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Yuri Averbakh

Averbakh, playing at Hoogovens, 1963. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

YURI AVERBAKH (born Feb-08-1922, died May-07-2022, 100 years old) Russia PRONUNCIATION: [what is this?] Yuri Lvovich Averbakh was born in Kaluga, Russia. He was awarded the IM title in 1950, the GM title in 1952 and played in the Zuerich Candidates (1953). Notable tournament results: Averbakh won the USSR Championship in 1954 (1) ahead of Mark Taimanov, Viktor Korchnoi, Tigran V Petrosian, Efim Geller and Salomon Flohr he was also equal first in the Soviet Championship of 1956, but lost in the playoff for first place. He won the Championship of Moscow in 1949 (2), 1950 (3) (jointly), and 1962 (jointly). Averbakh also won international tournaments in Vienna in 1961, Moscow in 1962 and Rio de Janeiro in 1965 (4). Theoretician, author and historian: Averbakh is renowned as an opening and endgame theorist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he co-edited a five-volume anthology on the endgame, Shakhmatnye okonchaniya, which was revised in 1980-84 and translated as Comprehensive Chess Endings. A list of Averbak's books can be found in the Wikipedia article about him (see footnotes below). He also edited the magazines Shakhmaty v SSSR and Shakhmatny Bulletin, and has published more than 100 endgame studies and written several books, mainly about endgame theory. Averbakh has a deep interest in chess history, shown in his most recent book about life in the chess world called Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes. He also gave an in depth interview about the history of chess and other board games on his 90th birthday. (5) Eponymous opening variations: Opening variations named for Averbakh include: King's Indian Defence, Averbakh Variation (E73): 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5: click for larger view Kings Indian Defence, Semi-Averbakh system (E73): 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3 click for larger view Modern Defense: Averbakh variation (A42): 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 click for larger view Other: Averbakh became an International Judge of Chess Composition in 1956 and an International Arbiter in 1969. He was President of the Soviet Chess Federation from 1972 until 1977 and took an active role on a number of important FIDE committees. Averbakh was the world's oldest grandmaster. Sources and references: Wikipedia article: Yuri Averbakh; 1[rusbase-1]; (2) [rusbase-2]; (3) [rusbase-3]; (4) [brasilbase-1]; (5) http://www.chessintranslation.com/2... Last updated: 2022-08-09 19:02:12

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page 1 of 46; games 1-25 of 1,134  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Averbakh vs Y Neishtadt 1-0 33 1938 Moscow C70 Ruy Lopez 2. Averbakh vs Brekhes   1-0 27 1938 Ch URS (juniors) C12 French, McCutcheon 3. E Stoliar vs Averbakh   0-1 34 1938 Ch URS (juniors) B73 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical 4. Smyslov vs Averbakh 1-0 24 1938 junior tt E17 Queen's Indian 5. Averbakh vs Smyslov 0-1 24 1939 19th Ch Moscow A06 Reti Opening 6. V Lyublinsky vs Averbakh   0-1 48 1940 Candidates-Masters C28 Vienna Game 7. Sakin vs Averbakh   0-1 40 1940 20th Ch Moscow (qf-9) E19 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3 8. Averbakh vs A Kuznetsov 1-0 28 1940 20th Ch Moscow (qf-9) C02 French, Advance 9. Averbakh vs P Morton   1-0 33 1940 20th Ch Moscow (sf-1) B84 Sicilian, Scheveningen 10. Averbakh vs A Ebralidze   0-1 36 1940 Candidates-Masters B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack 11. V Mikenas vs Averbakh   0-1 31 1943 Moscow Championship 1943/44 E02 Catalan, Open, 5.Qa4 12. Averbakh vs Botvinnik   ½-½ 40 1943 Moscow Championship 1943/44 C07 French, Tarrasch 13. Averbakh vs Simagin   1-0 41 1943 Moscow Championship-sf A56 Benoni Defense 14. Yaroshevsky vs Averbakh   0-1 61 1943 23rd Ch Moscow (sf-3) A45 Queen's Pawn Game 15. Averbakh vs F Duz-Khotimirsky   1-0 37 1944 Ivanovo C78 Ruy Lopez 16. P Dubinin vs Averbakh   1-0 44 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow D38 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation 17. Averbakh vs N Ovechkin   0-1 34 1944 Ivanovo C03 French, Tarrasch 18. Averbakh vs Ragozin   ½-½ 43 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow A10 English 19. P Romanovsky vs Averbakh   1-0 42 1944 training tournament B15 Caro-Kann 20. Averbakh vs Botvinnik ½-½ 40 1944 23rd Ch Moscow C07 French, Tarrasch 21. Alatortsev vs Averbakh   0-1 66 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow E22 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation 22. Averbakh vs Flohr   ½-½ 18 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow C82 Ruy Lopez, Open 23. Averbakh vs Kotov 0-1 30 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack 24. Averbakh vs M Yudovich Sr   ½-½ 30 1944 URS-ch sf Moscow C67 Ruy Lopez 25. Ragozin vs Averbakh 1-0 36 1944 Ivanovo B73 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical  page 1 of 46; games 1-25 of 1,134

