Fusilli: I just played it on Guess the Move:
WE ARE NOW FOLLOWING
Korchnoi vs Gipslis, 1976.
YOU ARE PLAYING THE ROLE OF KORCHNOI.
Your score: 97 (par = 72)
I had trouble managing the transition from opening from middle game. After 12...f5:  click for larger view... I started to go uh-oh. I went by principle and tried to get the queenside going with 13.Rb1, but it is an inferior choice to Korchnoi's 13.Nc4. But then comes 13...f4 and it's again, uh-oh:  click for larger viewI think black wants to play Qg5, and it does look worrisome. I figured the bishop would need to go to f3 (and playing Bf3 now is Stockfish's first quick choice). I chose the inferior 13.a4 to secure the knight first, but Viktor surprised me with 13.Nxd6 which, when you think about it, is a principled defense move. Then it's not hard to see the exf4, Bf3, Be4 plan. But then, after 18...R4f7:
 click for larger viewKorchnoi, being Korchnoi, played 19.Bxb7? (I chose the good choice 19.Rc1--patting my own back.) Greedy and calculating as usual, Viktor the Terrible, with his "show me" swagger. But he calculated wrong! As <maxi> posted nearly a decade ago, a few moves later he'd be toast after 22...Be6. Once he survives the assault, Korchnoi gifts us a master class in defense, regrouping, and maximizing the power of his resources. I look at Korchnoi's games to try to improve my defense skills. Sometimes I only learn to be reckless though! |