Mark Taimanov (1926–2016) was a versatile Soviet chess grandmaster and accomplished concert pianist. Achieving Grandmaster status in 1952, he excelled in both chess and music. Taimanov participated in numerous Candidates Tournaments and faced Bobby Fischer in 1971, although Fischer dominated the match. Noteworthy for his contributions to chess theory, particularly in the Sicilian and King's Indian Defenses, Taimanov also co-authored instructional books with Anatoly Karpov. He passed away on November 28, 2016, leaving a lasting legacy in both the chess and musical realms.
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