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Name Some Famous Drunk Chess Players?

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renumeratedfrog01

I'm particularly interested in those chess players who still won games while being completely wasted.... I need a role model.

ivandh

Alekhine for one.

furtivamente

http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/drunken-tkachiev-falls-asleep-behind-the-board-makes-the-headlines/

ChrisWainscott
I used to watch Igor Ivanov play while practically falling down drunk.
SuperCourgette

Ok, he was not as famous as the players mentioned above but we shouldn't forget  gm Valentin Arbakov. A very colorfoul person. He excelled at blitz. I remember seeing him playing in Paris at the Jardin du Luxembourg [a  garden in the center of Paris] during the 90s.

I don't know whether he was drunk when he played, nobody submitted him to an alcohol test before starting a game.

But it could explain why he chose to play blitz: "only" a few minutes of intense concentration.

He died a few years ago. Not very old.

Michaelcraign
i play while i drink as much as possible
AndyClifton
LisaV wrote:

trysts


I second that!

Also, Ivanov was reportedly so drunk at one game that he attempted to pour a thermos of hot coffee into his hand rather than the cup (still, at least he was drinking coffee).

Conquistador
LisaV wrote:

trysts


Ye beat me to it!

Wou_Rem
Count_Rugen wrote:

Blackburne loved a good scotch.


I thought he played spanish?

TrueFiction

I don't think Tal played drunk, but I have heard he was quite the drinker.

Wou_Rem
Ry888 wrote:

I don't think Tal played drunk, but I have heard he was quite the drinker.


He definately played blitz drunk, played for whiskey.

TrueFiction
Wouter_Remmerswaal wrote:
Ry888 wrote:

I don't think Tal played drunk, but I have heard he was quite the drinker.


He definately played blitz drunk, played for whiskey.


 Are you serious? If so that is pretty funny.

rooperi

Yes, the good ones have all been said..

I've heard Bogulyobow referred to as "the jovial, beer drinking Russian"

And Blackburne was famouly quoted after stealing an opponents drink: "He left it en prise, so I took it en passant"

Clearly, the opponent should also make the list, but I dont know who it was.

goldendog
rooperi wrote

And Blackburne was famouly quoted after stealing an opponents drink: "He left it en prise, so I took it en passant"

Clearly, the opponent should also make the list, but I dont know who it was.


A simul opponent as the story goes, so the in passing is especially piquant.

NimzoRoy

I don't know if they played serious match and/or tnmt games while drunk (or even while under the influence) but Alekhine and Blackburne were apparently serious drinkers at least once during their careers. Alekhine was found drunk in a field prior to one of his World CH match games in 1935, and he's supposed to have dried up totally while preparing for the 1937 rematch.

Spielmann was once offered a job as a chess coach in the USSR which was apparently a good deal (ie good salary and/or good perks) but he declined because Russian beer was not good enough for him.

I enjoy drinking myself but not to excess (usually) so I would urge you to find a sober role model among the many GMs out there available for the position. You can still try to play like Alekhine, Blackburne or whoever but I would highly recommend you attempt to do...while sober!

Well, it's just a suggestion...Tongue out

dunce
Conquistador wrote:
LisaV wrote:

trysts


Ye beat me to it!


Me too.

Crazychessplaya

The late Alexander Wojtkiewicz, a.k.a. "Wojo" was no mean drinker. Shabalov recalled:

Aleks began playing chess at an early age, and by the time I joined the Riga Chess Club at age 7 – Aleks was five years older than me – he had become the strongest and most promising junior in the city. He was always Tal’s favorite student, because of his talent and his obvious affinity to the three required non-chess components of Tal’s chess school: smoking, drinking, and womanizing.

Full story here:

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3256

Jazo23

Alekhine's still got a little blood in his alcohol stream.

PrawnEatsPrawn
LisaV wrote:

I don't think she's around.  That sucks.  Double drunk posting...just think of the fun!  


 

Drunk from last night or just an early starter?

madhatter5

Tal was always drunk, and Blackburne too