Bora Kostić
Chess grandmaster and traveller
A chess player who carried the name of his native Vršac to tournaments and journeys around the world.
Born in Vršac, he is remembered through the town’s chess tradition and a monument.
Life and work
Borislav Bora Kostić was a pioneer of international chess from this region. Travel, tournaments and introducing the game to wider audiences were central to his life.
At the first Chess Olympiad in London in 1927 he played on the top board for Yugoslavia. In 1950 he was among the first recipients of the official international grandmaster title introduced by FIDE.
His story forms part of Vršac’s sporting heritage. The town’s monument and continuing chess tradition recall a traveller whose shared language with people across the world was the chessboard.
What we remember them for
- Yugoslavia’s top board at the 1927 Olympiad.
- FIDE grandmaster from 1950.
- Popularised chess through travel and public appearances.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked: 24.10.2026.
