chess_media

Aleksandar Matanović

Chess as A Destiny

2014
Chess as a Destiny
by Aleksandar Matanovic (Author), Oliver Knezevic (Editor) Format: Kindle
Edition
Product details
· ASIN : B00MNNW5IC
· Publisher : Oliver Knezevic (August 11, 2014)
· Publication date : August 11, 2014
· Language : English

Illustrated autobiography with selected chess games.Aleksandar

Matanović (born May 23, 1930) is a Serbian chess Grandmaster. He
is the author of leading chess encyclopedias and Editor-in-Chief of
Chess Informant.He is one of few living players in the world with Mor-
phy Number 3.Awarded the GM title in 1955, Matanović was junior
champion of Yugoslavia in 1948 and Yugoslav national champion in
1962, 1969 and 1978 (he took second place in 1951, 1956, 1959 and
1967).His main tournament results include second place at the Vrnjacka
Banja zonal tournament 1967, first place at Opatija 1953, second at Bel-
grade 1954, first at Hamburg 1955, first at Beverwijk 1957, tied for first at
Buenos Aires 1961, first at Zevenaar 1961 and

created and edited PDF by Bahram Javanmard - chess_media

17 -05- 2024

Download chess Books with: t.me/chess_media

 Remembering
Aleksandar Matanovic (1930-2023)
by Diana Mihajlova

In May 2022 the then world's oldest grandmaster, Yuri Averbakh, died
at the age of 100. Since then, until two weeks ago, the 'title' of the
world's oldest grandmaster was held by Aleksandar Matanovic. On 9 Au-
gust 2023 Matanovic, one of the leading players of the Yugoslav golden
era, died in Belgrade at the age of 93. Diana Mihajlova honours a man
who gave his life to chess.

Born in Belgrade on 23 May 1930, Matanovic lived a life completely dedi-

cated to chess, as a player, coach, trainer and writer. His first major suc-
cess came in 1948, at the age of 18, when he won the Yugoslav Junior
Championship. Soon afterwards he joined the Yugoslav senior national
team and

3
was a regular member of the Yugoslav Olympic team, winning numerous
team and individual medals.

He became a grandmaster in 1955, at the age of 25, and won the Yugoslav
national championship three times, in 1962, 1969 and 1978. Matanović
was a representative of Yugoslav chess glory, when together with Gligorić,
Ivkov and Matulović they were a force to be reckoned with, the second
chess superpower in the world after the USSR.

From left to right: Aleksandar Matanović, Svetozar Gligorić, Milan

Matulović and Borislav Ivkov | Photos: Chess Informant archive
His most important legacy will always be the Chess Informant, the leading
pre-digital chess publication of which he was a co-founder and its driving
force. The chess world will be in his debt for inventing a universal "chess
language". (To find out more about the Chess Informant and its history,
see The Power of Information: The Chess Informant and The Chess Infor-
mant today.)

4
t.me/chess_media
 Bobby Fischer liked the Chess Informant. The photo shows copies he owned, displayed at
the World Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis.

The Chess Informant has been kept alive until today, despite the digital boom, thanks
to a collective run by Vitomir Bozic, the son of Aleksandar Bozic, one of the cofounders
and creative heads of Chess Informant. Vitomir was raised by former Yugoslav chess
royalty. He says:

"It is interesting that I did not learn to play chess from my father, who was also an
active chess player, but at the age of 4 Matanovic and Gligoric were my teachers.
My father thought that one chess nut in the family was enough."

Vitomir at the office of the Chess Informant, June 2018 | Photo: Diana Mihajlova

5
t.me/chess_media
After Matanovic's death, Vitomir shared some of his memories in a candid
communication over the
internet:

"We lived in the same area of Belgrade, 200 metres apart. We often
went to the office of the Informator together or came back from work
together. I knew him since I was a child because he was a close friend
of my father and we were often guests at his home. His son is a bit
older than me, and we used to hang out while our fathers "dissected"
the latest games."

Matanovic lost his father at an early age, a month before his 11th birthday, in 1941,
when the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Belgrade was occupied by the Germans.

"Matan (as he was known to his friends), Milivoj Molerovic and my father,
Aleksandar Bozic, met during the occupation, naturally through chess. Years later
the trio, with the help of two other colleagues, invented a system of signs, a
'chess language' as Matanovic called it, and in 1966 founded the Informator, the
Chess Informant."

