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Speelman 
Photo copright (c) 2007 John Saunders,
British Chess Magazine.
 
Jonathan Speelman
Number of games in database: 1,757
Years covered: 1969 to 2012
Last FIDE rating: 2507
Highest rating achieved in database: 2645
Overall record: +543 -223 =908 (59.6%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      83 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 English (98) 
    A15 A17 A13 A14 A10
 Queen's Pawn Game (92) 
    A46 A45 D02 A41 A40
 Sicilian (57) 
    B52 B81 B92 B67 B70
 King's Indian (55) 
    E92 E60 E97 E61 E90
 Reti System (50) 
    A04 A06
 English, 1 c4 c5 (45) 
    A30 A33 A35 A34 A32
With the Black pieces:
 Caro-Kann (160) 
    B17 B12 B10 B14 B18
 Queen's Pawn Game (101) 
    A41 A40 A46 E00 D02
 English (75) 
    A10 A13 A15 A14 A17
 French Defense (72) 
    C07 C11 C10 C02 C00
 Sicilian (71) 
    B56 B57 B30 B22 B63
 Nimzo Indian (54) 
    E54 E32 E48 E33 E46
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Y Visser vs Speelman, 2006 0-1
   Kasparov vs Speelman, 1989 0-1
   Speelman vs Miles, 1975 1-0
   Speelman vs Azmaiparashvili, 1994 1-0
   Speelman vs Sax, 1988 1-0
   A Sokolov vs Speelman, 1989 0-1
   Speelman vs Short, 1980 1-0
   Speelman vs H Ree, 1978 1/2-1/2
   Speelman vs J T Fletcher, 1969 1-0
   Speelman vs M Stangl, 1994 1-0

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Jon Speelman's Best Games by suenteus po 147
   Taxco Interzonal 1985 by suenteus po 147
   Reykjavik World Cup 1991 by suenteus po 147
   Hastings 1992/93 by suenteus po 147
   Hastings 1977/78 by suenteus po 147
   London Phillips & Drew 1980 by suenteus po 147
   Phillips & Drew Kings Chess Tournament 1982 by keypusher
   Linares 1991 by suenteus po 147
   Hastings Premier 1998/9 by protean

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JONATHAN SPEELMAN
(born Oct-02-1956) United Kingdom

[what is this?]
Jonathan Simon Speelman was born on the 2nd of October 1956 in London, England. Awarded the IM title in 1978 and the GM title in 1980 he was British Champion in 1978, 1985 and 1986. Early in his career he had a problem with his eyesight but when this was resolved his strength increased dramatically. In 1987 he was 1st= at the Subotica Interzonal and as a Candidate in 1988 he beat Yasser Seirawan (+3, =2, -0) and Nigel Short (+2, =3, -0). Then, in 1989 he lost to Jan Timman (+1, =5, -2) in the semi-final. He is a superb analyst and a noted and well respected author. His books are often highly technical, two well known ones being Endgame Preparation and Endgame Analysis. He has a highly original chess style often playing less obvious moves and a wide opening repertoire. His highest ever FIDE ranking was joint 4th in the world in 1989.

 page 1 of 71; games 1-25 of 1,757  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. Speelman vs J T Fletcher 1-018 1969 BCF-ch U14C57 Two Knights
2. Miles vs Speelman 0-129 1970 IslingtonB32 Sicilian
3. Speelman vs E Warren  1-031 1970 Thames ValleyD07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense
4. Holtzl vs Speelman  0-128 1971 HastingsB02 Alekhine's Defense
5. Speelman vs Hanau  1-043 1971 NiceD43 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
6. A J Mestel vs Speelman  ½-½28 1971 HastingsB86 Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin Attack
7. Speelman vs G Bennett 1-033 1971 IslingtonA45 Queen's Pawn Game
8. Speelman vs Miles  1-020 1971 British U21A23 English, Bremen System, Keres Variation
9. R O'Kelly vs Speelman 0-129 1971 MiddlesexE63 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno Variation
10. J Littlewood vs Speelman 1-028 1972 BCF-chB04 Alekhine's Defense, Modern
11. Speelman vs T K Hemingway 0-130 1972 LondonB00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
12. Speelman vs R Bellin  ½-½29 1972 BCF-chB25 Sicilian, Closed
13. Pachman vs Speelman 1-034 1972 Islington opE61 King's Indian
14. M Haygarth vs Speelman  1-038 1972 BCF-chB06 Robatsch
15. Speelman vs C W Pritchett  ½-½45 1972 BCF-chA22 English
16. A Trangmar vs Speelman 1-035 1972 BCF-chE62 King's Indian, Fianchetto
17. Speelman vs G James  ½-½27 1972 BCF-chC00 French Defense
18. M Basman vs Speelman 0-138 1972 BCF-chB02 Alekhine's Defense
19. Speelman vs Schauwecker  1-048 1972 HastingsB23 Sicilian, Closed
20. J S Emsley vs Speelman 0-171 1972 BCF-chA10 English
21. Speelman vs R Edwards ½-½30 1972 BCF-chA25 English
22. M Basman vs Speelman 0-139 1972 BrightonB02 Alekhine's Defense
23. R C Lemon vs Speelman  1-046 1972 BCF-chE74 King's Indian, Averbakh, 6...c5
24. Speelman vs S Hutchings  ½-½19 1972 BCF-chA17 English
25. B Carlier vs Speelman ½-½49 1973 Schilde op U18 9thB23 Sicilian, Closed
 page 1 of 71; games 1-25 of 1,757  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Speelman wins | Speelman loses  
 

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-29-05  Rocafella: Long Live The Brit!
Feb-01-06  BIDMONFA: Jonathan Speelman

SPEELMAN, Jonathan
http://www.bidmonfa.com/speelman_jo...
_

Aug-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  YouRang: I just noticed that (in the chessgames.com database at least), Speelman +3 -0 =2 against Judit Polgar. Pretty impressive, I'd say.
Oct-02-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eggman: <<In the next Candidates cycle, he fell at the first attempt, defeated by Short en route to his WC match with Kasparov.>>

Even this loss was impressive in a way, considering that it went into overtime and that Short wind up actually winning the candidates.

Nov-20-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  refutor: does anyone have the pgn for the game palatnik-speelman frunze 1979? i have checked the usual sources (here, chesslive.de, chesslab.com, chessopolis.com/u-pitt, megabase) and couldn't find anything. i assume the game exists becaue there was 50 moves of analysis of a game fragment in speelman's "endgame preparation"

(black to move)


click for larger view

Sep-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: GM Speelman is working on a chess puzzle book for GAMBIT, due out in March 2008. For details, see http://www.gambitbooks.com/books/sp....
Oct-02-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: I lost in a simul to today's POTD in London in 1991 or so. Very pleasant man, then in the top 10 in the world, I think.
Jan-24-08  manethos: Nice game against Nakamura today at Gibralter........
Jun-11-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  suenteus po 147: For you Speelman fans, here's a collection of games from his book of best games: Game Collection: Jon Speelman's Best Games This collection includes some new games to the database from Speelman's early days.
Jun-11-08  MichAdams: Does Jon say why he didn't include his win over Kasparov? You'd think his publisher would have insisted.
Jun-25-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Ron: A chess column by Jonathan Speelman hasn't appeared in The Guardian in about two months. His column usually appeared weekly. Any information about this? Did The Guardian lay off Speelman like they did to Short?
Sep-24-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: Speelman was the chess consultant for the movie "The Luzhin Defence".
Oct-11-09  Bobsterman3000: Isn't this guy known as "Marathon Man" on playchess.com?
Feb-01-10  mkirk: Speelman is having a good tournament in Gibralter, so far. Excellent.
Mar-01-10  asianwarrior: As I was reading his biography, I noticed that he has a poor eyesight which was later corrected. I too have poor eyesight that I can't hardly see the whole chessboard. I wish he can allow me to know about his eye defect and how it was correxcted so as to help me not only in my playing chess but more on my job.
Mar-17-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  wordfunph: According to Dominic Lawson, GM Jon Speelman was the only Grandmaster he met who actually feels sorry for his opponents when he beats them.
Oct-02-10  rapidcitychess: Happy Birthday.

Speel your heart out!

Oct-02-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  wordfunph: "One of the secrets of winning is not to try too hard."

- GM Jonathan Speelman

Happy Birthday GM Speelman!

Oct-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: My son bought "Best Games of Chess" Jon Speelman thinking (as I think the seller honestly thought it was) it was HIS games - however it is a lot of great games of famous players and others and is good - but be wary of that.

That said, Speelman should do a book of his own games (he did put one of his own games in the collection). So "Best Chess Games 1970-80" by Jon Speelman is NOT his games (except for one) but it is very good. It is a great book.

Also, he gets confused with Rudolf Spielmann.

Oct-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gejewe: <Richard Taylor> He actually did, back in 1997. The title is "Jon Speelman's best games", published by Batsford ISBN 0-7134-6477-1. Great book with 38 annotated games. Last chapter "Blood on the board" ! I hope that you are still able to find it because my former teammate in the Dutch league is an original thinker and great chessplayer (and besides one of the kindest people among chessplayers..)
Oct-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Benzol: Game Collection: Jon Speelman's Best Games
Oct-04-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: <Gejewe> Thanks. We can look for that. I sell books so I should know how to find it! My son had read about Speelman. I got him confused with Mestel who is in a book called "Play Better Chess" by Barden. But if he was in the top 4 at one stage he must have played some interesting games... Good to hear he is also considerate person - rare in chess. Mind you I (and Speelman!) are at least 2 exceptions that proves that rule!

<Benzol> Thanks for the link.

Jul-05-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  xombie: I happened to own "Analysing the endgame " written by him, which I had chanced upon in Berkeley's half priced books. It is a singularly instructive book. I would even rate it as one of my best (though obviously, it would be a little too precise to call it my best ever). You just get sucked into it.

In spite of being a relatively slim affair of 156 pages, it sort of contains enough to become an expert endgame player. Furthermore, there is a quality about it that oozes a depth of understanding, without being repetitive or boring.

Feb-24-12  AlphaMale: <Jonathan Spelman's Privacy Injunction Refused By High Court >

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...

Close but no cigar.

Feb-25-12  Paint My Dragon: Close, but no second 'e'.

Difficult to imagine why the real 'Spess' would need a privacy injunction.

To protect his 1978 analysis of a line in the Caro-Kann perhaps? Or maybe to prevent the Daily Mirror from discovering the extent and whereabouts of his fisherman's jumper collection? Someone's only going to spill the beans on Twitter, aren't they?

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