Great Players of the Past: Sergio Mariotti

[@jstb6102]

I obtained my chess instructor's certificate with GM Mariotti. His signature on that piece of paper is one of the things that gives me the most joy to see! As a child he was a pupil of a Russian prince (Obolensky) who had expatriated to Florence. He occasionally quoted his master's teachings. His motto that I remember most was: "Never be afraid of your opponent!" He always worked as a bank clerk (computer scientist), never as a professional chess player, and this certainly limited his chess career. In some recent videos, where he comments in Italian on some of his famous games, he tells many interesting anecdotes about B. Larsen, M.Tal, V. Korchnoi and others. Thank you Grandmaster B. Finegold for this video.

[@shayaknandi3838]

"Draw by Reputation" is just the kind of Finegold content I'm here for

[@pierus01]

There is a video where Sergio analyses his six pawns attack against Gligoric. He said that after the game Gligoric asked him where did he take this opening, Sergio responded that he took it in a small book written by the chess master Gunderam. After the answer, strangely, Glicoric walked away saying nothing and Sergio wandered "I've said something wrong? Was I impolite?". Sergio tells that later he discovered that Gunderam asked to Gligoric to comment and write the introduction of his book, so he met before (but maybe he haven't remembered it while playing on the board). Furthermore Gligoric refused to comment the book because in his opinion that opening was too wrong and unplayable.

[@ExtraCheeseProject]

Also, when Sergio answered Gligoric - even though it was 1969 - the Curb Your Enthusiasm music started playing.

[@f.d.3289]

Great story xD So much for "bad" openings.

[@leonardobaracchi7040]

Gunderam's book was not specifically on this opening, but on several odds openings, and, according to sergio, gligoric refused to write that introduction for the entire book was clearly rubbish to him, not only this line.

[@jaylenlenear3944]

Where is the video or GM Sergio analyzing the game ?

[@leonardobaracchi7040]

@@jaylenlenear3944 the KZbin Channel Is gambitoclub if im not mistaking, gotta check... Theres a series of some 20 vids in every of them GM Sergio analyzes One of his masterpueces. It's in italian

[@emilpietras4428]

I'm great admirer of your lectures. It's my daily dose of fun and happiness, thank You, GM ❤️

[@danjeory3659]

Holy moly, that first game was insane! Love these lectures! I promise to donate at some point!

[@searchalexander5991]

I'm Italian so I really enjoy the lecture!

[@mickeymaloney6276]

New lecture, let’s go!

[@TalsBadKidney]

I used to be a member of the club where he became junior champion

[@giuseppeindelicati7845]

Grazie per aver fatto una lezione su Mariotti! Ero già un tuo fan, ma ora ancor più! P.S. In Italia diciamo "mossa intermedia" più che "intermezzo" Ciao dall'Italia!😊

[@BodhiGeraci]

Not intermezzo!?

[@giacomoronchi7318]

yeah I agree we say mossa intermedia but come on "intermezzo" Is way more stylish

[@A51838]

these lectures are some of the best chess content on the internet. thank you, ben and sponsors

[@aarons3014]

Thanks very much to the sponsor. This was interesting and new to me.

[@scottmorgan3734]

At 24:55, if Qxc3, not Qxd5, but Rxe4 winning a piece.

[@cmblumenroder7286]

Unfortunately the joke with "six pawns' attack" is rather old! It was first written by David Levy in the earliest 80s! (How to play the King's Indian Defense? / Wie spielt man Königsindisch) - I own the German edition of 1983.

[@Tocinos]

It's a me, a Mariotti

[@quinnhutson5566]

...this comment will now be my main take away from the lecture

[@justsomeboyprobablydressed9579]

Great lecture, great games! Happy to learn about this player. Caruana won the Italian Championship at least a few times. But I guess we're not counting him as Italian? I don't know if he ever lived in Italy. Could check his Wikipedia page.

[@Marlonbc90]

Did that for you. You could count him as Italian as he does indeed have Italian citizenship, but according to Wikipedia he never lived in Italy

[@SevenTheJester]

Some people play to win, some people play to not lose. Mariotti played to scare the hell out of his opponents. 😂

[@juhonieminen4219]

15:12 Draw by reputation. Why is that not listed in game statistics?

