In our series ‘The Uncrowned Kings’, we shall see the life journey of Viktor Korchnoi, the controversial individual but a true chess lover. He regularly qualified to Candidates Tournaments, played in 16 Chess Olympiads and holds the record of being the oldest person to be ranked among top 100 in the World.

Viktor Korchnoi was born at Leningrad on 23rd March 1931 to a Jewish mother Zelda Gershevna Azbel and a Polish-Catholic father Lev Merkuryevich Korchnoi. 

Soon after Korchnoi’s birth, his parents divorced. At the age of 4, Viktor went to stay with his father, who taught him chess. But in 1941, his father was killed during the siege of Leningrad. 

After his father’s death, he was adopted by his stepmother, Roza Abramovna Fridman. She took his responsibility and lived with him till her death.

In 1947, Korchnoi won the Junior Championship of the USSR at Leningrad and won the Soviet Master title in 1951. He became an International Master in 1954 and an International Grandmaster in 1956.

He was a Candidate for the World Championship cycle on ten occasions- 1962, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1991. 

Viktor Korchnoi played four matches against Grand Master Anatoly Karpov, three of which were official. The two players played their first match (training) match of six games in 1971. The other three matches were the Candidates finals in 1974, 1978 and 1981. He lost all three against Karpov. 

Korchnoi defected to the Netherlands in 1976, and later started residing in Switzerland from 1978, becoming a Swiss citizen. His wife Bella, son Igor and step-mother Roza successfully defected in 1982.

Korchnoi played in 16 Chess Olympiads, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974 (for USSR) and 1978, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008 (for Switzerland).

At age 75, he won the 2006 World Senior Chess Championship and also became the oldest person ever to be ranked among the world’s top 100 players.

In 1972, Korchnoi appeared in Russian film Grossmeister   (Russian word for Chess Grandmaster) wherein he played the role of the lead actor’s trainer.

Viktor Korchnoi died on 6 June 2016 in the Swiss city of Wohlen when he was 85. 

Learn from the Master

Today I have chosen a little known game of Korchnoi which is the typical of his playing style — alert, creative, fearless & ambitious. Unfortunately, the Chess fraternity has shown more interest in Korchnoi’s controversies rather than his creative contribution to Chess.

Mikhail Tal – Viktor Korchnoi [C83]

Candidates Tournament 1962

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6  The Ruy Lopez Open variation, one of Korchnoi’s strong points. 9.c3

This slow Russin system is the most popular choice these days.

9.Nbd2 (preferred by Kasparov) and 9.Qe2 (preferred by Karpov) are two more direct ways to question the soundness of the opening.

9…Be7        9…Bc5 – a sharper option — is more popular for last four decades.

10.Be3         A rare choice. White wants to develop the QB before playing Nbd2.

However,10.Nbd2 is a better and more popular option.

10…0–0 11.Nbd2 Qd7

An idea of Gunsberg — successfully used by Lasker, Tarrasch, Alekhine & Euwe later — is the most accurate way of countering White’s strategy.

But not 11…f5?? 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Ng5 Qd7 14.Nde4! Nxe4 15.Nxe6

12.Nd4?      

Viktor Korchnoi 

Mikhail Tal 

A miscalculation or a pointless Pawn Sacrifice? 12.Bc2 f5 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Re1 was called for.

12…Nxd2!

But not 12…Nxe5?? 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Nxe4 when Black can resign.

13.Qxd2

13.Nxc6? loses an exchange. 13…Nxf1 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7

13…Nxe5 14.f4?

Tal had lost his World Chess Crown to Botvinnik just a year before and was surely looking forward to make it to the championship again by winning the candidates with his aggressive speculative play. However, his bluff rarely succeeded against Korchnoi & this game is no exception.

14…Nc4!

This counterattacking move creates a new square for Black’s Queen Bishop at ‘d5’.

15.Bxc4 dxc4 16.f5 Bd5 17.f6!?

The former World Champion chooses to test the tactical skills of Korchnoi.

17…Bxf6 18.Rxf6 gxf6 19.Bg5!  

Viktor Korchnoi 

Mikhail Tal 

Black’s King seems to be in serious danger. Capturing the Bishop loses. However, Korchnoi had foreseen a brilliant counterblow which refutes White’s entire strategy.

19…Qg4!

Not 19…fxg5?? 20.Qxg5+ Kh8 21.Qf6+ Kg8 22.Nf5+–

Or if 19…Kg7? then 20.Rf1!

20.Bxf6 c5! 21.Nc2

There is nothing better. For example,

21.Rf1 an attempt to win the Black Queen with a Rook manoeuvre, fails to 21…cxd4 22.Rf4 Qg6 23.h3 h5!

Similarly 21.Re1 cxd4 22.Re5 is inadequate due to 22…h6! 23.Rxd5 Qg6!

(But not 23…Qe6?? 24.Rg5+!)

24.Bxd4 Rad8 25.Re5 Rfe8 and Black wins.; 21.h3? loses more material after the simple 21…Qg6!

21…Qg6?!

21…Be4! was even stronger.

22.Rf1?!

22.Be7!  — winning back the exchange — was better, though Black is in a winning position after 22…Be4 23.Bxf8 Rxf8 24.Ne3 f5!]

22…Be4 23.Ne3 Rae8 24.h3

White’s attack leads nowhere after 24.Rf4 h5 25.Qf2 Re6 26.Qh4 Kh7 etc.

24…Re6 25.Ng4 h5! 26.Ne5 Qg3 27.Qf2

27.Nd7? Rd6!

27…Qxf2+ 28.Rxf2 Rfe8

The rest needs no comments.

29.Nd7 Bc6 30.Nxc5 Re1+ 31.Rf1 R8e2 32.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 33.Kf2 Rb1 34.b4 cxb3 35.axb3 a5

White resigned. The reader can see that Korchnoi accepted Tal’s challenge to enter an extremely sharp tactical battle and turned the tables over the latter with tactically perfect creative play.                                    0–1