Some More Umansky. Chess At The Elite Level.

O.K.  Time to put my hand up and admit that I was wrong!

Here's a thing. I am learning every day. I only really know about two things - chess and why people do and say the things they do and say.

During the short period where I was able to combine playing correspondence chess and making - yet another!! - over the board comeback, I found, with one exception, an annoying attitude from ob. players towards c.c. They believed that there was no real talent involved in playing by correspondence - it was just doing the hard work, and analysing a position to death with the mythical 'unlimited time'.

For that reason I have not posted on the great c.c. players, assuming that many would ignore them as talentless creatures living in a world with 96 hour days, no jobs, no life and the analytical powers of a super computer.

In my last few posts I have been both gratified and amazed that actually my regular readers have just looked a the c.c. games posted and commented on how good the chess was, how talented the players were, etc.

. So as a special NewYears treat I have sat myself down with a pack of cigarettes, a few bottles of chilled IPA and picked out a big bag full of games by the genius that was Mikhail Umansky.

To leave myself some wriggle room for a follow up I started with the tournament where he became World Champion through the era where engines and databases were becoming a bigger and bigger factor, and pure talent and hard work less so.

So, a big bag of games for you to dip in and out of as and when you get a few minutes to spare. No notes - just sit back and admire genius ( for me, Umansky is the c.c version of Ivanchuk) at work, together with a big thank you for the lessons from both you guys and the man himself.

Let's start with his title winning tournament. There were 2 guys ahead of him in the betting, but he came out on top.

World number one? Number 4 all time? Tournament favourite. No problem!

If Capablanca or Carlsen had played this game, you would have seen it. A real masterpiece of technique.

Black against a World Champion? 

No Problem!!

Another game from that tournament. An utterly incredible game. White has two Queens on the board, and Umansky just plays quiet moves and wins. His depth of conception was really quite staggering. 

O.K. in 2001 There was a special tournament composed only of World Champions - 9 of them. Umansky won it with 7/8. No kidding! The greatest c.c. performance ever. And this wasn't old, over the hill guys - they could seriously play.

I mentioned Oim in my Omechenko post. Twice a world champion, which is incredible imho, and winner of one of the strongest tournaments ever held - by the proverbial country mile. Everyone a G.M when there were not many in c.c., World Champions down the field, my dear friend Keith Richardson - third in a World Championships and winner over World Champions, an also ran. WOW Oim. LEGEND!!

No problem!

Rittner.

World Champion. No Problem!!

Sanakoev.

World Champion and multi World Championship finalist. Winner of the c.c. Immortal Game. Umansky had Black against him. Well, you are getting the idea  by now.

And the crowning glory of the greatest correspondence chess performance in history.

Hans Berliner. Lots of pictures of him about - here's one from his over the board days.

Fine over the board player. Pioneer of chess computers, World Champion, and considered by some to be the greatest ever. He became World Champion having lost exactly one c.c. game.

Against him Umansky produces one of the greatest games in the history of chess. His play is so deep that even Berliner - who must have spent countless hours on it, couldn't understand how he lost, or where he went wrong. Umansky's Knight retreat to f2 is a move more brilliant and profound than anything in most of the best known brilliancies.

 While we are into wins against World Champions, let's give a couple against the 15th World Champion, via a tournament that ended in 2002.

No, I don't understand that game either - WAY above my level.

Another of the all-time greats. Yes, it's a woman, and a magnificent player In 2002 she was number 6, I think, in the all-time ratings.

One more with a picture. Dirk van Geet.

A fine player over the board - with a bag full of Grandmaster scalps to his name, and elite level in c.c., with at least one World Champion amongst his victims that I can think of. And yes, he was famous for his unusual ideas in the openings.

O.K. Will throw in three more just because I like them!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this not so little selection and understand why someone like me, who has studied more players than I could remember, has Umansky as one of his all time favourites.

Have a great 2022 everyone. Look after yourselves, and I will be back in the New Year. 

Cheers!