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Zdenko Kozul
Z Kozul 
Photo credit: www.chessdom.com  

Number of games in database: 1,990
Years covered: 1981 to 2025
Last FIDE rating: 2506 (2484 rapid, 2526 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2640
Overall record: +823 -449 =621 (59.9%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 97 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Queen's Pawn Game (108) 
    E10 E00 D02 A41 A46
 King's Indian (103) 
    E94 E98 E99 E91 E60
 Catalan (97) 
    E04 E06 E01 E09 E08
 Slav (85) 
    D10 D12 D11 D15 D18
 Queen's Indian (75) 
    E12 E17 E15 E14 E16
 Grunfeld (73) 
    D97 D85 D94 D99 D90
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (445) 
    B67 B22 B57 B56 B52
 King's Indian (260) 
    E94 E92 E60 E77 E61
 Sicilian Richter-Rauser (153) 
    B67 B62 B63 B61 B60
 Grunfeld (64) 
    D78 D85 D76 D79 D73
 English (50) 
    A15 A16 A10 A12
 Queen's Pawn Game (39) 
    A45 A40 D02 A46 A41
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Z Kozul vs Rublevsky, 2004 1-0
   Benjamin vs Z Kozul, 1997 0-1
   A Jadrijevic vs Z Kozul, 2011 0-1
   Z Kozul vs A Berescu, 2006 1-0
   A Soltis vs Z Kozul, 1989 0-1
   V Kovacevic vs Z Kozul, 1993 0-1
   D Krajina vs Z Kozul, 1989 0-1
   Z Kozul vs G Barbero, 1990 1-0
   Rublevsky vs Z Kozul, 2004 0-1
   O Jovanic vs Z Kozul, 2011 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2004)

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Yugoslav Championship (1990)
   Zagreb Zonal (1993)
   Yugoslav Championship (1989)
   Ljubljana Open (1993)
   European Championship (2006)
   Krunoslav Hulak Memorial (2016)
   Croatian Championship (2006)
   Novi Sad Olympiad (1990)
   Sarajevo (1988)
   European Junior Championship 1984/85 (1984)
   Yugoslav Championship 1992 (1991)
   Yugoslav Championship (1985)
   Calvia Olympiad (2004)
   Biel Interzonal (1993)
   European Championship (2003)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Kozul plays Suicide Variation by Deceptor
   SMITH-MORRA GAMBIT DECLINED GTM by gambitfan
   8. Sicilian 2.c3 by Xmas elf

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 Austrian Bundesliga
   Z Kozul vs A Brkic (Apr-03-25) 1/2-1/2
   Z Kozul vs M Voigt (Mar-23-25) 1/2-1/2
   J Reuker vs Z Kozul (Mar-22-25) 0-1
   Z Kozul vs Bologan (Feb-02-25) 1/2-1/2
   J Roseneck vs Z Kozul (Feb-01-25) 0-1

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Zdenko Kozul
Search Google for Zdenko Kozul
FIDE player card for Zdenko Kozul

ZDENKO KOZUL
(born May-21-1966, 59 years old) Croatia

[what is this?]

Zdenko Kozul was born in Bihac, (now part of Bosnia) in former Yugoslavia. He became an International Master in 1986 and a Grandmaster in 1989. In 1989 and 1990 he won the Yugoslav Championship.

Kozul has lived in Croatia since 1993 and led the Croatian team on five Olympiads. Kozul also played on the Sarajevo Bosnia team that won European Clubs Cup in 1999, 2000 and 2002.

Other tournament achievements include equal first at the Sibenik Open in 1988, and winning the European Championship (2006) in Kusadasi, the Open 'Mediterranean 2017' Rijeka (CRO) 2009, the Zagreb Open-A (2012) and the Karpos Open 2013 in Macedonia. Croatian Champion in 2015.

