Chess Is My Life A Biographical Conversation with Andre Behr

by Korchnoi, Victor

• ISBN13: 9783283004064
• ISBN10: 3283004064
• Edition: CD
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Edition Olms

Summary

Victor Korchnoi is one of the greatest figures in chess history, which he has helped to shape for the last 50 years. At the beginning of the 21st century, the aggressive style of this now over 70-years old is undiminished and as awe-inspiring as ever. At tournaments with numerous entrants, the naturalised Swiss citizen leaves world-class players, young enough to be his grandchildren, far behind him.

Table of Contents

Preface	7	(1)
Garry Kasparov
Foreword by Sergey Ivanov: The Secret of Chess Longevity	8	(3)
Prologue	11	(1)
Part I -- My Life in the Soviet Union
Childhood and Teenage Years	12	(7)
Higher Studies and the Master Title	19	(10)
Game 1: V. Korchnoi -- M. Botvinnik	24	(5)
First Professional Steps and my International Debut	29	(9)
Game 2: R. Nezhmetdinov -- V. Korchnoi	30	(8)
A Leap into Chess High Society	38	(14)
Game 3: V. Bagirov -- V. Korchnoi	38	(8)
Game 4: R. Fischer -- V. Korchnoi	46	(6)
Barriers	52	(4)
Havana, Sousse and Amsterdam	56	(4)
Candidates Matches and unforeseen Incidents	60	(5)
I gain Experience, both Political and Professional	65	(5)
Historic Matches. First Encounters with Karpov	70	(7)
On the Eve of important Events	77	(4)
The Year 1974. Matches against Mecking and Petrosian	81	(4)
The first Match against Karpov	85	(4)
Punishment	89	(4)
My Escape	93	(4)
First Clashes with the Soviet Machine	97	(16)
Igor's Memoirs	103	(10)
Part II -- My Life in the West
Triple Barrier on the Way to Karpov	113	(6)
Spassky	119	(5)
The World Championship Match in Baguio	124	(25)
The first Stage	127	(4)
Game 5: A. Karpov -- V. Korchnoi	131	(5)
The Crisis	136	(6)
Stormy Events at the Finish	142	(4)
Immediately after the Match	146	(3)
The Olympiad in Buenos Aires and the Chameleon Donner	149	(5)
The Year 1979	154	(3)
The Boycott	157	(2)
Another World Championship Cycle	159	(6)
The World Championship Match in Meran	165	(6)
Mysterious Chess Events	171	(2)
My American Stories	173	(3)
After Meran	176	(3)
My Family in the West	179	(2)
I feel my Age	181	(12)
Game 6: G. Kasparov -- V. Korchnoi	183	(4)
Game 7: V. Smyslov -- V. Korchnoi	187	(3)
Game 8: V. Korchnoi -- V. Smyslov	190	(2)
Game 9: V. Korchnoi -- M. Taimanov	192	(1)
On Arbiters and Rapid Chess	193	(3)
About my Citizenship and my Retina	196	(3)
Maroczy	199	(2)
Wijk aan Zee and the Tournaments of Van Oosterom	201	(3)
New Rules and the FIDE Events in Las Vegas and Moscow	204	(2)
Chess in Switzerland	206	(3)
A dubious Match in Kazakhstan	209	(3)
My Jubilee Year 2001 and new Contacts with St Petersburg	212	(4)
Chess Teaching and Training	216	(10)
Epilogue	218	(1)
Appendix
Main Tournament Results	219	(5)
Candidates Matches and World Championship Matches	224	(2)
Chess Olympiads	226