Korchnoi: Viktor Victorious!

Submitted by FM FM_Eric_Schiller on Sun, 05/17/2009 at 4:55pm.

Viktor Korchnoi just keeps going, playing stellar chess even in his late 70s. He'll be playing in the Staunton Memorial this summer, so I thought it might be a good idea to remind you what a creative player he is. These three games are not his most famous, perhaps, but they sure are fun!

Expect some great moves from Viktor this summer! I'll be blogging from the event, where I will be arbiter as usual.

» posted in Chess Players

| 1898 reads | 13 comments |

2 votes:

Comments:

by jackonya - 2 years ago
United States

Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 14

[COMMENT DELETED]

by dziggyandniv - 2 years ago
new york United States

Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 10

Korchnoi wrote a very interesting book about his life and competition with Karpov and the Russian establishment. It might shed some light on their 'close' battles.

Re: Korchnoi beat Karpov!?

That is a troll, right? They played a candidates match and two world championship matches. In 1974 Korchnoi lost +2 -3 =19 for the right to challenge Fischer; lost the World Championship match 1978 +5 -6 =21 and the one in 1981 by +2 -6 =10.

They were close.

Korchnoi has been top class since right after WW2 and still is. Wow.

by hazeleyes - 2 years ago
atlanta georgia United States

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 279

Thankyou for some wonderful commentary on one of my favorite players.

by greatexcalibur - 2 years ago
Melbourne Australia

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 3825

I like the second game! Lifting up the Rook using the Bishop pin..

Thanks for posting, Eric!

by SANTY - 2 years ago
Bulacan Philippines

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 21

NICE GAMES BY KORCHNOI THE TRUE VINTAGE CHESS PLAYER

by owenwilson - 2 years ago
Ireland

Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 398

Viktor Korchnoi is without doubt an inspiration to all us Golden Oldies...he's still in there, at an advanced age, battling OTB. Good on you, Viktor.

His total commitment to chess is such, that he doesn't suffer fools gladly. Back in the 1980s, he was in Northern Ireland playing a simul against the cream of the Northern Irish chess players.

As he strode around the hall, like the colossus he is, he became aware that one NI player was still playing on, even though he was in a hopelessly lost position.

Finally, on his next visit to this gentleman, Viktor asked him - in the silkiest of tones - "Tell me, Sir, do you believe in God ?"

"Oh yes, I certainly do", came the reply. "Well, let me tell you, Sir", came the Korchnoi riposte..."even God can't help you in this game"...

Amen to that. On his next visit, Viktor found that the gentleman had resigned.