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 11 ·  Later Kibitzing> Feb-02-12    wordfunph: 5 days and GM Averbakh turns 90 --- the world's oldest living grandmaster! Feb-08-12    brankat: Happy Birthday GM Averbakh! Feb-08-12    stanleys: Happy birthday Yuri Lvovich! An interview with him (in Russian, with some old pics) at http://russiachess.org/news/report/... Feb-08-12    Refused: Happy Birthday GM Awerbakh. Feb-08-12    jurado96: keep it going old man Feb-08-12    Eastfrisian: Happy birthday. One of the last living persons, who had met Emanuel Lasker personally. Feb-08-12    Penguincw: Happy 90th birthday GM Averbakh! Feb-08-12    Paint My Dragon: Happy birthday Yuri. Many more to come I hope. Our last link with the 'Old Guard' folllowing the passing of Lilienthal. Must get his book. The reviews put me off, but if others here think it is similar to a Sosonko book, then it's a must read! Feb-08-12    wordfunph: "When I look at chess, I try to represent games as theatre. You can show on a chess board, any kind of play --- drama, tragedy, comedy, ballet. All what is typical for art, you can represent on a chess board." - Yuri Averbakh happy 90th birthday to the living legend Yuri Averbakh! Feb-08-12    bronkenstein: <The reviews put me off...> If we are talking the same reviewers I`ve read , these guys simply expected much more conspiracies `revealed` than they found in the book (typical American POW on those times , oiled by Mr. RJF) writing their disappointment down as a `review`. Just don´t mind it. PS Happy B-day to the oldest living GM =) Feb-08-12    TheFocus: After reading the reviews, I wondered if any of them had read past the introduction. I feel that it was a very good book, but it could have used a better translation. Perhaps a non-native speaker translated it. Feb-09-12    brankat: Which book (books) do You guys have in mind? I thought his endgame work was an excellent one. I read it in Russian. But I've not read his autobiography/selected games. Feb-09-12    bronkenstein: <brankat> , the mentioned book is `Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes`, Averbakh`s new memoirs (for example , http://www.google.rs/url?sa=t&rct=j...) and if you are lazy reader or out of money , you can always read this interview instead ;) part 1 --> http://www.google.rs/url?sa=t&rct=j... and part 2 --> http://www.google.rs/url?sa=t&rct=j... Feb-10-12    brankat: <bronkenstein> <..and if you are lazy reader or out of money , you can always read this interview instead ;) > Both :-) But, thank You for the links! I will read the interview. Feb-15-12    brankat: <bronkenstein> I just finished reading Y.Averbakh interview. Interesting stuff. Particularly Averbakh's first hand knowledge of the situations relating to Zurich 1953, Botvinnik-Bronstein 1951 match, and anti-Keres conspiracy theories. Hopefully, Averbakh's work will help put those "theories" to rest. which would be about time. Feb-16-12    bronkenstein: <brankat> , I´m afraid that RJF or Reshevsky will , for many , remain bigger authorities on Russian ´conspiracies´. PS I have just realized that Averbakh´s bio is ( just another ) photo-less ... and I was worried about Tomashevsky =) Feb-16-12    brankat: <bronkenstein> <I´m afraid that RJF or Reshevsky will , for many , remain bigger authorities on Russian ´conspiracies´.> "It is remarkable to what lengths the human mind will go, in order to justify doing what it wanted in the first place." -– Peter Svidler Feb-16-12    bronkenstein: Speaking of Svidler´s memorable quotes: ´My games with Kramnik were like waiting on a buss ... nothing for a long time and then 2 victories in a row´ Peter during one of his Tal Memo 2011 post -mortems =) Feb-17-12    cornwallman: Happy Birthday Yuri Averbakh, 90 years old today , and now the worlds oldest living Grandmaster. Feb-17-12    Harvestman: World's oldest living GM, and no pic? Feb-19-12    Penguincw: Quote of the Day < "I have seen two geniuses in my time. One was Tal. The other was Fischer." > --- Averbakh Feb-19-12    jackpawn: < "I have seen two geniuses in my time. One was Tal. The other was Fischer." > --- Averbakh It's interesting that he didn't consider Karpov or Kasparov to be geniuses. Feb-19-12    Blunderdome: Well, it doesn't say what year the quote is from. Feb-19-12    pawn to QB4: http://www.chesscircle.net/forums/s... - 1990 apparently. He does give Kasparov a "maybe". Of course, he's old enough to consider Capablanca, Alekhine and Botvinnik to be "in my time" if he wishes. Feb-19-12    polarmis: Here's a new interview with Averbakh on his 90th birthday: http://www.chessintranslation.com/2... Jump to page #   (enter # from 1 to 11) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 11 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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