Today in Chess | Historic Championships: Karpov vs. Kortchnoi

Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley discuss the World Chess Championships 1978 and 1981 between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Kortchnoi.
USChessChamps.com

[@synesthete23]

Wow, I didn't know Yasser served as second to such a historic world championship match. And the way they talk and relive these moments gives us a glimpse of the intrigue and atmosphere of top level chess in those times.

[@hellostranger2012]

Kortchnoi with the cigarette kinda gives off Al Pacino, Robert de neiro vibe

[@accident_prone]

absolutely fantastic series for Yasser to share some amazing anecdotes!

[@martinlindgren4490]

Wow! This is so interesting. Thanks for sharing! More of this :-)

[@broken1394]

Amazing! Yasser, Maurice, Korchnoi and Karpov ... Nothing better.

[@quinn4626]

Love this.

[@maximilianospillmann3341]

best fkin video Ive ever watched

[@JackTheRappist]

"-Smooth Furnitures-"

[@MaddoxHudsonTV]

It's very obvious, Fischer was scared of Karpov. And I don't think he will lose. I just find that he is not very confident of his genius. Even when he faced Spassky, he showed so many signs of fear and doubt with himself.

[@MagnusAnand]

It’s not that simple. Fischer was already showing signs of his mental instability.

[@RicardoAGuitar]

There was nowhere to go but down...even if Fischer had won (and he would have had the better odds), he wouldn't have dominated Karpov to the same extent that he had dominated the years 70-72. I think Bobby feared the loss of his invincible aura as much as he feared losing outright.

[@EndoftheTownProductions]

Fischer reached the top of the mountain.

[@kirbyculp3449]

I think that Fischer preferred to be the hunter rather than to be the hunted.

[@V0idFace]

What a wrong and dumb thing you just said.

[@sniffableandirresistble]

Fischer said all the Soviet games were all pre arranged is that true?

[@RicardoAGuitar]

No.

[@HayashiManabu]

For the earlier Candidates Tournament, the answer is yes. The matches were done in a round robin fashion, where everyone gets to play one another. The Soviets would purposely draw against each other, getting half a score each, and spend all their energies on defeating Fischer. This helped them score ahead of Fischer, who ranked behind the Soviets in the 1962 Candidates. In order to avoid collusion, FIDE changed the match format from round robin to an elimination match. Under this new format, Bobby crushed all opposition in the 1971 Candidates, beating Taimanov and Larsen with perfect scores, and crushing Petrosian (the 9th World Chess Champion) by a wide margin. He then proceeded to destroy Spassky and won the title in the end.

[@RicardoAGuitar]

There were some shenanigans in 1953 and 1962. I don't think all the Soviet games were prearranged, but there were times during those tournaments where a low-energy draw here or there helped some of those guys save their stamina.

[@RicardoAGuitar]

@@HayashiManabu I don't think the format change made that much of a difference for the 1972 candidate cycle. In those three years. Fischer played at a level far, far above the rest of the world. There was just no stopping him then...which is exactly why he walked away; there was nowhere to go but down.

[@sniffableandirresistble]

@@RicardoAGuitar he walked away because Karpov was a beast!!

[@peteralainszpiriev4750]

To Mr. Seriwan, do You checked out the works of Steinitz or Salvioli Italy? You are a great player of Chess I like your style my dream one day I have your magazin " inside chess" volumes in my home. One think Mr. Morphy wrote plenty after Mr Morphy "retired". "Nosa Cosra" Thx!

[@SaifKhan-gz9bc]

I believe it is spelled "Korchnoi"

[@RicardoAGuitar]

I've seen his name spelled LOTS of ways...Korchnoi, Kortschnoi, Korchnoj....I think Edward Winter documented some 20-25 variants in various books. And I don't know which English transliteration Viktor preferred.

[@eyadsmadi7802]

Korchnoi*

[@scottydfa]

Maurice Ashley is a complete pain in the arse. Talk about loving the sound of your own voice....

[@moishele328]

Petrosian and Karpov did sign the letter, as most asskissing personalities.

[@forevercu]

Bobby turned the 5 million dollar offer because he was afraid to lose to Karpov. Garry Kasparov said “ Spassky performance With Fischer was poor, but he played much much better against Karpov in 1974, yet he Lost badly to Karpov . Fischer knew these stories. What made him even more hesitant is the fact he never played Karpov before. For those who know Fischer psychology, will know that it is easier for him to die but not to lose to Karpov. Fischer decided not to face Karpov to keep his image as a mysterious legend.

[@kaustavkundu6426]

Many Russians are still of the opinion that Karpov would lose in 75 and maybe would have won the next time around.

