Viktor Korchnoi - A Pleasant Interview

ChessNoir.com Viktor Korchnoi on chess, his World Championship match with Karpov, David Brostein, the KGB attempt on his life, and the best chess player of the 20th Century.

[@bckm54]

I had the pleasure of playing him in a simul in Las Vegas in 2007. As I was making the last, losing move with my king (...Kh8), he grabbed the king out of my hand and excitedly said: "No! You play HERE (...Kh7), YOU DRAW!. He still got a rush out of playing a schmo like me, and I will treasure that memory until I die...

[@nicbentulan]

@insert username well almost draw XD but still it's such a big deal to have played all the way until that Kh8 vs Kh7 thing. of course most of us wouldn't have even made it to an endgame with at least -2 pts material up (i.e. at most 2 pts material down)

[@Omar-vl9xn]

"I will continue to play chess till my death" and so did he, rest in peace korchnoi

[@sebastiangonzalezgonzalez2183]

Man I miss Korchnoi.....

[@checkormate9042]

a true legend i was at his graveyard looks like a chess figure he lived in my town

[@gmalekhine1395]

Viktor Korchnoi was the Grandmaster, who had never been world champion, but he stands to the closest to became world champion from all chess players! He played more than 5 ( or more? ) times final matches against players, who became later World Champions, such as Fischer, or Karpov! Rest in peace !

[@barbfrmsf]

may he rest in peace condolences to his family and friends

[@davidblack2970]

Can you imagine playing for the world championship while your son was in a Soviet prison camp? I have always despised karpov for going along with this but if he hadn't maybe he would have been in a prison camp too... Korchnoi is my hero because of the courage it took to defect to the West. It was Korchnoi's who was in a prison camp during the match.

[@SylvesterStaline.]

They took his son hostage? !

[@davidblack2970]

@@SylvesterStaline. yes, he spent over 2 years in a prison camp in Siberia. The ostensible reason was draft evasion. The real reason was that his father had left the Soviet Union.

[@pompadour_gagarin1723]

@@SylvesterStaline. And they are referencing Bronstein because they did it with his father in 1951. Apparently Bronstein started to have problem simply for having the same name as Trotsky...

[@danielward7008]

Karpov's son was never in a prison camp. He represented the USSR/Russia his entire life because he is Russian. Why should he be ashamed of it and defect to a country that he has no relation to?

[@andro99991]

When Karpov did an interview last year, criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he suffered an "accident", fractured his scull and his femur, and was hospitalized for three months. So yes, had he not gone with KGB's stance, Karpov would definitely have ended in a prison camp just like Korchnoi's son.

[@marcomunoz6465]

I knew him in 1990 29 chess olympiad novi sad ,Yugoslavia . I ask him for his sign ,he gave it to me so kindfully!! He was 60 maybe , My friend and teammate Martin Marrder told me : ask for his sign because he is too old !! But he lived until 85 years old !!! I always remenbered !! Great moment .

[@bigmac329190]

Rest in peace. Seemed like a nice guy.

[@kwasso4ek]

not really

[@ottogunsche]

Thanks for loading this interview with Viktor Korchnoi. It is really great to see him in such good health and great spirits. I always liked Viktor's play and his character!

[@vikgomat]

I always had this image of Korchnoi being a dour/serious person due to his turbulent life (defecting from USSR, son being imprisoned in Siberia, etc). But he seems like a very jovial and light hearted person who takes everything in his stride.

[@vrishankpandey8537]

What a wholesome interview, I've noticed that in general even 10 year old interviews with the older generation just sounds so wonderful listening to people like Viktor Korchnoi, Rest in Peace!

[@ChessNoir]

Glad you liked it dude. I got more Korchnoi goodness coming up.

[@Gr8Layks]

"...considered by most of Grand Masters as strongest player of twentieth century..." I agree. Plus, he has a fascinating catalog of games. His book, My 60 Memorable Games (unedited version), is fun to play through! PS, Mr. Korchnoi is looking great at 81! Nice interview!

[@bendrasin]

Fare thee well, great heart. When that this body did contain a spirit, A kingdom for it was too small a bound; But now two paces of the vilest earth Is room enough: this earth that bears thee dead Bears not alive so stout a gentleman... Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!

[@lonewolfstone6383]

My deepest respect to victor korchnoi. Rest in peace legend.

[@federicogonzalez6880]

Una gran personalidad y una gran persona. El ajedrez era viveza y pasión con Viktor.

[@SKELETON_FN]

I love his style of play. A very good chess player and a gentleman. Kudos to you Sir!

[@JimJWalker]

One game from being world champion. Gracious winner, passionate and emotional loser. I would have loved to see him and Fischer play far more that Fischer Karpov.

[@MrQmason]

Viva Korchnoi.....he's actually a very funny person. Really enjoyed the video :)

[@TheBodyodeur]

Our condolancees from Holland. May your games be blessed.

[@Bydlo10]

lol the old and funny Korchnoi, ..." we all remember your matches against Anatoli karpov and....(Viktor interrupted) i try to forget so what" lol classic from korchnoi.

[@user-ox9gq8dh4o]

Victor the terrible, Rest in peace ✌️

[@bdrasin]

@tubertomp Yes, I think for some reason his grumpyness comes across as much more endearing as an old man than when he was younger.

[@kombarov7003]

Hes real legend

[@TheAtheist22]

What a lovely person he is. I'm sure that if his family were not held hostages in Russia during the championship in Marano he would have had better chances of becoming world champion.Thank you for this video, long live Victor Kortchnoi!

