ICC was saddened to hear that American Grandmaster and prolific journalist Larry Melvyn Evans died earlier this week in Washoe Hospital in Reno, Nevada, from complications following a gall bladder operation. He was 78.

Larry Evans was among the first generation of US chess players to emerge after the second world war from the vibrant New York Chess scene. He is a five-time US champion and was one of his country's best Olympiad players over a twenty-six year period from 1950 to 1976, along the way winning gold (1950), silver (1958) and bronze (1976) medals for his individual performances.

Despite his excellent chess performances during the 1950s and early 1960s, he will perhaps though always be best remembered by his chess writing and his relationship with Bobby Fischer, especially his work on My 60 Memorable Games, where he not only was the one who finally convinced a reluctant Fischer to publish the book, but also wrote the introduction to each of the games. He authored several books on the game and also wrote a very popular Q&A column for over thirty years for Chess Life that was controversially cut in 2006, and his weekly syndicated column, Evans on Chess, appeared in more than fifty newspapers across the US.

Fuller obituaries on the life and times of Larry M. Evans has been posted by Larry Parry at Chess Life Online and by GM Lubosh Kavalek at the Huffington Post. Here at Chess.FM, GM Larry Christiansen dedicated his members-only show this week to Evans - and as a mark of appreciation for the wider chess public, ICC has made this show free for all to listen to by clicking here.

GM Larry Christiansen is a three-time U.S. Champion and one of the most dangerous and respected attacking players of his generation. He is a feared competitor and attacker who authored two popular books that showcase his aggressive style: Storming the Barricades and Rocking the Ramparts. Each week on the show, Larry will feature various attacking motifs and themes and showing you how best to play for mate.

Today's show is: "Larry Evans 1932-2010"

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