Jan Smejkal

Jan Smejkal (65) is an important Czechoslovak chess player, who belonged to the world´s chess elite. In 1970 he won the title of International Master and two years later he became the International Grandmaster. He was the best player of Czechoslovakia in 1973, 1979 and 1986. He represented our country at ten chess Olympiads, and along with Jan Ambroz, Vlastimil Jansa, Vlastimil Hort, Lubomir Ftacnik and Jan Plachetka he was a member of the team, which won the second place at Chess Olympiad in Lucerne, 1982. Jan Smejkal has won numerous international tournaments and participated in three interzonals tournaments for the title of World Champion in 1973 (4th place), 1976 (9th place) and 1979 (10th place).

Particularly memorable was his performance in Leningrad 1973, when he could proceed to the tournament of candidates, but was defeated by the future World Champion Anatoly Karpov. He was a chess player, who during his time period was defeating such good chess players as for example were Pachman, Filip, Hort, Kavalek or Jansa. Jan Smejkal is already inactive chess player, his rating is 2504 ELO.