The new 2-EUR coin, marking 100 years since the birth of Estonian Sportsman of the 20th Century Paul Keres, will become available from 3rd January in 500,000 pieces.

Paul Keres was an Estonian chess grandmaster, and a renowned chess writer. He was among the world’s top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s.

Keres narrowly missed a chance at a world championship match on five occasions. He won the 1938 AVRO tournament, which led to negotiations for a title match against champion Alexander Alekhine, but the match never took place due to World War II. After the war Keres was runner-up in the Candidates’ Tournament on four consecutive occasions.

Due to these and other strong results, many chess historians consider Keres the strongest player never to become world champion and one of the greatest players in history. He was nicknamed “Paul the Second”, “The Eternal Second” and “The Crown Prince of Chess”.

Specifications: Diameter – 25.75mm Thickness – 2.2mm Weight – 8.5gr

Composition: BiAlloy (Nk/Ng), ring Cupronickel (75% copper – 25% nickel clad on nickel core), center Nickel brass

Edge: “O” and “E E S T I” repeated alternately upright and inverted

Mintage: 500,000 pieces

The 25th Keres Memorial – ACP Open will be held on 7-10th January 2016, in Tallinn, Estonia.

The World Chess Federation – FIDE declared the 2016 year of Paul Keres.

In 2000, Keres was elected the Estonian Sportsman of the Century.