Tribute to L.J. Cordioli

Lourenço João Cordioli deceased.

From poorest homes, he worked his way up to a wealthy lawyer and chess master in São Paulo. He offered Ludwig Engels, Olympic champion of Buenos Aires 1939 who had stranded in Brazil in 1941, support in return for chess instruction. Finally Engels became a good friend of the Cordioli family.

And the chess lessons were effective. Three times, 1947-1949 Lourenço won the chess championship of São Paulo. In 1949 he won a training match against his mentor with 3.5:1.5. Later on, as the president of the São Paulo chess federation (FPX), he was involved in the organization of the three grandmaster tournaments in São Paulo 1977-1979. He won the senior championship of Brazil in 1997 and participated in the senior world championship in Bad Wildbad (Black Forest). Together with his son he visited Düsseldorf, the old hometown of his friend Engels, in 2007.

Now Lourenço João Cordioli passed away in Penha in the state Santa Catarina.

(Translation by R.B.)