[@RicardoAGuitar]

Garry might even be right, but to me the way he has always framed that argument makes it sound like he's trying to convince himself.

[@V0idFace]

I know this isn’t the point, but imagine being a grown man and never learning that not only do you leave the bottom button on your jacket undone, you undo the remaining buttons when you sit down.

[@MaddoxHudsonTV]

So... where did the former Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos get the $5,000,000 to finance the match? Hmm....

[@kurtzipagan6704]

Can't deny Marcos has bad deeds but Marcos is the reason why Philippines is the Asia's tiger, once we was the leading in economy and agriculture, even the prime minister of Singapore is a big Marcos fan,that's why Singapore is leading nowadays.

[@lilibethtaringting9915]

@@kurtzipagan6704 wtf u talking about. marcos is the reason why the former rising tiger of asia became the sickman of asia

[@forevercu]

So silly guys very fanatic .. instead of talking about Karpov and his talent, and giving him deserved credit, they keep trash talking and turning it into sympathy issues with Korchnoi.. You turn the talk away from chess itself to disgusting politics... Why all this? Is it unforgiveable that Karpov made Fischer run away because he was scared ? What was Karpov guilt??!! You were forced to say it in the last minute of the meeting?? Listen , the two of you, you are not history makers; Whether you like or not, every chess fan knows that Karpov is one of the very best world champions.

[@V0idFace]

You didn’t really pay attention to what happened, did you?

[@germanchris4440]

What happened to GM Seirawan? He once was a serious character! He has apparently adapted to the changes of the times and has become a comfortable part of the younger fun and joy genereation, the new primitiveness which becomes more and more characterless on its way into a technocratic "New World". To this stupid generation detached from former experiences and imprints, older ones like Seirawan should give testimony of other times when people were still human and mindful and ingenious. But he does it the other way around and laughingly adapts himself to the declining, bred idiocy. How pathetic.

[@GeneticallyEngineeredCatgirls]

Ok boomer. It is a very common myth, no matter what country or time period you could be talking about. No, formal politeness and crudeness of charractes don't stand for mindfulness or ingeniousness. People were actually way more cruel and close-minded on average but it was either considered a norm and ignored, or persecuted legally silencing people and making them refraining them from certain actions or acting sneakily.

[@germanchris4440]

@@GeneticallyEngineeredCatgirls You prompted me to an overly long reply, sorry. But it needs to be. First of all, I don't know how old you are, and thus I don't know how much you can asses the things I'm talking about. In any case, I'm old enough to know how different people of today in general are from those of 30, 35, 40 years ago. Especially within the last two decades a lot of things have been destroyed that are necessary for the survival of a free society (if you appreciate freedom. Do you?). I don't know if you're interested in all of this at all, but I have to go into more detail for once, because this present time in history requires it urgently. You know, Seirawan is just kind of an example for today's society. As I see it, he once was a man of character and certain principles based on a critical mind. More essential seriousness, although the time was not as critical as the present! What is left now is a kind of vain childishness mixed with gentlemanly political correctness, of course. That's jsut "correct", as it is desired in these now beginning times - and more and more mandated! Nowadays, grown men of 60 are buddy types for guys 40 years younger than them. Society has never been "good," but lately there has been a blatant, programmed decline. And too few want to notice and no one is surprised about it, but everyone is blind to the clearest alarm signs without knowing anything that doesn't come from the corporate mainstream media. It is a complete matrix that cannot be questioned and is not questioned, thanks to a long period of brainwashing. It's sad that even the old ones don't see it, but joyfully or blindly participate go along with it all. No wisdom anymore, just modern people, and all are equal ... It's a BRAVE NEW WORLD (does that mean anything to you?). At what point have we arrived exactly now? Do you notice anything? An outcry is needed, it's about time - or too late forever. But that requires a minimum of critical mind, knowledge and also life experience. Instead we have today: brainwashed slave mentality, "political correcntess" and comprehensive "tolerance", "genderism/transgenderism", etc. - and forever juveniles instead of old age wisdom. And finally a technocracy - a delusional world has been created that is now moving into a technoligical dictatorship. So-called "social engineering" is a serious issue and the increasing dumbing down of people is as obvious as it is factual. Times have not changed, but are being changed, and many people simply go along with everything. And that leads to the planned catastrophe. It's all nothing but ideology, and why do all people "think" the same today? Because all enjoy the same programming of "education" and television brainwashing. Now, in the process, people have gotten to the point where they mistake the final fascism that is brought upon them for a "pandemic" because the TV sais so (all day long, 24/7). And the real cause of all of this? The finally achieved total godlessness of this "modern" (or "postmodern") society. No discernment, no critical thinking, only the regurgitation of indoctrinated ideological phrases. Ready for the coming lying, murderous dictatorship, whereby the old are as stupid and clueless as the young! An end-time climax, but all foretold by God in His Word. People and their society had to be destroyed much more than ever to get to this final stage where we are now. (And in the end you just have to get vaccinated, as you know, against "COVID," and there's no turning back - and BTW: Seirawan, like many others, childishly worships this Kasparov guy whose honest days are also long gone and who propagates this genocidal vaccination, as the political puppet he became after his chess career). And nobody who, being such an experienced and knowledgable man (as I know Seirawan actually is), experiences all this and thereby is happy and "positively", is still of a sound and moral mind and character. And to an essetial extent, But that's how current society has been modeled. And again: Seirawan was once a man of character and certain principles! And I see nothing of it anymore today, because he is going along with the world on the described way - along with most of humanity. The price for this in the coming years will be gigantic, because the shapers of society are also its destroyers. The false ideological "values" of most of today's society are godless and destructive. Please see the wrongness and the brokeness of this society and wake up immediately! The abyss is reached, while even the old laugh around childishly and go along politically correct, as if they should not know better! Nothing more to say from my side.

