Branimir Brebric Inducted into Canadian Chess Hall of Fame
By: Lars Lowther
9/4/2022 5:36:06 PM
One of the major historic organizers of Chess in the province of Alberta and our city, Branimir Brebric was inducted in the Canadian Chess Hall of Fame in 2022. Branimir is, in addition to being a great organizer and promoter of chess, a chess master and a former top player in the province. We are very proud to have such a great organizing tradition in our city and province.
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An interview with Branimir
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A list of Branimir's many Accomplishments:
1968 He arrived in Calgary from his native Croatia
1969 Calgary chess club president (1969-1975)
1969 Popularized chess by playing Simultaneous chess exhibitions of many types around the City (1969-1979)
1971 Founder and first President of Calgary Chess Association 1971 (dissolved in 1975)
1971 Organized and conducted Calgary's Schools Team Championships (1971-1976)
1971 Teaching and instructing chess in Park and Recreation Department (1971-1973)
1971 Won numerous Calgary City and Calgary Chess Club Championships over two decades
1972 Teaching and instructing chess at the Calgary School Board Continuing Education teaching chess (1972-1978)
1972 TV Producer and Host from 1972- 1981 (10 seasons) (1972-1981)
1973 First player in Alberta who obtained titles Master Candidate (1969) and Chess Master (1973)
1973 Founded and was first President of Alberta Chess Association 1973-1975. ACA is active to this day.
1973 Lecturer at Mount Royal College in 1973, one semester
1974 Won first AB Closed Chess Championship in 1974
1975 First full time Programme Coordinator for TAYCA paid by Government of Alberta 1975
1975 Founder and first President of the Alberta Youth Chess Association (TAYCA) 1975, absorbed by ACA.
1975 Tournament Director for the very first ever Canadian Individual Provincial Junior Chess Championship held in Edmonton in 1975
1976 Broke Canadian Simultaneous Chess Record in 1976 (29 November) playing tournament players only; score: +188, -8.=18, +92.05 performance. Games played on a replacement basis. Still unbroken.
1977 Broke North American Simultaneous Chess Record in 1977 (dates and particulars not available) with 80% wins against tournament players only (50 players CCC) this record lasted for over 30 yrs
1978 Broke the World Record in Simultaneous Chess in 1978 (27-28 January) in Edmonton, with 533 wins, 15 loses and 27 draws, +92.04% performance; This record stood for six years.
1978 Calgary Herald chess columnist in 1978
2000 Moved to Richmond B.C. where he spent many years advancing chess to youth groups in and around Vancouver
2006 2006-2009 teaching chess in the Richmond park public library (2006-2009)
2008 Home teaching students in the Vancouver and surrounding areas (2008-2019)
2014 Teaching chess at a private school in Richmond 2014-2017
2018 Inducted into the Calgary Chess Club Hall of Fame
2019 At age 85 participated in a top level Alberta competition the "2019 Battle of Alberta" and scored 1.5/2 points
(Source: Canadian Chess Hall of Fame)