Thank you for passing this sad news along.
I knew Edi since 1987. At one time we worked together at the press-center of the Women Candidates Tournament in Batumi, Georgia, in 1998. It was a lot of fun watching Edi pitching his material to several newspapers at the same time. He would demand of me "Common young man, tell me what move is good here, I got to send the report to "Sovietsky Sport"! (Leading Soviet sports newspaper). Edi was master of long toasts and enjoyed a good party.
Edi was not a saint and he had a temper. He could not stand a loss and he lost to me twice. Ironically, we were both born in USSR, but played only two games and both outside the old country, in 1988 in Belgrade and 1999 in Vancouver, B.C. Edi lost both in a mad time-scramble and made a scene in both cases. Funny thing, we spoke the next day like nothing happened. Edi would always lose his temper, but always apologize. He loved chess like a child and the game was everything to him. He remembered a large number of phenomenally beautiful games and compositions and was great at showing them to the crowd at chess events. Edi loved crowd and knew how to make it happy.
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Edi was a great coach. He knew how to motivate his pupils and had a tremendous confidence in their success. Maya Chiburdanidze was one his pupils and perhaps the greatest one.
Edi was a character. People loved him or hated him, but nobody ignored him and he was always there. World Championships and Olympiads, Opens and matches, all continents and many cities. Edi loved Caissa and she loved him back. She knows he was a good and loyal soldier.
So long Edi. Our third game has been adjourned. I promise to buy your book from you when I see you again. Yes, I will not be a coward and will finally face your King's Indian.
Georgi Orlov