[@TheAtheist22]

How brilliant and wonderful mind he has. And referring to Bobby as the greatest, makes him even more so. How Cleverly he refers to Bobby as the strongest in the 20th century, and THEREFORE, the greatest in the history of chess (making a subtle reference to engines and computers)

[@mr.alboss2856]

Bobby was a machine

[@wilmerlopez9527]

R.I.P.

[@maschinenmeister]

er ist ja gar nicht ausgerastet, ein wunder

[@anselmoregis7438]

Kortchnoy RIP.ok Champion

[@albertserrano3707]

He was a good friend of G. Kasparov.

[@estremp]

You want us to listen to his talk or the noise (music sort of) background ? Please, respect for the talker !

[@fairtrue4557]

yes it was bobby fisher!!!

[@diosdadoapias]

he is now a pleasant guy but not a pleasant guy before. he was sometimes obnoxious during his prime perhaps being a chess legend.

[@barracuda7018]

Fischer greatest of all... Confirmed one more time..

[@ChessNoir]

@ATPUZANOV real talk

[@Electronite1978]

Korchnoi-Sofia Polgar not so pleasant Viktor

[@MGMonasterio]

Korchnoi is a "pleasant man" only when he is talking about himself, the only subject in which he has some interest about.I want to say this now, when he is still alive, it is not so nice to say that about gone people. As far as his personal virtues and human abilities he is as pleasant as a porcupine on attack mood.

[@StopFear]

+Manuel Gerardo Monasterio in my personal experience many skilled chess players are easy to anger or just generally confrontational people.

[@brianbooth679]

New to chess is this guy greatest player not world champ? Saw documentary about match v robot....sorry i meant karpov.

[@vedpardhi6409]

If politics didn't have an impact on him, he would have definitely been a world champion, i mean in a match against karpov he got scared by a man who was staring at him during his match against Karpov, he thought it was KGB and lost his concentration, imagine how scared was he for his life

[@arkadiuszkozio9386]

I hope .....*

[@IZn0g0uDatAll]

He is not really a lovely person, but he is cool nonetheless

[@hoggar1452]

Kortchnoi was beaten fair and square by Karpov three times in matches. The rest of the politics is hokum and irrelevant. Stirring it does not change anything. Karpov is simply one the very best chess players of all times.

[@andrew_owens7680]

They had to arrest his son during the match to make him lose.

[@MGMonasterio]

Korchnoi a pleasant man???? He is maybe the toughest fighter of them all, and arguably the strongest ever at his age...But "pleasant man"...The sole conception make me laugh...That can only be said by someone who has not meet him closely (which is not my case) I love hom a s a chess fighter, but prefer to be aside from him as a person

[@drpawnkwp]

***** Spassky was a good human being. A piece of shit was a better human then Victor the Terrible

[@StopFear]

Well, he can be polite like in this interview, but he certainly is a sore loser when he loses. Regardless of how nice or rude he is, I don't see why someone couldn't respect him. For example I respect him for daring to run away from USSR in late 70s and then he dares to speak out against those piece of crap soviets.

[@StopFear]

+Bill Clinton You seem to have more hate toward Korchnoi than he does to people he loses to. Also you were a horrible president.

[@irgendwerjoker]

It's difficult to assess. After all, he got his fair share of sh**. First, the soviets tried to deny him any chances of the world championship by preferring karpov, then Imagine to play a world championship while you family is held hostage...

[@ludovicusix23]

To be sure, we should ask Sofia Polgar...

[@KingsExecutor]

Enjoy my openings-channel!

[@nicbentulan]

1 wait KGB tried to kill korchnoi? what the hell? i wasn't able to find this on wiki or other sources. source please? 2 RIP and stuff but re the viktor korchnoi vs sofia polgar blitz game of 2002 i mean like hell... viktor korchnoi...this is the guy josh waitzkin said was 1 of the greatest endgame players of all time. and then korchnoi behaves like this against the non-GM of the polgar sisters. but then again maybe korchnoi is behaving like this BECAUSE sofia isn't even a GM yet sofia beat korchnoi. lol. idk. but still this is so hilarious to watch as to how sore/tilted korchnoi is over a blitz game. imagine magnus carlsen telling eric rosen (also IM like sofia polgar) 'this is the 1st time and the last time you beat me in chess960' LOL

[@MrSupernova111]

Source: Korchnoi himself. You want the KGB to come forward and admit it? lol

[@nicbentulan]

@@MrSupernova111 lol i guess thanks!

[@BANKO007]

I liked Korchnoi until I saw the despicable way he treated Sophia Polgar (who beat him in their only game). Now, I have no respect for him at all.

[@Reckall]

IMHO the best player of the XX Century was Alekhine, not Fischer. I place Fisher second, but he had more visibility and he is more rooted in public consciousness because he was born in the era of mass-media.

[@Narrowcros]

Fischer than Kasparov, Alkhine maybe top 5

[@JimJWalker]

Alekhine was a drunk. Fischer would have crushed him.

[@Reckall]

Because of Fischer always lucid and controlled mind? :D Anyway, I judge them when they were at their best. A Fischer-Alekhine played when Ale khine beat Capablanca vs. Fischer when he beat Spassky would have seen Alekhine win by a slight margin. This IMHO.

[@JimJWalker]

Reckall When he was 27, yes he was lucid and very disciplined. He was in top physical condition with a strict workout regiment and a "every waking moment" on chess work ethic. Wild political views didn't interfere with Fischer's playing then. That came 10 years later. What is sad is Korchnoi and Fischer only played eight classical games with a +2 =4 -2 result.

[@Narrowcros]

Reckall You cant compare Alkhine to the great Fischer, in so many games I can predict Alkhines moves, cant with Fischer though. People were much weeker 100 years ago.

[@petrosmpampalis6097]

A World champion without crown!!May the Lord rest his soul 😇