Departures of note

At the 14th Chess Olympiad in Leipzig in 1960, César Muñoz, an unknown Ecuadorian amateur, caused a sensation in the preliminary rounds by defeating Bobby Fischer with the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defence. This was Fischer's only ever loss against that variation. Muñoz finished the Olympiad with a score of nine wins, three draws, and three losses.

Born on 24 December 1928 in General Pedro J. Montero, Guayas, Ecuador, Muñoz was an engineer by profession and played chess as an amateur. He represented Ecuador at first board in the fourth World Student Team Chess Championship at Reykjavík in 1957, where he scored three wins, six losses, and four draws, including victories over reputed players Fridrik Olafsson and Bent Larsen.

In 1962, Muñoz took second place behind Olavo Yépez in the Ecuadorian championship in Pichincha. He also placed seventh at the Quito zonal tournament in 1969, which was won by Eleazar Jiménez and Olavo Yépez. For a number of years, he served as chair of the Ecuadorian Sports Association, and the Complejo Deportivo César Muñoz Vicuña in Guayaquil was named in his honor.

Muñoz passed away on 26 September 1997.