On January 8, 2024, Yuri Gordian passed away…
Yuri Gordian was a prominent Ukrainian chess composer and organizer, born in Odessa on March 24, 1937.
He was the son of chess composer Mark Gordian. International Master (1995), Grandmaster of Ukraine (1997), International Arbiter in Chess Composition (1999), Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine in Chess (2001).
He published his first chess composition in 1957. Over 65 years of creative activity, he published more than 1000 compositions in all genres, of which about 330 works received prizes in various competitions. He scored 52.33 points in the FIDE Albums rating.
For many years, he was the captain of the Ukrainian team in All-Union competitions and World Chess Championships. Captain of the Ukrainian team that won the first gold for independent Ukraine in all team sports in 1997. Four-time World Chess Composition Champion as a member of the Soviet Union team. Silver medalist of four team World Chess Championships as part of the Ukrainian team. Organizer of many chess composition festivals.
After retirement, he worked as a coach-teacher at a chess school. He was the editor-in-chief of the journal "Problemist of Ukraine" for many years.
The Chess Composition Commission of Ukraine and the journal "Problemist of Ukraine" announce the Memorial Tournament in Memory of Yuri Gordian in four sections:

Moremovers (#n): Judge Mykhailo Marandyuk.
Helpmates (#h): Judge Valeriy Semenenko.
Selfmates (#s): Judge Ivan Soroka.
Fairies: Judge Anatoliy Karamanets.
Themes – free.

Deadline for submitting original works: 08.08.2025.
Compositions should be sent to the tournament director Valeriy Kopyl at the address: v.kopyl@i.ua.