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Isaac Boleslavsky

ISAAC BOLESLAVSKY (born Jun-09-1919, died Feb-15-1977, 57 years old) Ukraine (federation/nationality Belarus) PRONUNCIATION: [what is this?] Isaac Efremovich Boleslavsky was born in Zolotonsha. He learned to play chess at the age of nine, but it was not until after World War II that he first made a name for himself, with second place in consecutive Soviet championships. Boleslavsky continued his rise to the top in 1950, when he became the first player to go through a Candidates' tournament undefeated, tying David Bronstein for first place. To determine who would challenge Mikhail Botvinnik for the World Championship, Boleslavsky and Bronstein then contested a twelve-game playoff match; this was tied too. Finally Bronstein won the second tie-break game and gained the right to play Botvinnik. After this near-miss, Boleslavsky played in another Candidates' tournament in 1953, then devoted his chess ability more toward coaching and serving as a "second" to his fellow Soviet players, while competing in Soviet championships as late as 1961. He left behind several notable contributions to theory in the King's Indian and Sicilian Defenses. Boleslavsky died in Minsk at age 57 after a fall on an icy sidewalk. He suffered a fractured hip and could not overcome an infection acquired during his hospitalization. Wikipedia article: Isaac Boleslavsky Last updated: 2023-08-09 13:47:39

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page 1 of 36; games 1-25 of 883  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. A Konstantinopolsky vs Boleslavsky   1-0 49 1938 Ukrainian Championship B40 Sicilian 2. A Zamikhovsky vs Boleslavsky   1-0 35 1938 Ukrainian Championship A90 Dutch 3. A Khavin vs Boleslavsky   0-1 41 1938 Ukrainian Championship C02 French, Advance 4. Belakovsky vs Boleslavsky 0-1 31 1938 Ukrainian Championship A84 Dutch 5. Y Polyak vs Boleslavsky 0-1 23 1938 Ukrainian Championship C07 French, Tarrasch 6. Boleslavsky vs G Chumichev   1-0 34 1938 Ukrainian Championship B17 Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation 7. Boleslavsky vs E Korchmar 1-0 40 1938 Ukrainian Championship C99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd 8. V Sozin vs Boleslavsky 0-1 47 1938 Ch Trade Unions (team sf) A04 Reti Opening 9. Boleslavsky vs A Kofman   1-0 31 1938 Ukrainian Championship C78 Ruy Lopez 10. Boleslavsky vs A Budo   1-0 29 1939 Tournament of candidates and masters E11 Bogo-Indian Defense 11. Boleslavsky vs Batyev 1-0 51 1939 Tournament of candidates and masters B10 Caro-Kann 12. A Chetalbash vs Boleslavsky   0-1 55 1939 Ukrainian Championship A84 Dutch 13. Boleslavsky vs B Goldenov   1-0 35 1939 Ukrainian Championship C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin 14. Boleslavsky vs A Gaevsky   1-0 50 1939 Ukrainian Championship C66 Ruy Lopez 15. B Ratner vs Boleslavsky 0-1 103 1939 Ukrainian Championship A48 King's Indian 16. Boleslavsky vs A Khavin   1-0 27 1940 Ukrainian Championship B10 Caro-Kann 17. Boleslavsky vs S Zhukhovitsky   1-0 36 1940 Ukrainian Championship C83 Ruy Lopez, Open 18. A Konstantinopolsky vs Boleslavsky   ½-½ 22 1940 Ukrainian Championship B40 Sicilian 19. Boleslavsky vs Polyak 1-0 34 1940 Exhibition Tournament B10 Caro-Kann 20. I Rudakovsky vs Boleslavsky   0-1 52 1940 Ukrainian Championship C09 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line 21. Boleslavsky vs Lilienthal ½-½ 42 1940 USSR Championship C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin 22. Botvinnik vs Boleslavsky 1-0 49 1940 USSR Championship E67 King's Indian, Fianchetto 23. Boleslavsky vs I Rudakovsky   ½-½ 44 1940 USSR Championship B83 Sicilian 24. Bondarevsky vs Boleslavsky   ½-½ 34 1940 USSR Championship C09 French, Tarrasch, Open Variation, Main line 25. Boleslavsky vs Lisitsin ½-½ 28 1940 USSR Championship C99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd  page 1 of 36; games 1-25 of 883