[@ScacCHichEpaSSione]

Grande Mariotti! The Italian fury! Grazie GM Finegold! Great contents! W l'Italia :-)

[@f.d.3289]

20:45 "Youuu're so next" Ben keeps amazing me with his film culture. Love this guy. Ben & Bugs forever!

[@askthepizzaguy]

The first game reminds me of the famous game Gacha versus Betch.

[@BREAKocean]

Stealing this

[@anubis2745]

24:53 Qxc3 blunders Rxe4

[@omarcos3228]

Great lecture. Thank you.

[@mickeymaloney6276]

Great lectures of the present

[@giovannicorno1247]

THANK YOU GM Ben, for remembering our dear Sergio Mariotti❤, the Italian Fury! He had to work in a bank, he was not a professional, otherwise he could have reached better results! He was a very strong blitz player as well.

[@eugenechadwell8557]

love theses lectures! GO BEN!

[@MrPrezer]

Man,what a player!!I didnt know him!He was hitting you like a train!!

[@jayyy5270]

Finally I am in the one percent. Not how I wanted to, but my mother's mother's name got me there.

[@AlbertoOlivieri]

Hi Mr. Benjamin! I'm Italian ..playing Chess in the 70s Sergio Mariotti( our first Gm) was like an Hero for us...I saw him in the Amazing MIlan tournment in 1975 with Tal ,Karpov, Petrosian among others..unfortunately was not a good one for him...

[@lucaregini7440]

Sergio is retired but still involved in chess in the local italian chess scene. He is still a beast with a chess mind that is sharp as ever.

[@PatchworkPS]

I need a break after watching the coverage of that first game, damn

[@TheSquiblitee]

NEW LECTURE LETS GOOOOOOOOO ... but stay there

[@andreavannini]

I live in Florence. If you come you are welcome!

[@Sevenigma777]

Ben is definitely a GM not just a Grandmaster but also a Great Man!

[@dmitripisartchik1296]

Solid.

[@vernerisavojoki2674]

Pretty sure Greco is the most famous Italian player. :)

[@juhonieminen4219]

Him, or Pirlo, Totti or Buffon.

[@TheMonster10RickSteves]

Go Ben! But stay here

[@MrBonified66]

Nunn still plays the British Senior Championship. Everyone else is playing for second.

[@atwarwithdust]

Nuttiest game ever.

[@marcoparpinel4767]

Hello! There is a Playlist with him! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWGUgZ15mJiXmZo

[@jessicapottte7970]

Hi Ben, have you prepared Ben's version of this for when there is no more Ben ?

[@stefanwicklein4435]

Cool

[@redskins973]

Caruana doesn’t count as the most famous Italian grandmaster of all time?

[@minipashki]

why is Ben shaking in his chair?

[@JojenReed]

Where's the beef??

[@dariolazza559]

Ben is vegan so there's no beef.

[@JojenReed]

​@@dariolazza559Where's the be'f??

[@erickent4248]

The last game didn't effect me Nunn

[@louiscypher6919]

Thought it's gonna be bout Ginger GM, truth hurts.

[@h0wnr681]

I'm guessing he did give that lecture yesterday, but it won't be up on KZbin for a while still. I'm stoked that there are a lot more lectures coming apparently!

[@mickeymaloney6276]

Chigorin next :)

[@Marlonbc90]

I am Italian and I can confirm I can't name a single Italian GM, except for Caruana, but that's kind of cheating

[@vibovitold]

That's interesting - Italy is only 33rd in the world by the average ranking of top 10 players. That's weird for a country which was once a chess powerhouse (as evidenced by so much of chess lingo: intermezzo, fianchetto, not to mention Guoco Piano, Sicilian etc.). and yet it's behind Serbia, Sweden or Peru (with all due respect, those countries haven't had a comparable impact on the landscape of chess).

[@romeoami7911]

Luca Moroni

[@AlbertoOlivieri]

@@vibovitold Because we don't have any school or Government plan about Chess..shame on us..

[@ArthurCravan-pr3bh]

Moroni Basso Rombaldoni Sonis Vocaturo

[@lyricsbpt]

Hey finegold, I have a ?. Do you have an answer. Truth hurts. I don’t want to blunder on both-side of the board.

[@pietrodigiandomenico8764]

He's the better version of Mariottidae