Svetozar Gligoric, a legendary Serbian and Yugoslav chess player and one of the world's top players in the 20th century, has died. He was 89.

Serbia's Chess Federation says Gligoric died on Tuesday and was buried in the Serbian capital on Friday.

Gligoric was born in 1923 in Belgrade and won his first title aged 15. During the Second World War Gligoric joined the anti-Nazi guerrillas and resumed his chess career later.

After winning his first international tournament in Warsaw, Poland, in 1947, Gligoric became Yugoslavia's champion 12 times and played at 15 Chess Olympiads.

The World Chess Federation describes Gligoric as "a perfect gentleman with style, grace and class".