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| Jan-19-09 | | M.D. Wilson: Most commentators agree that Spassky played better against Karpov than he did against Fischer in 1972. Given how Karpov beat Spassky, that's very telling. And how old was Karpov? 22 or 23. |
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| Jun-12-09 | | M.D. Wilson: Most commentators agree that Spassky played better against Karpov than he did against Fischer in 1972. Given how Karpov beat Spassky, that's very telling. And how old was Karpov? 22 or 23. |
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| Jun-12-09 | | Petrosianic: And two weeks later, Fischer resigned the World Title (which also may be telling). I'm not suggesting Fischer was afraid of Karpov (I'm sure he wasn't). But I suspect that Fischer may have wanted to face Spassky again, just as a matter of personal comfort. An opponent you know, get along with to some degree, and who stirs up memories of your greatest triumph. Once Spassky was out, it was a given that Fischer's challenger would be either Karpov or Korchnoi. One was a total unknown, the other a difficult opponent (Fischer once said that Korchnoi was one of the few players who made him nervous because he was unable to predict his moves). I'm not saying Fischer didn't think he would win, only that the prospect of playing either one of them might have seemed a lot less FUN than playing Spassky again. Hence, Fischer bailed out at the first sign of trouble, rather than fighting for his match conditions. |
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| Jun-13-09 | | M.D. Wilson: I don't think Fischer was afraid of anyone. Karpov, especially, was a player from a new generation; the new kid on the block. He had every reason to be concerned about Karpov and Korchnoi, but he would have given himself the edge because of his match experience, but he was no fool and he knew good chess when he saw it. Karpov was very young indeed, but hey, Tal managed to do it. For Karpov, it would only have been a matter of time, though. Like Fischer, he was destined to become World Champion. Karpov was certainly the greatest World Champion up to that time, and only Kasparov can reasonably claim superiority over him. I think the reasons why Fischer didn't play are multifactorial, but some would argue his departure certainly proved to be convenient in preserving his aura of invincibility. |
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Oct-21-09
 | | birthtimes: Karpov had no intentions of entering into a Benoni with Spassky with dxe6 as Geller did 15 years earlier. Karpov deliberately chose to keep the center closed, keeping a pawn at d5 rather than exchanging it. He chose a similar strategy as White against Spassky when he played the Ruy Lopez, keeping the center closed there as well... Geller vs Spassky, 1959 |
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Oct-21-09
| | birthtimes: Karpov had no intentions of entering into a Benoni with Spassky with dxe6 as Geller did 15 years earlier. Karpov deliberately chose to keep the center closed, keeping a pawn at d5 rather than exchanging it. He chose a similar strategy as White against Spassky when he played the Ruy Lopez, keeping the center closed there as well... Geller vs Spassky, 1959 |
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| Nov-09-09 | | M.D. Wilson: “I consider myself to be an idler, too, but the dimensions of Spassky’s laziness were astounding” (Karpov on Karpov: ‘Memoirs of a Chess World Champion’, page 98). |
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Nov-09-09
 | | tamar: Spassky wasn't just being lazy. He disliked how Taimanov was treated after he was defeated by Fischer, and distrusted outside help like Karpov was supposed to give. In his best years, he worked very hard with Bondarevsky. |
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Nov-09-09
 | | Benzol: The Kings Indian Defence wasn't a major part of Spassky's opening repertoire and he virtually stopped playing it in his years as challenger and champion. I wonder why he dusted it off when facing Karpov in 1974? |
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| Nov-13-09 | | M.D. Wilson: It's not as if Karpov wouldn't have liked the resulting positions. Interesting indeed. |
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Nov-20-09
 | | gezafan: Spassky played significantly better against Fischer than he did against Karpov. Spassky's play also seemed to decline after he won the WC. |
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| Nov-21-09 | | M.D. Wilson: The Spassky of 1972 and beyond wasn't the Spassky of 1966-69. He really started to decline after losing to Karpov on 1974. Spassky said Karpov was the toughest player he ever faced and that he couldn't understand his chess thinking. With Karpov on the scene and improving at such a rapid rate, Spassky's chances of taking back the title were diminished. |
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Jul-13-10
 | | vonKrolock: <16...e5> Botvinnik pointed out to following <"16... a5! 17. ac1 exd5! 18.exd5 f5! 19. d3  f4 20. b1 xd2 21.xd2 e5"> <"with at least an equal play ... This variation was showed by someone (whose name I unfortunately do not know) during one of my lectures"> Those where the times ... |
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Nov-29-10
 | | ketchuplover: Wouldn't 55...Nf6 hold? tia |
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Nov-29-10
 | | Sastre: <55...Nf6 56.d7 Bxa5 57.Re8 Nxd7 58.Re4+ Kxf5 59.Re7+ Kf4 60.Rxd7 b6 61.Ra7> wins. |
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Nov-29-10
| | tamar: if 55...Nf6 even 56 d7 wins, but Karpov probably would play the more accurate 56 Re6 first, tying up Black completely. There is no preventing d7 and Re8, as White has Re4+ if the knight moves, picking up a piece with discovery next move. |
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| Nov-29-10 | | BarcelonaFirenze: Spassky said that, in his opinion, Fischer would have beaten Karpov had he played in 1975... |
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| Jan-04-11 | | M.D. Wilson: Spassky also said that Karpov would have won the rematch in 1978. |
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| Jan-04-11 | | diceman: If one is interested in opinions,
lets see what Botvinnik said about the Larsen match: "It is hard to say how their match will end, but it is clear that such an easy victory as in Vancouver (against Taimanov) will not be given to Fischer. I think Larsen has unpleasant surprises in store for him, all the more since having dealt with Taimanov thus (a 6-0 victory), Fischer will want to do just the same to Larsen and this is impossible." -- Mikhail Botvinnik Funny thing, I bet Botvinnik thought
he had a "winning" prediction, after
all it had never been done before.
(well, except for Fischer in the previous match)
Ahhhh opinons, 100% accurate.
(I wonder how many predicted Fischer would go 6-0, 6-0?
(heh, heh) My guess would be none.
Amazing how many unplayed games Fischer has lost. |
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Jan-04-11
 | | HeMateMe: Perhaps a little jealousy on the part of Botvinnik? |
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| Jan-21-11 | | M.D. Wilson: No one gave Alekhine a chance in 1927 either, and look what happened there. |
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Jan-22-12
 | | Sneaky: I'm sure Alekhine-Euwe World Championship Match (1935) also made the chessbookies go wild. |
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| Aug-22-12 | | Everett: <tamar: Karpov turned into a large spider in these type positions, laying elaborate traps.> Nicely said. I like it.
Another indication of Karpov's style was shown with his 30.Bxg5. Even if the piece sac was unsound, Karpov feels his position is strong enough to deal with the pseudo-active N on d4. That is what made Karpov so great. He offered his opponents only semblances of activity and the initiative. |
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Aug-22-12
 | | harrylime: Karpov had his limitations.Kasparov exploited these but so would've Fischer.. |
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Aug-22-12
| | harrylime: And for the 1000th time, the Spassky Karpov played in the 70's was NOT the same 60's model. |
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