A story of no Os

by Jonathan Speelman
11/20/2022 – At a tournament organized by the Grandmaster Association in Reykjavík back in 1988, there was no security in the snack area. Inevitably, this prompted interest in Garry Kasparov’s snacks: Toblerones. In fact, there was a massive temptation to half-inch the odd piece of his numinous nutrition. There was a crucial proviso, though. The pieces of Toblerone had letters on the side spelling it out and no one in his right mind would pilfer an O, thus positively demanding bad luck... | Pictured: Garry Kasparov with Alexander Nikitin
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Garry’s snacks

[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]

Back at the end of the 1980s, Bessel Kok ran a Grand Prix of six GMA (Grandmaster Association) World Cup tournaments. There were about twenty players and each played in four of them.

I began really well in the first of these in Brussels 1988, but soon faded. Being a much more dangerous match than tournament player (better at not losing than actually winning games), I spent the rest of the Grand Prix in the middle at best.

The second tournament was in Reykjavík, and the hospitable Icelanders provided snacks for the players during the rounds in an area behind the stage. The tournament was won by a certain Garry Kasparov, and with no security in the snack area (definitely a distinct lack of armed guards in this most civilized of countries), there was inevitably interest in Garry’s snacks — which were Toblerones. In fact, there was a massive temptation to half-inch (pinch) the odd piece of his numinous nutrition, and it was not one which could always be resisted.

TobleroneThere was a crucial proviso, though. The pieces of Toblerone had letters on the side spelling it out and no one in his right mind would pilfer an O, thus positively demanding bad luck...

When I looked back at my games, I had imagined that Reykjavík was one of the many tournaments in which Garry splatted me, but in fact it was a surprisingly quick draw. I’m showing it today, together with a couple more of my Toblerone enhanced (but bagel-less) efforts. (I’m not sure now about round numbers, so have chosen the order without regard to that).

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.0-0 0-0 6.Ne5 6.c4 dxc4 7.Na3 7.Nc3 7...c3 8.bxc3 c5 is a complicated variation in which White has to be rather accurate. I preferred to try something different. 6...c6 7.c4
I've tried this a few times, but without great success. The game against Slobodjan was particularly horrible. 7...Be6 7...e6 8.Qc2 Nfd7 9.Nf3 dxc4 10.Qxc4 e5 11.Rd1?! Nb6 12.Qc2 exd4 13.Bg5 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.e3 Bf5 15.Qe2 Re8 16.Qf1 13...Qd5 14.Qc1 Qc4 15.Qd2 c5 16.Bh6 Nc6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rc1 Qd5 19.e3 Rd8 20.Nxd4 Qh5 21.Bf3 Bg4 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Rxc5 Nxd4 24.exd4 Rxd4 25.Qe3 Nd5 26.Rxd5 Qd1+ 27.Kg2 Rxd5 28.Nc3 Qxa1 29.Nxd5 Qxb2 30.Qe7 Rc8 31.Nf4 Qf6 32.Qxb7 Qc6+ 33.Qxc6 Rxc6 0-1 (33) Speelman,J (2601) -Slobodjan,R (2536) Calcutta IND 1999 8.cxd5 Bxd5 9.Bh3 This at least puts some pressure on Black. c5 10.dxc5 Ne4 10...Na6 11.Nc3 Nxc5 12.Be3 Qd6 13.Bxc5 Qxc5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 Nxd5 16.Nd3 e6 1/2-1/2 (16) Speelman,J (2539)-Georgiev,K (2645) Gibraltar ENG 2006 11.Nd3 Na6 12.Be3 Bc6 13.Qc2 Bd4 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Bg2 Rac8 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Qf6 Here he offered a draw, and I imagine I didn't think too hard about refusing it. The position should be equal after something like: 17...Qf6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Rab1 Rc7 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Speelman,J2645Kasparov,G2760½–½1988D78Reykjavik WCup
Speelman,J2645Timman,J2660½–½1988A33Reykjavik
Speelman,J2645Kortchnoi,V25951–01988B13Reykjavik
Tal,M2610Speelman,J26451–01988A43Reykjavik
 

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On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.

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Jonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.
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