Great Players of the Past: Viktor Korchnoi

[@coleyamos]

Great Lectures of the Past

[@12jswilson]

"In 5 years, Anand will be number 50 in the world." It's almost 5 years later and Anand doesn't play as much, but he's still number 9 in the world. Anand is good at chess

[@ilyaalexeev7845]

He is number 50 except for one thing

[@greenUserman]

Anand's generation was insane. Kramnik, Ivanchuk, Topalov, Anand. They were all top 10 in the world for over 20 years. And Anand has outlasted the other 3.

[@12jswilson]

@@greenUserman Topalov is also holding firm to his over 2700 rating, but he somehow plays even less than Vishy.

[@greenUserman]

@@12jswilson yeah, Topalov essentially quit classical chess. He still plays blitz and rapid, but his rating has dropped a lot. Both are amazing players with great longevity.

[@Odinshi]

And still rank 1 in India, which is quite a feat as well

[@askthepizzaguy]

You know it is an old lecture when there were still kids in the audience. But I've watched every Ben Finegold lecture since the days of the St. Louis Chess Club so there were always kids in the audience then. This feels like home to me.

[@r.mcdonnell8614]

Defection is...when you try to leave, and they go "Rawr, I'm mad" -Ben Finegold

[@Compassiron1]

IDKW these old vids always give me the slight impression that Ben is lecturing to room of people he kidnapped

[@Deucely]

The only man capable of looking older in the past! Very suspicious!

[@evilstorm5954]

Lololololololol👍

[@smort123]

He looked old even before he was born.

[@KF-gd5zt]

It's all about the Benjamins

[@sublimeade]

Except for one thing

[@victorordonez568]

Never try

[@FrankBakulov]

17:04 "What school did you go to, Archer?" - "Old School" - another brilliant anecdote from Ben

[@baoboumusic]

I had the luck to play Korchnoi one time in a tournament. He was reasonably "nice" and told me what I did wrong; but when I tried to ask a question he got grumpy. Fair enough. The rating difference was inversely proportional to his patience ;) Great player and I'm super proud to have played him.

[@ViciouslyBuoyant]

I LOVE that Ben exaggerates when it will be uploaded by saying 2020, and it is now in fact 2023

[@12jswilson]

It was originally uploaded to his old channel a long time ago

[@Mathemagical55]

Korchnoi's beating Caruana with Black was in 2011 just a few weeks before Korchnoi's *80th* birthday not 70. He must have been the strongest octogenerian of all time.

[@stefanf922]

Be2 by Fischer was a mouse slip. Before the computer mouse was invented. Fischer was ahead of his time.

[@ibazulic]

This is one of the first videos that I watched Ben in. Still an excellent lecture, Korchnoi was an amazing player.

[@giovannicorno1247]

I suspect Bobby Fischer would have played against Korchnoy, he knew the player, while Karpov was an emerging star.

[@ryanlind5239]

I couldnt for the life of me figure out why in the critical position of the final game, Korchnoi couldn’t play Nxg3 instead of Qxe2. hxg3 is forced and then Bxf3 is mate! Finally I asked stockfish and it told me I’m an idiot because the pawn on e2 just takes the bishop, since we didn’t take it like Korchnoi did. Guess he was a better player than me.

[@davidschneide5422]

Similar to final move forcing mate in game 1. Ben didn't bother to show Nxf6 results in Rxg7 followed by a mating kiss from the black queen.

[@heisenbard5352]

Holy i did the same exact thing! and i was like how can ben and korchnoi miss this! i plugged it into stockfish and i felt dumb as a doornail :D

[@ASMRChess]

“When Vishy is 50 he won’t be too 10” Vishy is currently number 9 in the world at 52. That is damn impressive.

[@GMBenjaminFinegold]

He’s 53

[@danbrooks5060]

Technically top 10 but he almost never plays rated classical games in the past 3+ years, so it's not clear if he's really in the top 10. Still an amazing player of course and perhaps competing in rapid and blitz at his age is even more impressive. But there are many players outside the top 10 that I don't think anyone would bet on vishy beating in a match.

[@lukemarks3281]

​@@GMBenjaminFinegold 53.4 actually

[@DBobbyscomedynews]

Korchnoi's Complaint...I got the joke...I thought of it myself years ago...great lecture!

[@Jabadamazo]

I don't get it. Pls explain :(

[@tunatuna6723]

​@@JabadamazoThere was a book in the 70s? titled Portnoy's Complaint (and it's not about burnt pizza).

