When the Russian Team Championship commenced in Sochi last April, some of the participants were in for a shock.  The luck of the tournament pairings brought each of them face to face with the old war lord, Victor Korchnoi.

Victor, the Terrible as he was known in the prime of his career shows no mercy to his opponents, least of all himself.  Even as tired players on other boards signed a peace treaty and left together for a drink, good old Victor fought on till the bitter end.  But then Korchnoi has always been true to himself.  As an example of his fierce will to win, it is worth quoting an anecdote related by the late grandmaster Gufeld:

“Years ago Korchnoi was invited to help celebrate the birthday of his colleague Mark Taimanov.  The party was to take place in the evening, but in the afternoon the two grandmasters had to face one another in a local club match.  Since this game was totally unimportant by the standards of these world class masters, every one expected a quick and friendly draw, followed by a retreat to the vodka and caviar chez Taimanov.  Unfortunately once Korchnoi sat down at the board he became oblivious to everything else in the world and conducted the struggle as though his life depended on it.  He won, but the game lasted the full five hours.  No birthday party!”  (Karpov-Korchnoi 1974 by Hartston and Keene, Oxford University Press,1974)

This book bears testimony to the old warrior’s intense passion for the game and his incredible fighting spirit.

There are 50 richly-annotated games spanning Korchnoi’s entire career from his early youth to the present (1951-2001).  The index of opponents includes five World Champions, Botvinnik, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky and Karpov and several super-grandmasters from the past to the present: Reshevsky, Geller, Yusupov, Timman and Shirov etc.  Not far behind are the members of the current generation, Bacrot and Ponomariov.

What is also remarkable about the book is Korchnoi’s honesty and his search for truth over the board.  He has carefully re-examined all the games, pointing out flaws in previous analysis and also his own subsequent discoveries.

The following game is one of his best creative achievements:

Victor Korchnoi -  Boris Spassky  [D58]
7^th Game, Candidates' Final Match 1978

(The notes to this game are based on Korchnoi's own annotations in the book.  I have also made grateful use of Kasparov's analysis in his book My Great Predecessors V and Raymond Keene's work, Korchnoi vs Spassky: Chess Crisis.  Keene was one of Korchnoi's seconds during the Match.)

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7

The Queen's Gambit Declined.

4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 0–0 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6

"The Tartakower-Makogonov-Bondarevsky Variation....  It is one of Spassky's favourites and we had been expecting him to use it long before now, especially since Bondarevsky is his second here."-Keene

8.Rc1

''After 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Be2 Be6 12.0–0 c5 Black is left with hanging pawns in the centre, but his position is very active.  With the useful waiting move in the game White defers the exchanging operations in the centre, waiting for the Black bishop to go to b7, where it will not be as well placed as at e6, and it may even prove to be a tactical weakness in Black's position...  In my 1971 match against Yefim Geller I continued 8.Be2.  Which of these moves is better is not clear to me to this day."  - Korchnoi

8...Bb7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 c6

11...c5 12.bxc5 bxc5 is more energetic according to Kasparov who offers the following variations:

A) 13.Qb3 Bc6!
B) 13.Bb5 Na6!
C) 13.dxc5 Nd7 14.Nb5 Rc8!

But Korchnoi does not agree.  In his view Black is faced with resolving a mass of problems after 13. Rb1 Qa5 14.Qd2±

12.Be2

In the 11th game Korchnoi played 12.Bd3, and he was outplayed in the middle game by Spassky.  But the defeat was not on account of the opening.

12...Nd7

''12...Qd6 is better, reminding White of the weakness of his b-pawn, and of the fact that the best place for his rook is at b1.''  - Korchnoi.

If this is indeed the case, perhaps White should not have played 8.Rc1.  Instead he could have played 8.Be2 or 8.Qc2-NSH

13.0–0 a5

''A sharp move.  Obviously, 13...b5 (with the idea of transferring the knight to c4) did not appeal to Black.  14.a4 a6 15.a5 Be7 16.Rb1, and White will soon play his knight from f3 to c5.