I had heard that Matanovic cultivated a strong personal and professional

bond with another Yugoslav chess legend, Svetozar Gligoric, about whom
Vitomir told me the following:

"Gligoric was not in Belgrade during the Second World War and they met
only after the end of the war. And they became friends forever. One of
Matanovic's last public appearances was at the beginning of 2023, at the
celebration of the centenary of Gligoric's birth. There Matan gave a phe-
nomenal, inspiring speech in honour of his friend."

6
t.me/chess_media
 At the centenary of Gligoric's birth, Matanovic is seen on the
far left, next to FIDE President, Dvorkovich | Photo: FIDE

Matanovic and Gligoric shared many chess joys and tribulations during
their long friendship. In his last article for the Serbian daily "Politika"
Matanovic tells an anecdote: at an evening party during a championship in
Zagreb Gligoric hurried to ask a young girl to dance. He got the dance, but
the girl later became Matanovic's wife.

Matanovic with his wife Vesna in Amsterdam, 1960

7
t.me/chess_media
 Vitomir goes on to say:

"He lived in Belgrade all his life. He had a cottage in the village of
Krcedin, on the Danube, near Belgrade. He spent the summer months
there with his wife Vesna."

The Danube flows through the picturesque village of Krcedin,

Matanovic's favourite place to relax | Photo: Wikipedia

Matanovic was a prolific journalist who wrote for various media in the for-
mer Yugoslavia. In Vitomir's words:

"He was very well known throughout Yugoslavia, because in the 70s
and 80s he was a regular guest on television in the sports programmes
'Indirect', 'The World of Chess', etc. At that time Gligoric, Matanovic,
Ivkov and Ljubojevic were extremely popular, they were the heroes of
Yugoslavia. They were idolised like rock stars today."
The above-mentioned article for Politika was written by Matanovic at the invitation
of its editors and published on the eve of his 93rd birthday. It was a short biographi-
cal account that turned out to be a farewell. He died two and a half months later.
Among other things, Matanovic recalls the popularity that chess gained in his coun-
try after Yugoslavia won the 1950 Dubrovnik Olympiad:

"After our team's victory at the Dubrovnik Olympiad, chess grew wings. Like
mushrooms after rain, chess tournaments, team competitions, clubs sprang up
everywhere; invitations poured
in to our chess players from all over the world. The years passed. I travelled from
tournament to tournament. From Beijing to Moscow and London, from Indonesia
to the Congo...."

8
t.me/chess_media
 One of the last photos: Matanovic by the Sava River in Bel-
grade, May 2023 | Photo: Serbian Chess Federation

The article in Politika is reproduced on the website of the Serbian Chess

Federation. Here is an English version, translated from Serbian by Diana
Mihajlova.

Matanovic defeated some of the greatest players of his time, including

Tartakower, Bogoljubov, Gligoric, Keres, Larsen, Geller, Hort, Portisch,
Stein, Olafsson, Ljubojevic, Polugaevsky, Petrosian, Ivkov, Andersson and
Timman. One of his most famous victories was against Mikhail Tal at the
Interzonal in Portoroz, Slovenia in 1958. Tal won the tournament at
which he suffered only one defeat - against Matanovic.

Diana Mihajlova
A former university lecturer in Romance philology, she is currently a
painter as well as a chess journalist, and reports regularly from the
international tournament scene.

9
t.me/chess_media
 Aleksandar Matanović

CHESS AS A DESTINY
About the Author
Eternal Bond
My Friend Janošević
Janošević – Fischer
Skopje 1967
The School of Life and Chess
Wise Railroad Worker
A Sure Sign
Kostić – Matanović
Skopje 1947
Chess Club
The Price of Success
Destiny on Smorgasbord
Simultaneous Match
Trifunović – Bondarevsky
Stockholm 1948
Close Encounter with Authorities
Pinkus – Matanović
Belgrade (radio match) 1950
Olympic Gold
Child Prodigy
Fuderer – Najdorf
Gothenburg 1955
The Right Time
Statistics

