2/10/2022 – In the 1970s Boris Gulko was one of the best players in the USSR and the world, and he is one of the few players who has a positive score against Kasparov. In 1976, after Kortschnoi had fled the USSR, Gulko refused to sign a critical statement against Kortschnoi, and as a result Gulko was targeted by the authorities. For seven years, Gulko fought to emigrate from the Soviet Union, and in 1986 he moved to the USA, where he continued his chess career. On 9 February 2022 Gulko celebrated his 75th birthday. | Photo: Les Glassman

2/20/2021 – Grandmaster Boris Gulko is the only player to have won both the USSR and USA Chess Championships. He has been a candidate for World Champion. In his honor, I will prepare a recipe I hope he would enjoy and annotate the game Gulko – Mikhalchishin from the 1981 Soviet First League Championship. | Photo: Les Glassman

6/26/2013 – Although much has been made of the rising Elos, little has been said of the FIDE titles that rely on them, and their increasing devaluation. It is not just the grandmaster title, but all titles that are losing their value, and even those dropping standards are being tossed aside as FIDE hands out titles to players who are underrated by hundreds of Elo. Here is a look at this worrisome trend.