13 Facts About Bryon Nickoloff

Bryon Nickoloff won the Toronto City Championship in 1978, and repeated in 1997 and 1998.

Bryon Nickoloff was top board for Canada at the World U26 Olympiad in Mexico 1978, leading the team to a 6th-place finish.

Bryon Nickoloff made his first of six Olympiad appearances for Canada later that year.

Bryon Nickoloff moved to Mexico in 1978, married a Mexican woman, and earned his International Master title in 1981, following a string of top finishes in Mexican events in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Bryon Nickoloff did remarkably well in his first attempt in 1978 at Toronto, which was only seven years after he learned how to play.

At the controversial Canadian championship in Ottawa 1995, Bryon Nickoloff fell asleep at the board during a game when it was his move and his clock was running down.

Bryon Nickoloff was eventually awakened by another competitor, and this led to a string of arguments and appeals, which disrupted play in subsequent rounds.

Bryon Nickoloff won the Canadian Open Chess Championship in 1992 and 1995.

Bryon Nickoloff won the Ontario Open Championship in 1993,1994, and 2000.

Bryon Nickoloff won several dozen weekend Swiss tournaments in the Toronto area during the course of his career.

Bryon Nickoloff received hundreds of letters from chess friends around the world, gathered inspiration from their support, and managed to survive until 2004, playing high-level tournament chess right to the end, which demonstrated to everyone his passion for chess and his great fighting spirit.

Bryon Nickoloff tied for first place at the Toronto Pan American Open at the end of 1999, despite his weakened condition.

Bryon Nickoloff often played the Arkhangelsk variation in the Ruy Lopez, in which he played many important theoretical games.