Chess tantrums and childish behaviour

I am doing a short talk on the childish behaviour of grandmasters next week and was wondering if anyone could post me their favourite stories and the tournaments they are from?

Cheers

Chufty

Originally posted by Chufty Jones
I am doing a short talk on the childish behaviour of grandmasters next week and was wondering if anyone could post me their favourite stories and the tournaments they are from?

Cheers

Chufty

There's a video clip of Korchnoi be very childish after losing to one of the Polgar sisters.

Originally posted by Mahout
There's a video clip of Korchnoi be very childish after losing to one of the Polgar sisters.

I was just going to suggest the same clip.
"The very first & the very last in your life, yeah?"
Well, he is about 9 million years old, bless him.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=M9k5oBgaZGI

It will be the last time because he'll fall over dead before they play again (not to mention his physical incapability to play blitz at his age)

It is not as good as the Korchnoi-vid. But anyway:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JpL8-abJ97Y&mode=related&search=

Topalov vs Kramnik 2007 Corus Tournament Wijk aan Zee.

He wasn't a grandmaster at the time, but this story about David Howell caught my attention when it happened mostly because it was kept so firmly under wraps, even now it is very hard to find any information about it:

English chess prodigy David Howell punched the organiser of the "Inaugural European Union Chess Championships" when it turned out that he (David Howell) hadn't played well enough to win a prize. The assault happened after the extremely pleasant and good natured prize giving when Howell found out that titled players weren't eligible for junior prizes

Does Fischer's complaints during the 1972 World Championship count? I'm talking about little things he had issues with like the wood finish on the chess board, the lighting of the stage, the coughing from the crowd, etc.

Originally posted by clarencecuasay
Does Fischer's complaints during the 1972 World Championship count? I'm talking about little things he had issues with like the wood finish on the chess board, the lighting of the stage, the coughing from the crowd, etc.

I think Fischer's whole life counts.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I think Fischer's whole life counts.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Eh9n7Igq1fg

Originally posted by clarencecuasay
Does Fischer's complaints during the 1972 World Championship count? I'm talking about little things he had issues with like the wood finish on the chess board, the lighting of the stage, the coughing from the crowd, etc.

I think the Russian complaints count too, didn't they rip open Spassky's chair to look for a device that was "inhibiting his play"?

Originally posted by Ian709
I think the Russian complaints count too, didn't they rip open Spassky's chair to look for a device that was "inhibiting his play"?

Fischer kept leaving his chair to go for a strole & Spassky's team were convinced he had an electronic device in Fischer's chair. Pointed at Boris said device was turned on when Bobby got up, whereby it directed energy beams at Spassky's head (he said he felt unwell during the match & it was hard to concentrate) & was turned off when Bobby sat back down.

This was discussed in a documentary on the 1972 WC.

are all chess players paranoid?

Not a tantrum, but a childish joke - this story made me laugh:

In one of the games Staunton made a sacrifice whereby he expected to win; but Harrwitz retorted by also sacrificing a piece, and the result was that the Prussian emerged from the scrimmage with a superior game and a pawn ahead.

Somewhat chagrined at his discomfiture, Staunton muttered - "Dear me, dear me, I have lost a pawn!" in a voice and with an accent that indicated rather anger towards his opponent for his clever maneuver than blame towards himself for his faulty combination.

When he had repeated those words, "I have lost a pawn", several times, Harrwitz rang the bell sharply, and, upon the waiter appearing, he exclaimed -

"William, will you kindly look about the floor for a pawn. Mr. Staunton has just lost one."

Well if you could widen your field to include chess players as a community and not just grandmaster (does anyone know when this title was invented) then you will find a wealth of material without having to leave this forum.