Georgy Timurovich Agzamov was a prominent Soviet chess player who held the title of Grandmaster. Born on 6th August 1954, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Agzamov was the first grandmaster from Uzbekistan and among the top 20 players in the world at his peak in the mid-1980s.
Agzamov learned chess at the age of 10, and swiftly made his mark winning several tournaments in and around the Soviet Union. He received the National Master title at 17, and became an International Master within two years, later becoming a Grandmaster in 1984. Some of his notable achievements include: winning the championship of the Uzbek SSR, taking part in nine Soviet championships, and achieving a series of tournament victories including the 1982 Reggio Emilia tournament and the 1986 Dubai Open.
Agzamov had a reputation as an uncompromising competitor and had defeated every world chess champion from Botvinnik to Kasparov, excluding Bobby Fischer, in either tournament or blitz games. However, he did not play in any world championship cycles.
Tragically, Agzamov died at the age of 32 on April 26th, 1986. While on holiday in Sevastopol, he fell down a rocky precipice near a beach and got stuck between two rocks. Despite his pleas for help, rescuers were unable to reach him in time. The circumstances of his death have led to various speculations. His memorial tournament has been held annually since 1987 in his hometown of Tashkent.