[@paulmurray8922]

Ahh, this brings back memories of our high school Chess coach raving about the genius of Korchnoi. So much so that, except for Capablanca, he was the player everyone was determined to eventually emulate.😄

[@f.d.3289]

14:51 The Korchnoi - Geller game is another example of never play f3/f6. Black would have been able to hold after 20...Bh4 (after 21.Qf4 Kh8, it is not clear for White how to conitnue attacing), but 20...f6 loses quickly as shown Korchnoi.

[@peterberger5579]

25:54: Albin Planinc was in Europe a well known player. One of the most daring attackers in his time.

[@ijbalazs]

A sidenote: in September 2023 Vishy Anand (53 years old) is 9. highest rated by FIDE.

[@josueramirez7247]

Why was Korchnoi’s chess style said to be “counterpuncher”?

[@jacoby-wan_kenobi]

Ben in this video said he could talk about Korchnoi defecting for 45 minutes. But that isn't true. Ben could talk about Korchnoi defecting for 55 minutes, because he gets paid by the hour.

[@pietersybesma4991]

Korchnoi was a world champion in 2006

[@bilyonarelifestile2226]

This is a very suspiciously excellent video, thanks

[@GraemeCree]

Slight correction. Nobody was world champion when this Korchnoi-Karpov game was played. Fischer had resigned the title in June 1974, making the title vacant during the Karpov-Korchnoi match. When Korchnoi defected, all Soviet Grandmasters save three signed a letter denouncing him. The three exceptions were Spassky, who was living in France, Botvinnik, who could do whatever he wanted, because he was Botvinnik, and Bronstein, who must have been a glutton for punishment.

[@IanMcGarrett]

24:33 Perhaps the concern was that if Black plays 33 ...Bxg3 White plays 34. Nd4 threatening the queen on b3 and draw by perpetual with Qf6+. Of course Nd4 could be met with Qe3 covering the g5 square but Korchnoi's solution is far simpler.

[@carlosalejandro7315]

Best chess teacher ever. Hilarious class. Subscribed 😂

[@ash9788]

Shout out to the editor.

[@wmbriggz]

Ludek Pachman was the first defector that this 76 year old heard of who had their chess career destroyed because the western chess federations (including the USA) simply stopped inviting him (and other defectors) to bigger events in order to assure Soviet chess players would appear. I liked to think of myself as a cynical progressive human being, and still was stunned when I realized that “my” country (USA) chess federation was hurting innocent people. I attended a national meeting where the previous chess leaders were attacked for doing that… I stood in the elevator as heard one of them complain bitterly about how one of his personal happiness dreams….running the federation…had turned to ash….

[@angelcow189]

Anand is 53 and still top 10. Frankly, incredible.

[@flpsnk4848]

9:48 In before Anand top 9 5 years later

[@rajdeepsingh4982]

9:55 ahm ahm

[@Fishlom]

Anand still #9 classical today yupyup

[@sublimeade]

Where can I buy those glasses

[@pschneider1968]

I don't get that "Korchnoi's Complaint" joke. Anybody care to explain? 🤔

[@Deep_stew]

It’s a play on Portnoy’s Complaint, a book by Phillip Roth

[@pschneider1968]

@@Deep_stew Thank you! I didn't know this book, but now looked it up on Wikipedia. No wonder Ben did not expect the kids to get this joke 😉

[@euclideszoto997]

I've heard that if Korchnoi stuck with the French Defence and not vary his openings with black, he would have won the world title. It was his favorite defence and Karpov never beat him when he faced it.

[@cliffmcnamara6266]

Can someone explain the joke at the beginning? :)

[@danielgautreau161]

Famous novel Portnoy's Complaint. Some sexual problem.

[@danielgautreau161]

If Nakamura was born on a USA military base then American law says he was born in the USA. Law is one thing; reality is another.

[@Sletty73]

I come from the future, when Anand is 53 and #9 in the world. Maybe he is an alien.

[@danielgautreau161]

I think Carlsen is a chess engine in a humanoid body. He has to avoid winning every game to avoid suspicion.

[@bobbyfischer6786]

The only person to ever beat korchnoi with the black pieces three times was GM Ken West

[@dannygjk]

During the Soviet Union the players had to obey the wishes of the government otherwise the players might partake of a special tea.

[@liamkiney4124]

It's poloniumdemonium!

[@beeble2003]

Nah, in those days they just got sent to prison camps in Siberia. Tea hadn't been invented yet.