The quiet continuation 13...Re8 14.Qb3 Nf8 followed by ...Ne6 also seemed to my opponent to be not altogether satisfactory in view of 15.b5.  If White is allowed to exchange on c6, then the d5 pawn will be weak, while after 15.b5 c5 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Rfd1 Bxc3 18.Qxc3 Ne6 an unclear position arises with ...roughly equal chances, but it too did not greatly appeal to Spassky.''  - Korchnoi

14.b5 c5 15.dxc5! Nxc5

Not 15...Bxc3?16.c6!

16.Nd4 Qd6 17.Bg4!?

A subtle move preventing occupation of c-file by the Black rooks.  - NSH

"The routine 17.Bf3 Rfd8 and ...Rac8 would have led to a complicated struggle where Black's two bishops would have compensated for the weakness of the isolated d-pawn."  -Kasparov

17...Rfd8 18.Re1

With the idea of Re2-d2.

18...Ne6

Ambitious  play. Black challenges the pride of White's position, the knight on d4.  Another way to equalize would have been 18...Ne4.

19.Bxe6!?

19.Nce2 Rac8= only draws.

19...fxe6 20.Nc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6

21...Bxc3?

''I will disclose a secret to the reader: the idea thought up on the 19th move was more or less bluff!  21...Qxc6 22.Ne4 Qb7! (the only move to defend the 7th rank and the b-pawn) (22...Qd7 23.Nxf6+ gxf6 24.Qd4!±) 23.Nxf6+ gxf6 24.Qg4+ Kf7 since after 25.Qf4 e5 (In my opinion 25...Rac8! 26.Qxh6 Rh8 27.Qf4 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Re8= is more solid.  - Kasparov) 26.Qxh6?? Rh8!–+

Analysis Diagram: after 26...Rh8

White loses his queen.

25.Qh5+ Kg7= would have led to a draw, but there was also a psychological consideration: I sensed that Spassky liked his position, that he was prepared play for win, and that he was unlikely to resign himself to the need to agree to a quick draw!"  - Korchnoi

22.Rxc3 Rac8 23.Qc2 e5?

A weak move.  White's passed pawn should have been blocked by 23...Rc7.  In this case too White would have stood better in view of his strong passed pawn, and also the slight weakness of the Black king's position, but Black could have defended.  - Korchnoi

After  23…Qc7 White only needs to avoid the trap, 24.Qg6? 24...Rd6 25.Rec1 e5!  Otherwise he has two promising continuations according to Kasparov:

A) 24.a4 Rd6 25.Rc1 e5 26.Qb3 and the c6-pawn continues to be a thorn in Black's flesh according to Kasparov.

B) 24.Rb1 Rb8 25.Rb5 e5 26.Qb3 Rxc6 27.Rxc6 Qxc6 28.Rxd5 Kh8 29.g3±  White has a slight but enduring advantage in view of the chronic weakness of the enemy pawns.  - Kasparov

24.c7 Rd7 25.Rc1 d4 26.Rc6 Qd5 27.Qb1!

Not 27.Rxb6? Rdxc7 28.Qxc7 Rxc7 29.Rxc7 Qxa2 30.h3 d3 31.Rd6 e4–+  - Keene

27...d3

If 27...b5? 28.e4! Qf7 29.Qxb5; Or 27...dxe3? 28.fxe3 b5 29.Rb6 Rdxc7 30.Rxc7 Rxc7 31.Rb8++-

28.Qxb6 d2?!

Korchnoi does not comment on this move. ''It is hard to refrain from such a move, the pawn approaches the queening square with gain of tempo! But this would appear to be the decisive mistake.  Black should not have blocked the 2nd rank.''  - Kasparov

28...Qxa2! was essential. 29.h3! (29.Qb7? Rf8 30.h3 Qxf2+ 31.Kh2 d2 32.Rd1 Qxe3 33.c8Q Rxb7 34.Qxb7 Qf4+ 35.Kg1 Qe3+ 36.Kh2 Qf4+= Donev in ChessBase.) 29...Rf7 30.Qa6 Qxf2+ 31.Kh2 Qf5 32.e4! Qf4+ 33.Kh1 Rff8 (33...Rfxc7?34.Qc4+ Or 33...Rcxc7?34.Rxc7 d2 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Rd1) 34.Qxd3 Kh7 35.Qc4±

