle, Arnhem, Amsterdam, and Jakarta, losing 12.5-8.5. He represented the Netherlands in 13 Chess Olympiads from 1972 to 2004, often on board one, and won a gold medal for best individual performance on board one in 1976. The Dutch team, including Timman, won the 2005 European Championship in Gothenburg. Beyond the board, Timman was a prolific author and the first editor of New In Chess magazine from 1984. His books include The Art of Chess Analysis (1980), The Art of Attacking Chess (2014), Timman’s Titans (2016), and works on Max Euwe. He was also a noted endgame study composer. In October 2025, he was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame. Timman retired from over-the-board play in May 2025 after his last games in the July 2024 Dutch Championship. In a 2023 interview with NRC, Timman reflected, «I would not choose chess as my profession these days. They just sit behind computers all day. It's not just traveling around and having a fun life, like I did. It was a hippie life, but with a purpose.» FIDE stated: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jan Timman (1951–2026), one of the greatest figures in Dutch and international chess. A World Championship contender and the strongest non-Soviet player of his generation, Timman was admired for his creative style, profound strategic understanding, and fighting spirit.” The European Chess Union and others expressed condolences to his family, including his two children, Dehlia and Arthur, from his marriage to Ilse-Marie Dorff, and his later marriage to Geertje Dirkse.
