Dragoljub Minić (March 5, 1937 – c. April 5, 2005) was a Yugoslav Grandmaster of chess. He won the championship of Yugoslavia in 1962 (joint with Aleksandar Matanović).

Chess career

Minić's chess career was primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. He represented Yugoslavia in many competitions, including the 1962 Varna Olympiad, where he scored 6½ out of 8 games for Yugoslavia, which finished second to the Soviet Union, and the 1970 Siegen Olympiad, where he scored 8½ out of 10 for Yugoslavia, which finished third behind the Soviet Union and Hungary. Minić also served as a second to Svetozar Gligorić and Ljubomir Ljubojević, Yugoslavia's most prominent grandmasters. Minić was famous for his knowledge of the game and great analytical ability. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1964. While despite being grandmaster-strength for many years, Minic could not fulfil all of the requirements for the GM title. However, Fide awarded him an Honorary Grandmaster title in 1991.

Death

Minić was found dead by friends in his Novi Sad apartment on April 9, 2005, after failing to respond to phone and intercom calls for several days. Doctors determined that he died of a heart attack approximately four days earlier.

Notable games

Minić was a virtuoso of the Sicilian Defence, which he played with great skill from either side of the board. Here is a sharp tactical win over Yugoslav grandmaster Albin Planinc at the Vidmar Memorial tournament in 1973. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.e5 Bb7 11.Qh3 dxe5 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Qxe6+ Be7 14.Bxb5 axb5 15.Nxb5 Qc6 16.Nd6+ Kd8 17.fxe5 Kc7 18.Qxe7 Rxa2 19.Rd4 Ra1+ 20.Kd2 Qxg2+ 21.Kc3 Qf3+ 22.Kb4 (diagram) Ra4+ An amazing move, giving up the rook just to gain a tempo for the attack. The game continued: