profile of the patron
International Master Zbigniew Doda
(1931–2013)
On February 8, 2013, the chess community bid farewell to the most distinguished representative of the KKS Lech Poznań chess section, International Master Zbigniew Doda.
He was not only a leading player for our club but also a long-standing representative of the Polish national team. He claimed the Polish Chess Championship title twice, in 1962 and 1967, and represented Poland at the Chess Olympiad on seven occasions. Throughout his career, he competed in over 50 international tournaments. In 1972, he also represented the railway community at the European Championships in Bulgaria, where he and his team secured the bronze medal.
We encourage you to explore his full biography on Wikipedia, a summary of his achievements on the Szachy w Polsce website.
History of the Memorial
The tradition of chess festivals organized by our club dates back to 1999. The first organizer and arbiter was Janusz Woda. Until 2021, the club – represented by Małgorzata Napierała – hosted a tournament titled Chess Summer (Szachowe lato). In 2022, the new board of the association decided to celebrate the centenary of KKS Lech Poznań by organizing a special Chess Festival.
For 2023, the club planned the inaugural 1st International Master Zbigniew Doda Memorial as part of the Poznań Summer Chess Festival. However, following the passing of Grandmaster Włodzimierz Schmidt, the Doda Memorial was moved to the winter season, while the July event was dedicated to honoring the memory of Grandmaster Schmidt.
The Memorial has continued to be held in subsequent years.
Detailed Results:
2023 – IM Doda Memorial
2024 – Poznań Winter Chess Festival – IM Doda Memorial (FIDE>2000) – ChessManager
2025 – Poznań Summer Chess Festival – IM Doda Memorial – ChessManager