Sad news reaches us via our co-editor Yochanan Afek, who writes that GM Konstantin Lerner passed away on the evening of Saturday, September 24th, 2011 in Hertzlia, Israel at the age of 61 following illness.

Konstantin Zaivelevich Lerner was born 28 February 1950 in Odessa. In 1978 and 1982, he was Ukrainian Champion. He was awarded the GM title in 1986.

He played in several Soviet Union championships, and his best achievement was second place, behind Andrei Sokolov, at Lvov in 1984.

Lerner won or shared first place in many tournaments, among others at Polanica Zdrój 1985 and 1986 (Rubinstein Memorial), Tallinn 1986, Moscow 1986, Genova 1989, Copenhagen 1990, Gausdal 1992, Nikolaev 1995 (zonal), Berlin 1997, Graz 1997, Recklinghausen 1999, Bad Wörishofen 2000, Tel Aviv 2001 and 2002, Rishon Le Zion 2004, Giv'atayim 2005 (Ettinger Memorial), and Herzlia 2005 (Arye Urieli Memorial).

In 2001 Lerner immigrated to Israel with his wife Sara and son Andrey from Ukraine and played for the club of the city of Kfar-Saba.

Thanks to Yochanan Afek and Wikipedia