When the warlord was young

by Nagesh Havanur
6/27/2016 – Seventy years ago a young boy made his debut in competitive chess. Our thumbnail shows him a few years later, at the start of a great career. For decades tournament halls resonated with his astonishing victories and disasters no less. Time and again he fell and rose like a Phoenix. Here Nagesh Havanur remembers those early steps in a legendary career, which recently sadly came to an end.

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When the warlord was young

12th February, 2016. The Zürich Chess Challenge Tournament is about to begin and there is a glittering opening ceremony. Players and spectators are exchanging bonhomie even as music is played. Amidst all this festivity you see an old man perched on a wheelchair.

He sits motionless, lost in a reverie. When was it that he played like these boys?

Almost seventy years ago! He is standing in the middle with friends and his coach Vladimir Zak (seated)

Spectators at the USSR Championship in Moscow

He was only 21 and already crossing swords with Botvinnik, Keres and Smyslov.

How time passes! Today when you see him he looks like
a frail old eagle. Of course he has seen much. [Photo David Llada]

Once he said, with pride: I have played chess for more than fifty years. Some of my first opponents were born in the 19th century. For instance in 1953 I played against grandmaster Levenfish, who was born in 1889… Now in about one week I am going to Oslo where I will face Magnus Carlsen, who was born one hundred and one years after Levenfish, in the year 1990… I believe I have played against people of six generations!"

Here in Zürich they have invited him as a Guest of Honour. He does not mind being honoured. But he does not relish the idea of being a spectator. "They didn't get me an opponent this time! I don't want to watch, I want to play!" he complains to photographer David Llada.

Hasn’t he had enough of the frenzied world that is chess? Never. Chess is his life. How many games must he have played? No one has kept a count. For the record there are about 5000 games and many of them defy description. They are chaotic and crazy. If there are adventures, there are also disasters. Inspiration alternates with insanity.

For this reason he is seldom satisfied with his play or that of others. If he loses he worries what is wrong with his game. If he wins he wonders what is wrong with his opponent. Disappointment shows even when he finishes first. “Every time I win a tournament I think there is something wrong with modern chess,” he says.

He likes old masters, though. One of them is Levenfish and he fondly recalls
the combination that the veteran played against him 60 years before.

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Having outplayed the old master our young hero overreaches himself with the aggressive move, 23.Rd6?? Instead he should have played 23.Qxb4! Rab8 24.Bg2 according to Levenfish. After Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qd8 26.Qe4 Bxg2 27.Kxg2± White has the upper hand. 23...Rxe4! 24.Rxe4 If 24.Qd1 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Qf3-+ After 24.Red1 Qe7! Black has several ways of winning,the most elegant being 25.Rf1 Re1 26.Qd3 Qxd6! 27.Qa6 Rxf1+ 28.Qxf1 Qd3! 29.Qe1 Qf3-+ 24...Qxd6‼ 25.Qxb4 Qxc5! 26.Qe1 g6 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Korchnoi,V-Levenfish,G-0–11953URS Trade Unions-chT Minsk

This was a wonderful lesson in defence and counterattack. His own road to mastery had begun eight years earlier. He was only 15 when he played the following game:

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1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Refreshing play without preconceptions. 4.g3 followed by Bg2 is the main line. 4...Be7 5.Qc2 0-0 6.0-0-0 d6 6...d5 leads to a Stonewall like position. Curiously, it has not made its appearance in practice. 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.e4! fxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qh4 Bd7 13.Ng5? Played with boyish impetuosity. But this move threatening Nxh7 could have waited. 13.Kb1 moving the king to safer quarters is a bit slow. 13.Bd3 developing the last minor piece is better. 13...h6 14.Nf3 Rf7? Concerned with White's forthcoming attack Black reinforces the second rank only to find later that it was not required. Instead he could have seized the initiative on the quenside with 14...b5! 15.Kb1 or 15.cxb5 Qe8 15...Qe8 15.Bd3 Be8 With this move and the next Black attempts to keep an eye on g6 which may be targeted by White. So he skips the option of opening a front on the queenside with...Rb8 and...b5. In the end the delay proves fatal. 16.Rhe1 The advance 16.g4?! would be premature on account of Bc6! 17.d5 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Bxd5 18...exd5 gives White respite with 19.Bg6 19.Qxe7 Rxe7 20.Nh4 Bxh1 21.Rxh1 Rf7 16...Rf8 This move, a part of Black's plan, leaves the queen unguarded. 17.Re2? This idea of doubling up rooks on the e-file is a bit slow. This time 17.g4! would have given him the initiative. 17...Bf7 18.Rde1 still on the wrong track Here 18.g4!± is even stronger than before. 18...Qd7 19.g4 Now this move needs a bit of preparation. 19.Kb1 first, keeping off any possible pin on the c-file, was necessary. 19...Qd8? Black hopes to prevent the advance g5-g6 with the "threat" of exchange of queens. However, it's insufficient and should lose. Instead he should have played 19...Qc6! targeting both the c4 pawn and the knight on f3, although even here White has some advantage after 20.Qg3 b5 21.Rc2 bxc4 22.Bxc4 Ne4 23.Qg2 20.g5 Nd7 After 20...Nh5 Komodo suggests the subtle 21.Re3! However, I think, Viktor would have played for direct attack with 21.Qe4 g6 22.Rg1 Qe8 23.gxh6+- 21...Kh8 21...hxg5 there follows 22.Nxg5 22.Kb1 Qe8 23.Qe4+- 21.Rg1 h5 22.Qg3?? During the game young Viktor thought he should avoid the exchange of queens following g5-g6. Later he found he was wrong. After the game he saw 22.g6! won on the spot. If Qxh4 or 22...Be8 23.Qxh5+- 23.gxf7+ Rxf7 24.Nxh4+- 22...g6 23.Nh4 Kh7 23...Qe8 is met by 24.f4 followed by f5 with a winning kingside attack. After 23...Kg7 Korchnoi gives 24.Nxg6! There follows 24.Bxg6 leads to the same result. 24...Bxg6 25.Bxg6 Kxg6 26.Rxe6+ Kg7 27.Qd3+- 24.Qf3 This move threatening both 25.Qxh5 and 25.Qxb7 is not bad. But 24.Bxg6+! would have won immediately after Bxg6 25.Nxg6 Kxg6 26.Rxe6+ Kg7 27.Qd3+- 24...Kg7 opting for the lesser evil and hoping that White's capture of the pawn would open a line against the king 25.Qxb7 d5 Black cannot open a route for the queen with 25...c5 26.Nxg6! Bxg6 27.Bxg6 Kxg6 28.Rxe6+ Kg7 29.Qe4+- The plausible 25...Rb8 is met by 26.Qe4 Qe8 27.f4 Rb6 28.Rge1 with the threat of f4-f5 wins 26.cxd5 exd5 27.Qc6 Rb8 28.Qc2 Again this is not bad in itself. Otherwise there is a win with 28.Nf5+! Kh8 28...gxf5 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.g6 28...Kh7 29.Re7 29.Nh6+- 28...Rb6 29.f4 Nb8 30.Kb1 Na6 31.a3 Qd6 32.f5! Qxa3 33.f6+ Kg8 34.Bxg6 Rxb2+! An imaginative move that deserved a better fate. 34...Qa2+? 35.Kxa2 Nb4+ 36.Kb1 Nxc2 37.Kxc2+- 35.Qxb2 Bxg6+ 36.Nxg6 Qd3+ 37.Qc2! courting danger The prosaic 37.Ka1 Qxg6 38.Qb7+- also wins. 37...Rb8+ 38.Kc1 Qa3+ If 38...Qxd4 39.Rg3 Qa1+ 40.Kd2 Qd4+ 41.Rd3+- 39.Kd2 Rb2 The last fling. 40.Re8+! Kf7 41.Re7+ The final phase of the game is well-played by both sides. 1–0
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Korchnoi,V-Dymov,I-1–01945A852nd Cat. Tournament Leningrad

A far from perfect encounter! Our young hero preserved the scoresheet and with a boyish hand diligently wrote out where he and his opponent had gone wrong. The lad was not wanting in dedication. Two years after this debut he won the USSR Junior Championship. However, he had set his sights higher, playing in the national championship.

17th USSR Chess Championship in progress in Moscow

That was to happen later with his participation in the 20th USSR Championship. Meanwhile he still had to beat opposition in his native Leningrad. Take a look at the following game. Here one can see the fighting spirit and fierce will to win for which he was to become celebrated throughout his career.