Wikipedia article: Zdenko Kožul

Last updated: 2024-02-14 15:56:25

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 80; games 1-25 of 1,999  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. S Zakic vs Z Kozul  1-0491981Yugoslav First LeagueB08 Pirc, Classical
2. Z Kozul vs E Grivas  1-0451982Paris opD03 Torre Attack (Tartakower Variation)
3. Z Kozul vs Z Z Jovanovic  ½-½131982Yugoslav First LeagueA04 Reti Opening
4. M Franic vs Z Kozul  1-0411983Yugoslav Semifinal WestE94 King's Indian, Orthodox
5. D Radocaj vs Z Kozul  0-1281983Yugoslav First LeagueE96 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, Main line
6. Z Kozul vs I Curik  1-0221983Yugoslav First LeagueA46 Queen's Pawn Game
7. V S Stevanovic vs Z Kozul  0-1331983Yugoslav First LeagueE88 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox, 7.d5 c6
8. Z Kozul vs V M Stevanovic  ½-½941983Yugoslav First LeagueE06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3
9. G Terzic vs Z Kozul  1-0261983Yugoslav First LeagueB22 Sicilian, Alapin
10. D Jokovic vs Z Kozul  0-1411983Yugoslav First LeagueE80 King's Indian, Samisch Variation
11. Z Kozul vs G Nikolic  1-0371983Yugoslav First LeagueE11 Bogo-Indian Defense
12. D Milanovic vs Z Kozul  0-1401983Yugoslav First LeagueB50 Sicilian
13. Z Kozul vs E Burnazovic  ½-½81983Yugoslav First LeagueA48 King's Indian
14. J Gallagher vs Z Kozul  1-0401984Oakham Young MastersB76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
15. Z Kozul vs S Conquest  0-1371984Oakham Young MastersD02 Queen's Pawn Game
16. S Lalic vs Z Kozul  0-1391984Oakham Young MastersB22 Sicilian, Alapin
17. Z Kozul vs B Ostenstad  1-0321984Oakham Young MastersD00 Queen's Pawn Game
18. J Howell vs Z Kozul  0-1471984Oakham Young MastersB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
19. Z Kozul vs Short 0-1291984Oakham Young MastersA45 Queen's Pawn Game
20. C R Dawson vs Z Kozul  0-1261984Oakham Young MastersE75 King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line
21. Z Kozul vs C D'Amore  0-1541984Oakham Young MastersD02 Queen's Pawn Game
22. Z Kozul vs G Crawley 1-0201984Oakham Young MastersD02 Queen's Pawn Game
23. S Zakic vs Z Kozul  0-1421984Yugoslav First LeagueB70 Sicilian, Dragon Variation
24. I Curik vs Z Kozul  0-1391984Yugoslav First LeagueE61 King's Indian
25. Z Kozul vs G Stevanovic  1-0601984Yugoslav First LeagueA48 King's Indian
 page 1 of 80; games 1-25 of 1,999  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Kozul wins | Kozul loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 5 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>
May-21-10  wordfunph: Sretan ti rodjendan :)
Dec-29-10  nummerzwei: From Krajina-Kozul, Vinkovci 1989


click for larger view

Here, Kozul's opponent played 12.0-0-0!. At first glance, it now seems as if black, undeveloped as he is, could win an exchange with 12...Bg4, and perhaps Kozul had even intended this from afar. However, after 13.hxBg4 hxg4 White has an immediate win in


click for larger view

14.Qxd5!!

- 14...RxRh1 15.Qxc6+
- 14...cxQd5 15.Bb5+
- 14...QxQd5 15.NxQd5 cxNd5(15...RxRh1 16.Nc7 mate)16.RxRh8

- 14...Qc7/c8 15.Bb5!

In the game, Black therefore contented himself with (12. 0-0-0 )e6, but after 13.Ba6 Ba3 (!!, Jacob Aagaard)


click for larger view

the game still became spectacular!

The rest of the game was: 14.bxBa3 (14.Qe2 Qa5 15.Nb5! unclear, Aagaard)...Qa5 15.g4 hxg4 16.hxg4 RxRh1 17.RxRh1 Bxg4 18.QxBg4 QxNc3 19.Bg1 (19.Qh3!, Aagaard)...Qxa3+ 20.Kd1 Qxa6 21.Rh8 0-0-0 22.Rh7 d4 23.Rxf7 Qc4 24.Rxa7 Kb8 25.Ra3 Ne7 26.Qh3 Nd5 0-1

Aagaard's notes are quoted from the preface to 'Excelling at Chess Calculation'.

