Influentual Chess Moments....

Influentual Chess Moments....

The Planet Greenpawn

Influentual Chess Moments....

Hi.

Who and what influences the type of Chess Players we become?

A thread on here brought back a moment that I'm pretty sure
helped me set up my stall.

In Thread 135047 the talk about Banned Big Ron has died away
to be replaced with the Karpov - Korchnoi 1978 World title match
and the off board tricks employed by both sides.

The Russians fielded Dr. Zukhar, a parapsychologist to plant seeds of
doubt in Korchnoi's mind.

Hocus-Pocus or not. Korchnoi firmly believed it and that's all it takes.

The Russians agreed to move the good doctor to the back of the playing
arena and Korchnoi brought the score back to 5-5.

So the Russians moved him to the front row.
1-0 to Karpov and he won the match 6-5.

I was really into chess in '78 and followed every move of this match.
I was at that influential stage that all players on the rise go through.
Any bad habits pick up here would take years to eradicate...if at all.

Game 5 sums up this match and shows you how bitter it was.
Korchnoi actually missed a mate here.


55.Bf7+ mates.

They then play on in a known drawn ending whcih was by chance covered
in my last Blog about the wrong Bishop and the Rook Pawn.

So rather than speak to Karpov and offer him a draw, Korchnoi eventually
stalemates Karpov in the then (is it still?) longest ever world championship game.

Black to play.



(OK this is all very nice but what about all this 'influence crap'......Russ)

The ending reached in this game was tricky.


This postion (or one close to it) from the game was appearing on the
boards at the club with the stronger players demonstrating to the weaker
players how easy it was to lose by making them take Black here.

Now excuse me whilst I hop down a wee side track.

A frequent post in the Chess Forum is from players asking how to improve.

This is often answered with well meaning (but somewhat blinkered) lads
telling them what chess program or opening book to get.

Join a Chess Club. There is no better way.

If you are lucky enough to have one frequented by good players all the better.
Pick their brains and listen to what to say.

(if you want, at your peril, you can ignore the bits you don't like....I did) 😉

OK. Where was I?

I lost from the above position in a demo 'try this' game v Alastair White.
I ran the King towards the pawns, the trick is to run away from the pawns
to reach a8.
Very enlightening.

I was not too bothered though.
I had spotted the forced missed mate when the game with the bare score
appeared in the paper. I ran around for days with that newspaper clipping
showing everyone how clever I was.

So it was propably round about here I decided endgames were for the sissy people
who miss middle game mates.

(and that's it?.............Russ)

Yeah.

Here is game 5 from the Karpov - Korchnoi match 1978.



I wonder how many (if any) players on here I have influenced.

Oh Gosh you guys are going to hate me in 30 years time.

Posted to The Planet Greenpawn

Show Comments (6)
Comments (6)

  • Posted 4868 days 12 hours and 28 minutes ago
    Subscribergreenpawn34
    Edit:

    I'm sure all players have there moments. is wrong.

    It should have read.

    "I'm sure all players have these moments."
  • Posted 4868 days 12 hours and 30 minutes ago
    Subscribergreenpawn34
    Korchnoi was a counter puncher - one of the best.

    My style was/is attacks on the King without being too subtle.

    Never got much from either player really but that missed
    mate and loads of other things I was picking up then
    helped shape me. I'm sure all players have there moments.

    A year later Karpov missed a mate OTB in Montreal.
    That got me thinking about justice in chess and also threw me
    into solving every puzzle I could lay my hands on.

    I was not going to have any missed chances in my games.
    (I have missed very very few and gone onto to lose. These losses
    are bad to take. Don't mind losing but to miss a shot...Oh Dear.)
  • Posted 4868 days 13 hours and 11 minutes ago
    Standard membergreenerpawn
    What style of player was Korch?
    I can't see you being inspired by Karpov.
  • Posted 4868 days 16 hours and 46 minutes ago
    Subscribergreenpawn34
    Remember back then that perhaps someone was tampering with
    Korchnoi's thoughts.

    But as Diophantus (& Donner) said.
    There is Luck in chess.

    Of course there is. It's a game.
  • Posted 4868 days 20 hours and 28 minutes ago
    Standard memberDiophantus
    If I remember correctly this game and the missed mate were used by Donner as evidence that chess is pure luck. I think he had a point.
  • Posted 4868 days 22 hours and 14 minutes ago
    Standard memberRevRSleeker
    Game 5. 54. Qh3+ Kd5 55. Be4 ( Korchnoi misses the mate sequence Bf7+! ( Resign the order of the day ) Kc6 56. Qe6+ Kb7 57. Qxe7+ Ka8 ( Ka6 I remember working on years ago, maybe 'edges' ) 58. Bc4+ ...apologies if you worked through this recently here, just brought a few memories back, Dean.
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