"Black's trump card (his d-pawn) has disappeared, whereas White's trump (his c-pawn) has remained and although with the queens and four rooks on the board, Black could still have hoped for counterplay involving the advance of the a-pawn, he would have faced a difficult struggle for a draw."  - Kasparov

29.Rd1 Qxa2

If 29...Qd3? 30.Qb7 Qe2 31.Qxc8+ Kh7 32.h3 Qxd1+ 33.Kh2 Rf7 34.Qd8!+-  - Korchnoi

What if the Black rook liquidates the pawn on c7 with 34...Rxc7? 35.Qd3+! Kh8 36.Rxc7 Qc1 37.Rd7 d1Q (Or 37...e4 38.Rd8+ Kh7 39.Qxe4+ g6 40.Qe7# ) 38.Rd8# !-NSH

Kasparov offers a more elegant line in this variation. In stead of 32.h3,White should play 32.Qh8+! Kxh8 33.Rxh6+! gxh6 34.c8Q+ Kg7 35.Qxd7+ and Qxd2 wins.

30.h3!

One of the greatest moves ever played.  Korchnoi wins a tempo by safeguarding the king against all back rank threats.  Spassky had set a brilliant trap.  30.Qb7? Qa4!! (Not 30...Qa1? 31.Qxc8+ Kh7 32.Qh8+ Kxh8 33.Rxh6+! (33.c8Q+ Kh7) 33...gxh6 34.c8Q+ Kg7 35.Qxd7++-) 31.Qxc8+ Kh7 (Not 32.Qg8+? Kxg8 33.c8Q+ Kh7 34.Rc2 (34.Rxd2 Qd1+! 35.Rxd1 Rxd1# #-Keene.) 34...Qa1–+) 32.h3! Qxc6 33.Rxd2 Qc1+ 34.Kh2 Qxd2 35.Qb8 Rxc7 36.Qxc7=

30...Qa4

"After this move grandmaster Kavalek said that White was busted, in fact he is winning."  - Keene

31.Rxd2! Rxd2 32.Qb7! Rdd8

32...Rxc7 does not save Black.33.Rxc7 Qa1+ 34.Kh2 e4 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Qxe4+ g6 37.Rc7++  - Keene

33.cxd8Q+ Rxd8 34.Rc7 Qa1+ 35.Kh2 e4 36.Qxe4 Qf6

The a5 pawn cannot be saved. 36...a4 37.Ra7 Qb2 38.f4 a3 39.Qe7  The Black rook cannot leave the 8th rank on account of Qe6+ with mate, and so the a3 pawn is lost.

37.f4 Qf8

“The opponent might just blunder, and allow the rook to be posted at a8!”  - Korchnoi

38.Ra7

''White does not blunder... ''  - Korchnoi

38...Qc5?!

Black could have offered a more tenacious resistance by 38...Re8! according to Korchnoi.  He offers three little variations:

A) 39.Qd4 Qf6
B) 39.Qd3 Qc5
C) 39.Qf3 Qf5

However, Kasparov recommends 39.Qc6! Kh7 40.Qc3+-

39.Qb7 Qc3 40.Qe7 Rf8 41.e4! Qd4

Not 41...Rxf4? 42.e5!+-

42.f5

The sealed move.  Now that White's f-pawn is protected he threatens 43.Rxa5.  - Keene

42...h5

If 42...Qc3? 43.e5!+-; Or 42...a4 43.Rd7 Qf6 44.Qxf6 Rxf6 45.Ra7 Rb6 46.Rxa4 or even 46.Kg3 +-

43.Rxa5 Qd2 44.Qe5 Qg5 45.Ra6 Rf7 46.Rg6 Qd8 47.f6 h4??

47...Rxf6 48.Qxh5+-

48.fxg7+- 1–0

In spite of seeing such fine games Korchnoi fans would have reason to feel a little disappointed with this book.  Fifty games are too few to represent a long and distinguished career spanning half a century with more than 4500 games on record.  Many of his brilliant and memorable games are missing.  Personally, I would have liked to see more of his games from the Soviet Championships and Candidates’ Matches.  It is still rewarding to read the illuminating commentary and detailed analysis offered by Korchnoi for each game in the book.

Recommended

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