[@GeneticallyEngineeredCatgirls]

@@germanchris4440 You brought up too many different topics that I have different opinions on, I am just going to list my views if you are so interested, but not trying to prove anything since itd take too long. In short: I am young, but critical thinking is my main tool of learning and I am a fast learner because I am able to squeeze the maximum out of the experience I get, so I can give a handicap to most of the people much older than myself. Freedom is my religion and I do not condone any form of dictatorship, however technocracy does not contradict freedom and they can coexist. Seriousness does not equal to critical thinking, the jester could be the wisest. If a huge age gap doesn't prevent friendships anymore - that's great news, I wish it had been that way in my country as well. I am aware of the book you are trying to reference - it is one of the most popular dystopies, but I never brought myself to read it. Yes, it's easier being dumb today than ever before, but all we can do is promote and popularize different areas of knowledge in all forms. Let the rest stay dumb if they wish so, no big deal. You may not notice that but it's also the young people who are sick and tired of status-quo, who are innovating and coming up with solutions to the modern problems. Classical form of education (schools and unis) is becoming less and less useful, but sooner or later it will be forced to change radically or get replaced with something else. All in all, the humanity is still developing, adapting and overcoming despite facing many crisises in different areas.

[@germanchris4440]

@@GeneticallyEngineeredCatgirls Okay, you will see what is going to happen. Just this much: Opinions in themselves are worth nothing. Facts come before a well-founded opinion. You have to inform yourself in order to hopefully wake up: "Great Reset" (World Ecomic Forum); all ongoing things are announced, as well as what is coming; Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030; NWO; "transhumanism"; 5G; Internet of things. If you don't want to do your own thorough research to inform yourself, you have no excuse, because all truth is openly in front of us. He who has eyes to see, let him see. Otherwise, get vaccinated and chipped, it's your life and eternity that's at stake. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 - Finally, there is one truth and one savior, since we all have a problem with God, and that's our sin. God wants to forgive us, but to accept or reject God's grace is our own decision. Your opinions and whatever you may believe ultmately don't matter, because all that doesn't change anything about the truth, which alway remains the same. And either we change our mind about it according to what God tells us, or we will be lost forever. End of story. The bible is God's word and it also tells us what is coming now - and the facts, which we should and can know, just prove it! The technocratic world system (with a coming ruler at the top and with no cash anymore and without any freedom, totally controlled, and intending to reduce world's population by billions!) - it will be the wrong "salvation" from all coming artificial chaos, a mass murderous total enslavement. Eternal salvation is only in Jesus Christ, the Lord. - For all that is to come it is "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thess. 2:10). All the best!

[@GeneticallyEngineeredCatgirls]

@@germanchris4440 As a long time member of science communities I am all for vaccines, 5G and even transhumanism, these things aren't enslaving in its nature but in fact rise humanity to new opportunities. How governments are using all the new tech is a different question. I ve read tons of articles on all of your conspiracy theories many times before and they don't stand up to scrutiny. I also dislike individuals who cover their fears of everything new and technological with religion. Chipping is the only more or less controversial thing of the list as it theoretically could bring a lot of harm in the wrong hands but unless it becomes mandatory, there isnt much to worry about.

[@niinuetey9878]

ASHLEY IS A TERRIBLE HOST

[@ab-fk2ol]

I thought I am the only one who felt that. Ashley sucks.