[@dannygjk]

@@beeble2003 😂

[@davidlindstrom2687]

First chess Philip Roth joke!!

[@r.mcdonnell8614]

I think he was damn near 80 when he beat Caruana

[@douglasquaid7550]

and Caruana was near 10

[@r.mcdonnell8614]

@@douglasquaid7550 yes, but 2720 is 2720

[@douglasquaid7550]

@@r.mcdonnell8614 yes, Caruana was a FM back then at 2100-2200 .

[@12jswilson]

@@douglasquaid7550 you have to be 2300+ to become an FM

[@douglasquaid7550]

@@12jswilson ok

[@snookslayer4559]

Efim Geller was a great chess player who could also bend spoons.

[@jltdltdltd]

Here for the Philip Roth joke

[@luke53285]

Corchnois complaint. Splain please

[@luke53285]

@@danielgautreau161 a true gentleman and scholar.

[@NealBlanchard-db5tz]

Did Korchnoi have a glass coffee table. Philip Roth ,"Portnoy's Complaint"

[@michaelemerson1949]

Switcherland

[@eugenechadwell8557]

many many many many many many many many many times, 9 NEIN nine times actually....

[@yotoober1]

Yes saw this before. No question "Korch the Torch" 🚭 was the best player never to be WC taking that title from GM Keres and the famous Avro/Tata steel tnmt of 1938 for chess historians.... Korchnoi: "blame it on the yogurt or the electronic brain jamming devices in the chair for my loss" 🤣 To me, his best game was a draw, when with black playing the Ruy Open defense, he defanged the at the time yet unnamed, and unseen before, Karpov Gambit, a brilliant Knight sac, 11) Ng5, over the board, supposedly invented by his 2nd GM MikhailTal, but Karpov later admitted it was a novelty created by his other 2nd (3rd?🤣) GM Igor Zaitsev who created the Bb7 for black in the Ruy. Karpov probably had the best team of 2nd's ever assembled before it since, for a WCC match, world class theorist GM Zaitsev, GM Yuri Balashov and a former WC, GM Tal. How does that work? Nepo must of lost because he had sloppy seconds. No more pie left. 😆

[@Meelenko]

"but in his 70's... he was like me" No Ben, he wasn't. Truth hurts 🙂

[@hanan300-zv4tu]

"Cause Fischer, even before Fox News existed, was crazy like them." Hilarious

[@mikhailnizayev]

I drank vodka with Korchnoi

[@panpan-vz3om]

2018 ok

[@ceejayarby1225]

"The answer is Fox news" 😂 golden.

[@riverajavieri]

👍🤭👏👏

[@zxien1]

Poor Korchnoi, the best chess player to never be world champion.

[@salmarwow]

Maybe. Maybe Bronstein. Maybe Keres. But even being in such a company is quite an acomplishment.

[@zxien1]

@@salmarwow Keres Never even had the #1 rating, and "only" had the #2 rating for 52 months. Bronstein had the #1 rating for 19 months and the #2 rating for 4 months. Korchnoi on the other hand was officially the highest rated for 4 months, and the second highest rated in the world for 139 months (3rd highest for 58 months)! I don't believe Keres is even in the picture, and Bronstein you could for sure make an argument for but 143 months (11 years 11 months) of being the best / second best player in the world is truly inspiring (14 years 3 months of being top 3).

[@ztev3495]

Poor Korchnoi he didn't become champion

[@King.Mark.]

i want to leave and they said tree

[@donsimons9810]

easy on the political opinion interjections while speaking ill of the dead. Atl cliches, gotta love it

[@danielszczypka6977]

Anand in 9. FIDE Today.

[@ashleyvermaak2879]

Telling kids which news network is crazy. Lol political ppl are rather subtly toxic. Other than that touch of one dimensional idiocy. Entertaining stuff.

[@ViciouslyBuoyant]

Anand is still NEIN!

[@dank2476]

Nepo has just taken over the title from Korchnoi being the best player not to win the WC

[@mrstrategy9763]

Korchnoi was top 2-10 in the World a lot longer than Nepo has been so far. Korchnoi has defeated more World champions than Nepo has. Also, Korchnoi was closer to Karpov in the 70s and early 80s than Nepo has ever been to Carlsen, so I would dispute that claim.

[@royprovins7037]

There are plent of others. Tarrasch, Keres, PIllsbury

[@komikmaceralar8539]

Korchnoi 🤮

[@harbard642]

In the last morphy video i asked for some good old kid roasting. ben didn t fail to deliver somehow.