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 7 ·  Later Kibitzing> Feb-21-06    Chess Champ: Ok, so he died, rip! Feb-21-06    Chess Champ: Yea but what of? May-16-06    Gypsy: <...The Boleslavsky was specifically designed as a response to 6.Be2..the Leonhardt/Fischer/Sozin attack Cc4 is an entirely different setup> In fact, Boleslavsky was instrumental in turning <Sozin> into a respected weapon for White. Bronstein gives Boleslavsky vs Aronin, 1949 as a landmark game and recalls how Boleslavsky showed him the entire White blueprint right before the game. Jun-09-06    BIDMONFA: Isaac Boleslavsky BOLESLAVSKY, Isaak http://www.bidmonfa.com/boleslavsky... _ Oct-31-06    WTHarvey: Here's a collection of puzzles from Boleslavsky's games: http://www.wtharvey.com/bole.html Nov-13-06    ahmadov: <WTHarvey:> Your web site is great. It would be great if you activated your forum to discuss more puzzles there. Jun-05-07    spasskey69: I am looking to purchase Jimmy Adams's translation of Boleslavsky's games -- anyone know where I can get a copy? drop a line to me at Brenan61 @yahoo.com Jun-05-07    Tomlinsky: <spasskey69: I am looking to purchase Jimmy Adams's translation of Boleslavsky's games -- anyone know where I can get a copy? drop a line to me at Brenan61 @yahoo.com> Here you go... http://cgi.ebay.com/ISAAC-BOLESLAVS... Dec-20-07    nescio: Today I noticed that Boleslavsky's name his isn't included on the drop-down player list in the advanced search section. I would like to raise my glass to the memory of this giant of chess strategy. Great player, famous trainer/coach and, above all, superb analyst and annotator, Boleslavsky's strategical ideas were among the most influential and in this I think only Rubinstein can claim a higher percentage. Already mentioned here were: -His work on the King's Indian with e5xd4 and the centre formation c6-d6 (the Boleslavsky Wall), and active play on both wings. -The Najdorf Sicilian with d6-e5 and subsequent play on the queen's wing, trying for the advance d6-d5. -The idea Bc4 in the Sicilian (which later became Fischer's favourite). But there is more: -It cannot be claimed that the manoeuver Qd1-e1-g3 in the Sicilian with d6 and e6 is his invention, but the energetic way he employed it in Saltsjöbaden had a large impact. Boleslavsky vs L Steiner, 1948 Boleslavsky vs Stahlberg, 1948 Boleslavsky vs Book, 1948 -The idea c6 and b5 in the Grünfeld-Indian. Again he was certainly not the first to play it, but he made it a first-class weapon. I don't think it is played much these days, but it probably will, because it is an active defence and I'm not aware of a straightforward refutation. V Makogonov vs Boleslavsky, 1947 Smyslov vs Boleslavsky, 1949 Flohr vs Boleslavsky, 1950 -As a curiosity I should mention his fondness of the move a2-a4 on the white side of the closed Ruy Lopez. He rarely omitted this move and he even played it when there was no Black pawn at b5: Boleslavsky vs O'Kelly, 1946. Feb-21-08    whiteshark: Interesting to note the different contents of various wikipedia pages: English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_... German: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaak_... French: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_... Spanish: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_... Jun-09-08    maxi: Interesting comments, <nescio>. Jun-09-08    Wild Bill: Here's to David Bronstein's very good friend, fierce rival and posthumous father-in-law. He's not on the drop-down list? I hope that oversight is soon remedied. Jun-18-08    Marmot PFL: If you are looking for chess books by Isaac Bolesavsky don't get The First Six Lessons. It turned out to be an acting book by Richard Boleslavsky. Jun-18-08    Calli: <Marmot PFL> Get any gigs yet? :-) Oct-02-08    Open Defence: <Feb-21-06 Chess Champ: Yea but what of? > well its a long time since the question but I believe he slipped and fell and then died of the injury Dec-06-08    dramas79: Just curious, what is coming out of his ear/head in his photo? Is it just poor photo quality? Feb-20-09    Thrajin: <dramas79>, I was wondering the same thing. It looks as if he's the T-1000 (from the movie "Terminator 2: Judgment Day") and he's in the process of reforming himself after having been blasted with heavy shrapnel. May-23-09    Phony Benoni: I think it's real, since it's casting a shadow on his face. Perhaps it's a stray leaf from a bouquet of flowers being held at his left during an awards ceremony. May-24-09    Phony Benoni: Here's a slightly larger version of the Boleslavsky picture. http://www.chessdevon.co.uk/HTML/ga... Jun-09-09    Cees Verhagen: Isaac Boleslavsky,s Selected Games is one of the best chessbooks. And Happy Birthday Jun-09-10    wordfunph: Grand Maestro of Argentinean chess GM Miguel Najdorf did not want to exert himself so he offered Ukrainian GM Boleslavsky a draw. Boles said "No." Najdorf asked, "You want to win?" Boles said "No." Najdorf asked, "You want to lose?" Boles said "No." Najdorf (obviously irritated) asked, "I don't understand. What you want?" Boles said, "Play chess." Jun-09-10    ughaibu: I different version of what's probably the same story, here: Boleslavsky vs Najdorf, 1953 Jun-09-10    talisman: happy birthday david bronstein's father in law(right?). Nov-01-10    rapidcitychess: I remember a story... Najdorf: Did you play that move for the win? Boleslavsky: No. Najdorf: For a draw? Boleslavsky: No. Najdorf: To lose!?!?!? Boleslavsky: I played what fitted the needs of the position. Jan-11-11    Benzol: I'm very happy to say that after a number of months that Game Collection: Isaac Boleslavsky - Selected Games is now finally complete. I hope you enjoy it. Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 7) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 7 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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