Mar-14-11  Maatalkko: This guy is crazy experienced at the Classical Sicillian.
Mar-19-12  Calar: Recently he won open tournament in Zagreb:

Zagreb op-A (2012)

May-21-12  brankat: Happy Birthday GM Kozul!
May-21-12  lost in space: Happy birthday GM Kozul. Your games were my pathfinder through the Richter-Rauser system in the world-cc game vs. GM A. Nickel
May-21-12  lost in space: .. and what has this strange picture to do with GM Kozul? Looks like a bowling alley?!
Mar-19-13  waustad: Here is a decent pic from an article where he won (on tie breaks) a tournament in Skopje: http://de.chessbase.com/portals/3/f...
Apr-17-13  waustad: Coming in equal last in the Croatian Championship this year was not a good result for the highest rated player: http://www.365chess.com/tournaments...
May-21-13  brankat: Happy Birthday Zdenko!
Sep-23-13  waustad: After winning the Austrian Bundesliga 2 Mitte last year, his team SV Wolfsberg will be in the main Bundesliga. First board this year will be more of a challenge, since he'll be facing a lot more higher rated players. He is 15th highest rated this year, compared to 2nd last year.
Nov-12-14  waustad: Congratulations on winning the Durres Open 2014. http://chess-results.com/tnr150333....
Nov-21-14  waustad: SV Wolfsberg won its first round match 4-2 but lost the second 2-4 in the Austrian Bundesliga 1. For the first two rounds they used 5 Croatian players along with Erich Steflitsch. There are two more rounds this weekend and perhaps we'll see Eva Moser on board 4, which would bring up the overall elo slightly. Sparkasse Jenbach seems to be the team to beat here and Schachclub MPĂ– Maria Saal has been the most disappointing so far.

http://chess-results.com/tnr134964....

Dec-20-14  waustad: There is a line in the Sicilian Richter-Rauser called the Kozul variation. He's even written a book on it: http://shop.chess.co.uk/The-Richter...
Jun-01-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Congrats to 3rd Zdenko Kozul (2620) for still remaining perfect at the Bosna Open. He cruisied through the first 4 rounds with ease, and in R5, will face the other perfect player - 5th GM Hrvoje Stevic (2596).
Jun-05-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: And the 3rd seed would win the Bosna Open with 7/9 (+5,-0,=4). He won his first 4 games, then drew the next 4, and beat 12th seed Miodrag Savic with black in the final round to secure it.

Kozul would actually finish in a 5-way tie for 1st, but edged out compatriot Stevic (50.5-50) 6th seed Mladen Palac (2561), 15th seed Dusan Popovic (2492) and 4th seed Predrag Nikolic (2618) on tiebreaks.

For his 2666 TPR, he gained a modest 8.1 points to move from 2620 to 2633.1 (rated 2625 on the June list), just 7 points behind Croatian #1, Ivan Saric.

May-14-16  waustad: A week from today he'll be eligible to play in the younger versions of senior tournaments. Since he is still quite active, it will be interesting to see if he starts playing in these.
May-21-16  waustad: The software that chooses POTD really should put a preference for players with landmark birthdays. Happy 50th birthday to a former European Champion!
May-21-16  siggemannen: Happy Birthday! The best game for me is the game against Rublevsky a few years ago, where he sacked the house to win
Apr-06-18  waustad: He is now playing a match with Nikola Dukic. They've split the first two games. I suspect that there has been a transliteration problem, but I only see him as a Serbian unrated player: http://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?... Is he related to Sandra Djukic
Apr-07-18  nummerzwei: This looks more like it:

https://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml...

May-21-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimmy720: An opening pioneer
Dec-10-21  SkySports: Croatian Champion 2021!

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-t...

Dec-12-21  Albertan: Kozul wins 2021 Croatian Chess Championship:

https://www.fide.com/news/1475

Apr-08-22  Deceptor: Kozul still going strong at age 56 -- he just qualified for the next World Cup with a solid 19th place (7.5/11) showing at the EICC in Slovenia. Also, it seems like he's had the same 2620 ELO for last 25 years. A remarkably consistent player.
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