Ricardo Calvo

Ricardo Calvo Mínguez (October 22, 1943 – September 26, 2002) was a Spanish chess player, doctor, author, reporter, and chess historian, who was awarded the title of International Master in 1973 and played for Spain at the Chess Olympiads of 1966, 1968, 1972 and 1974. He died in 2002 from esophageal cancer. Early life Calvo spoke fluent Spanish, German, and English. As a chess historian, Dr. Calvo set out to prove that Spain was central to the monumental changes that occurred in chess late in the fifteenth century. It is most widely believed that the increased powers of the queen and the bishop were introduced during the Renaissance in Italy; however, Calvo insisted that Spain played a major role. Politics Dr. Calvo was deeply involved in chess politics. In 1987, he was condemned by FIDE and declared "persona non grata" (Latin: "An unwelcome person") by a vote of 72-1, for writing a controversial article in New in Chess. The article, according to FIDE, was a "racial attack on Latin Americans". In response, Calvo wrote a letter to FIDE titled "On the Nature of FIDE Legitimacy" in which he disputed their decision: ...a ban against a chess player based on any political ideas is in