I met GM Igor Ivanov when I first came to work as a chess coach for the Chess Emporium in Phoenix six years ago. There he would play every Friday night as part of the US Chess Grand Prix tournament circuit along with several of his scholastic students from the Shelby school in which he taught chess to against masters and beginners alike. He scored victory after victory racking up enough points to claim the title of US Grand Prix tournament champion an unpresidented nine times.
There Igor and I became friends as he always called me by my last name only. He loved chess and would spend many hours showing me many beautiful games he had played against other GM's and IM's around the world.
Even after moving back to Utah we would met at tournaments where we would be playing together, he always took an interest in my games and came over to watch my play giving me corrections afterwards.
He was truely a gentle giant of chess and a true gentleman.
I will miss him.
Leopold Lacrimosa
Scottsdale, AZ