An Interview With Bent Larsen

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batgirl
simaginfan wrote:

We were lucky over here back in the late 70's. Larsen was on 'The Master Game' a couple of times, so we appreciate him. He had a long history in England - one of the competitors in the first World Junior championships. A couple of nice pictures of the young Larsen in my Malcolm Barker part 2 post. Thanks as always . Simaginfan.

Hi.
What is/was "The Master Game"?
Here's the link to Malcom Barker Part 2.  (Do I have to do all the work around here??)
Here's Part 1 and Part 3 (because it's more than worthy of serious advertising)

batgirl

Bronstein again on Larsen:

"Why do present-day chess players rarely remember Larsen? I think because his play is impossible to categorize and to feed into a computer as a half-finished product. However, this is an old truth: genuine art is impossible to copy. Even today the style of the great Bent remains inaccessible to the simple toilers on the chess board. Many of his games greatly appeal to me: he played freshly, audaciously, and with a considerable degree of risk. I like his witty, accurate commentaries. And one admission particularly warms my heart 'One fine day I believe that chess will be primarily an art then I will place Bronstein above all others.' Please excuse me for my immodesty. But after all, when thinking about chess as an art I too remember first of all about Larsen."

Malu2376

Thanx

simaginfan
batgirl wrote:
simaginfan wrote:

We were lucky over here back in the late 70's. Larsen was on 'The Master Game' a couple of times, so we appreciate him. He had a long history in England - one of the competitors in the first World Junior championships. A couple of nice pictures of the young Larsen in my Malcolm Barker part 2 post. Thanks as always . Simaginfan.

Hi.
What is/was "The Master Game"?
Here's the link to Malcom Barker Part 2.  (Do I have to do all the work around here??)
Here's Part 1 and Part 3 (because it's more than worthy of serious advertising)

Can't do links on my phone when i am supposed to be working!! The master game was a television chess programme. The players would try to recreate their thoughts after the gam. I remember very well larsen explaining his thinking behind an obscure looking move against Donner. See move 12.

 

batgirl
simaginfan wrote:

I remember very well larsen explaining his thinking behind an obscure looking move against Donner. See move 12.

Well, I can't see the purpose behind it. It looks almost like a waiting move or a wasted move, since he moved the King back shortly after.  I guess that's why I'm a Terrier and not a Great Dane.

simaginfan

That's Larsen!!. Black's counterplay is based on ...f5, so Larsen prepares to meet it with Rg1 and g4.to kill Black's play on the King's side. That was his explanation. His games are full of such moves.

batgirl
simaginfan wrote:

That's Larsen!!. Black's counterplay is based on ...f5, so Larsen prepares to meet it with Rg1 and g4.to kill Black's play on the King's side. That was his explanation. His games are full of such moves.

I see... It seems his plan fell through.

fabelhaft
batgirl wrote:

Bronstein again on Larsen:

"Why do present-day chess players rarely remember Larsen? I think because his play is impossible to categorize and to feed into a computer as a half-finished product. However, this is an old truth: genuine art is impossible to copy. Even today the style of the great Bent remains inaccessible to the simple toilers on the chess board. Many of his games greatly appeal to me: he played freshly, audaciously, and with a considerable degree of risk. I like his witty, accurate commentaries. And one admission particularly warms my heart 'One fine day I believe that chess will be primarily an art then I will place Bronstein above all others.' Please excuse me for my immodesty. But after all, when thinking about chess as an art I too remember first of all about Larsen."

That is a nice quote, hadn’t seen it before.

stregachess

Larsen's Zoom 001 is one of my favorite books. A light chapter on the theory of studying structures followed by a ton of games with very light notes. The general takeaway is that you'll learn via osmosis by playing similar sequences and ideas as white and black. 

 

Toldsted

Maybe of interest: https://www.chess.com/club/bent-larsen