Somehow ChessBase missed this early encounter between two future greats.

Views: 44

This week’s game is a little different in that it ends with a problem to be solved (solution in comments). It features a top grandmaster against a (relative) fish, who holds his own in a see-saw game and even stands better when he overlooks a tactic. Can you spot it?

Views: 80

Donner would have been 92 yesterday.

Views: 30

Views: 54

Last week we celebrated Tigran Petrosian’s birthday with one of his wins. This week, we celebrate the birthday of another positional virtuoso, Ulf Andersson, who will be 68 on Thursday.

Views: 38

Tomorrow is Tigran Petrosian’s birthday so naturally I wanted to present one of his wins. Normally, I try to present only tournament games that are not available in ChessBase’s Mega Database but ChessBase seems to have gotten all of his tournament games so here’s one from a 1982 simul at the Boylston Chess Club in Boston against local master (since relocated to Arizona) Joel Johnson, who has graciously added some comments (below).

Johnson’s comments: “Yes, a few things, first thoughts about that game – a big misconception – thinking that based on his reputation, he would beat me positionally. Now, after playing many simuls as the higher rated player, I realize it is important to play aggressive, in order to finish off as many opponents as possible, quickly.
Next thing, is the opening has evolved into two different openings – one called the Vanilla Polish and the other, the Polish Attack (my favorite). I play the opening much different as compared to those early games you listed. Both of these are fully described in Attacking 101: Volume 4. Below is a recent example of how I play the opening these days:”

Views: 36

Bill Goichberg was a very promising young player in the 1970s when he apparently decided that organizing tournaments was a better way to make a living than playing in them and so became chess’s greatest entrepreneur.

Views: 30

Views: 37

Réti would be 130 on Tuesday.

Views: 50

Euwe’s 118th birthday is tomorrow.

Views: 33