There are many urban legends about chess. The most popular  maintains chess players are more intelligent than the average person–this is not true. The average person  with an average IQ, especially if they begin at an early age, can reach  Grandmaster level. Everything depends on dedication, motivation and proper training.

Take the case of Russia and the old Soviet Republics:  people from those countries are not more intelligent than people from other countries. The difference is that they have the best chess schools.

As I say this is normally thecase, there are significant exceptions. One of these is John Nunn. Born in London (England), April 25, 1955, he is best known for his chess career–a Grandmaster since 1978. In 1979 he became British Champion and in 1982, 1990 and 1991, he won one of the most prestigious chess tournaments of the world, the Wijk ann Zee Tournament, played in the Netherlands. He also achieved remarkable performances in the Chess Olympics and most major chess events.

That is the chess player, but there is another side to his life story–John Nunn the brilliant mathematician. At 15 he entered the mathematics school of Oxford University, and at 23 earned a doctorate. He taught at Oxford until 1981 when he dedicated himself exclusively to chess. He was a professional chess player until last year, but he is still director of one of the most important chess companies, Gambit Publications.

Nunn is a genius both in chess and mathematics. His last success was his victory at the 31st World Chess Problem Solving Championship, held on the Greek Island of Rhodes on Oct. 16 ‑17. It was the second time he won this competition; he also won in 2004.

John Nunn is both a Grandmaster in chess and in problem solving, something which only two players have achieved before him: Jonathan Mestel and Ram Soffer. Today we present one of his best chess compositions, a beautiful mate in three.

Carlos García Hernández