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1.e4 c5 2.f4 Khavsky wants to avoid the book and go for an attack. Today this move is seen as the commencement of the Grand Prix Attack. Otherwise 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 was more often seen in those days. 2...Nf6!? Inviting the e4-e5 advance. A provocative move typical of Korchnoi After 2...d6 White plays 3.Bc4 followed by Nc3, Nf3 0-0 and d3. In general he has better development and greater chances of initiative on the kingside. 2...d5 is the thematic counterthrust in the centre after White's flank attack with f4. 2...Nc6 is as good, developng a piece and exerting pressure on d4. 3.Nc3 e6 4.e5 This move allows Black to have a fine pawn centre. 4.Nf3 would at least enable White to complete development and castle soon. 4...Nd5 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.Qf3? White thinks Black would be weakened on the a2-g8 diagonal if he advances the pawn to d4. However, it's shown to be insufficent. He should have played 6.d4 d6 7.Nf3 or 6.Nf3 Nc6 6...d6 7.d4 transposes to the previous line. 7.d4 6...d4 Both sides have advanced pawns on adjacent diagonals. But Black's pawn on d4 hurts more as it impedes White's development. 7.Bc4 Be7 8.f5 White is depending on pawn moves at the cost of development. 8.Qe4 would at least have vacated f3 for the knight. 8...Nc6 9.Qe4 0-0 10.Nf3 If 10.f6? Bxf6 11.exf6?? Re8-+ -Chekhover 10...d5 11.exd6 11.Qxd5 Bxf5 12.Qxd8 Bxd8 followed by ...Re8 was the lesser evil, although Black is ahead in development and has the initiative. 11...Bxd6 12.0-0 Qf6 This move is not bad. But Black had to eliminate or neutralise the bishop on c4 first. 12...Na5 13.d3 or 13.Bb5 a6 14.Ba4 Rb8 13...Nxc4 14.dxc4 Re8 13.g4 an ambitious advance that meets a rebuff After 13.Qh4 Qxh4 14.Nxh4 Re8 the downside of White's opening play is obvious. 13...Bd7 14.Qe2 Rae8 15.Qg2 Ne5 preparing the move ...d4-d3. But he could have played it right away with decisive effect. 15...d3! 16.Bxd3 Nd4-+ 16.Bd5 Not 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.d3 Bc6 18.Qf2 b5! 19.Bb3 c4 20.dxc4 Qe4-+ 16...d3! 17.Nxe5 Rxe5 18.g5 Qd8 19.f6 c4 Thematic, but a little slow. After 19...Re2! 20.Rf2 Rfe8-+ Black has a decisive attack. 20.g6 Bc5+ This move is not bad and indeed leads to a dramatic climax. There was a far from obvious win with 20...gxf6! 21.gxf7+ Kh8 22.b4 Rxf7! 23.Bb2 Rg7-+ 21.Kh1 hxg6 22.Qxg6 It appears that Black is lost. Now comes the move that turns tables. Qxf6‼ 23.Rxf6 Re1+ 24.Kg2 Rg1+ 25.Kf3 Rf1+ 26.Kg2 Rxf6 27.Qe4?? This allows mate. The lesser evil was 27.Qxf6 gxf6 28.cxd3 cxd3 29.b4 Bd4 30.Rb1 Be6 27...Re8 28.cxd3 cxd3 29.Qxd3 Re1 30.Kg3 Bf2+ 31.Kg2 Rg1# 0–1
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Khavsky,A-Korchnoi,V-0–11950B21Leningrad

A terrific battle! The ascent on the Olympus had begun.

Source: Chess News and Views

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ChessBase eulogy: Viktor Korchnoi dies at 85
6/6/2016 – He was one of the truly great chess players, a legend. He played in three matches that produced the World Champion, but in each case lost to Anatoly Karpov. It made him the strongest player never to have won the title. In 1976 he defected from the Soviet Union and took up residence in Switzerland, where he continued to be active into his eighties in spite of a stroke. Now he has gone and leaves a grieving chess community.

Viktor Korchnoi: My Life for Chess (Part one)
6/20/2012 – Born 1931, two-times contender for the world championship, Viktor Korchnoi is a piece of living chess history. In the 60 years of his career he has crossed swords with practically all great players of the past and present, including Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. In this special Monograph DVD "Viktor the Terrible" describes a life devoted to chess. Review by Prof. Nagesh Havanur.

Viktor Korchnoi: My Life for Chess (Part two)
6/26/2012 – Born in 1931, twice contender for the world championship, Viktor Korchnoi is a living chess legend. In his career spanning over 60 years he has crossed swords with practically every great player of the past and present, including Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. In this special Monograph DVD, "Viktor the Terrible" describes a life devoted to chess. Review by Prof. Nagesh Havanur.

Viktor Korchnoi

born 1931, two-times contender for the world championship, is a piece of living chess history. In the 60 years of his career, "Viktor the Terrible" crossed swords with practically all great players of the past and presence, including Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. A relentless fighter at the board, he expressed his never-ending love for the royal game in a very simple phrase - "Chess is my life".

In 2005, at the age of 73, Viktor visited ChessBase in Hamburg, to record two fascinating DVDs on a life devoted to chess – a career that spanned more than five decades and six generations of opponents. Kortchnoi was never one to mince his words. On these DVDs he created a vivid memorial to himself and his great chess career. In Volume 1, he presents eight of his most brilliant effort from the years 1949-1979, describing in detail the story around each game, never beating around the bush, sometimes harshly criticizing his opponents, but also lavishing praise on them when this is warranted. A highlight is the game against Karpov from the match for the world championship in Baguio 1978.

“My Life for Chess Vol. 1” offers more than three hours of first-class chess training, plus an extensive interview. A must-have for every chess fan! Volume 2 features about four hours of “Kortchnoi live”. The great chess legend presents among other things his games against Kasparov (1986), Spassky (1989) and Short (1990) in his typical gripping style. Embedded in the game commentaries are many details of Kortchnoi’s biography. For instance, before commenting his game against Spassky, the veteran speaks extensively about his personal relationship towards the ex-world champion. Throughout these lectures you can feel Kortchnoi’s ever-enduring love for chess. Whenever the great master gets to the heart of an opening (King’s Indian, English and French) or shows an astonishing move, one can see the joy sparkling from his eyes. No wonder – hardly any other chess genius has lived chess as intensively as “Viktor the Terrible”.

Order these very popular Korchnoi DVDs in the ChessBase Shop
Prof. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.

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