Chess grandmaster Jan Timman, who twice contested the world title in the 1980s, has died at his home in Arnhem at the age of 74.

Timman was hailed as the “best of the West” in the 1980s, a period dominated by Soviet champions Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.

He challenged Karpov for the world title in 1990 and 1993, the second time after Kasparov and British grandmaster Nigel Short had broken away from the sport’s governing body FIDE to organise their own challenge match.

Timman was Dutch champion nine times between 1974 and 1991 and is regarded as the best chess player from the Netherlands since Max Euwe, who was world champion in the 1930s.

In 2005 he was a member of the Dutch team that won the European championship in Sweden. He also won the Hoogovens tournament (latterly Tata Steel) in Wijk aan Zee in 1981 and 1985.

Two years ago he made a surprise comeback at the national championships, 55 years after his competitive career began, but he retired a year later, citing the demands on his health.

Timman also published dozens of books on chess and was a longstanding contributor to Schaakbulletin and New In Chess Magazine.