11
t.me/chess_media
With Korchnoi – “As a Punishment”
Keres – Matanović
USSR – Yugoslavia
Belgrade 1956
Matanović – Tolush
USSR – Yugoslavia
Leningrad 1957
Matanović – Geller
USSR – Yugoslavia
Belgrade 1961
Matanović – Stein
USSR – Yugoslavia
Lviv 1962
Korchnoi – Matulović
USSR – Yugoslavia
Ohrid 1972
Hair on the Lapel
Portish – Milić
Moskow 1956
Duckstein – Matanović
Moskow 1956
My Award Flies to the Sky
Even the Brave Hearth is Trembling
Kardoso – Bronstein
Portorož 1958
Matanović – Szabo
Portorož 1958
Matanović – Tall
Portorož 1958

12
t.me/chess_media
1951 – 1960
Magic Fisher
Botvinnik – Fischer
Varna 1962
Fischer – Spassky
La Habana 1966
Spassky – Fischer
Zigen 1970
Once and Now
To Be a Genius Means to be Alone
Larsen – Spassky
Belgrade 1970
Fisher – Petrosian
Belgrade 1970
Intuition
Jofe – Kostić
Wujork 1919
Strength of Materials
Portisch – Matanović
Yerevan 1965
Chess Esperanto
Spassky – Tal
Tallinn 1973
Reshevsky – Vaganian
Skopje 1976
Karpov – Sax
Linares 1983
Beliavski – Nunn
Wijk aan Zee 1985

13
t.me/chess_media
 Karpov – Kasparov
Moscow (m/16) 1985
Ivanchuk – Jusupov
Brisel (m/9) 1991
Kasparov – Anand
New York (m/10) 1995
Ivanchuk – Topalov
Novgorod 1996
Anand – Lautier
Biel 1997
Gelfand – Shirov
Polanica Zdroj 1998
Kasparov – Topalov
Wijk aan Zee 1999
Nunn – Nataf
France 1999
“Match of the Century” Is His Piece of Work
A Man – the Monument
Botvinnik – Capablanca
(AVRO) Amsterdam 1938
Story About Two Cutlets
Matanović in Hong-Kong 1972.
Negative Charge
Gymnastic of Mind
Matanović – Gligorić
Titovo Užice 1966
Matanović – Ljubojević
Yugoslavia 1975
Matanović – Ivkov

14
t.me/chess_media
 Belgrade (m/5) 1978
Three Decades of High Flying
Fischer – Gligorić
Varna 1962
Padevski – Matanović
La Habana 1966
Matanović – Jansa
Lugano 1968
Uhlman – Ivkov
Zigen 1970
It Did Happen
Ljubojević – Durao
Ourense 1974
Girls Better than Boys
J. Polgar – Anand
Dos Hermanos 1999
Anand – A. Marić
Lugano 1988
Geller – Xie Jun
Wien 1993
Asians Are Coming
Magician Campomanes
Florencio Campomanes
The Burden of Home Turf
The Kiss of Najdorf
Gluksberg – Najdorf
Warsaw 1935
Three Key Principles
Kasparov – Deep Blue

15
t.me/chess_media
 New York (m/1) 1997
Deep Blue – Kasparov
New York (m/2) 1997
Six Decades
From the Legend – to a Symbol of the “Informant”
by Branislav Rakić

16
t.me/chess_media
 About the Author

Aleksandar Matanović was born in Belgrade on May 23.1930.

When he was 17 years old he won the first Serbian junior championship
in chess. A year later he became a junior champion of Yugoslavia. In 1949.
he won the title of a chess master, then in 1951. he won the title of
international chess master, and in 1955. he became the grandmaster.
Matanović won three times the championships of Yugoslavia.
For the representation of Yugoslavia he had his debut on the radio match
between Yugoslavia and USA in 1950. Since then he was for 30 years
continually the member of Yugoslavian representation.
In the first ten traditional friendly matches between Yugoslavia and
USSR, during the period of 10 years he was the only contestant, on both

17
t.me/chess_media
sides, who played all the matches.
He participated four times in regional tournaments for the singles world
championship. He attained significant results in many international
tournaments, held on all five continents.
During the period between 1950. and 1980, the most successful period of
Yugoslav chess, the team of Yugoslavia participated in 15 chess Olympic
games and won 1 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze medals. In that period
Matanović was 11 times the member of Yugoslavian team. In the Olympics
in La Valetta, in 1980, he was the coach of Yugoslavian team.
Matanović is one of the founders and the conceptual leader of the journal
“Chess Informant” – the edition that influenced the development of chess in
the entire world. Among the hundreds of chess books edited around the
world, during the past 35 year period “Chess Informant” holds the leading
position. The “Chess Informant” introduced a completely new approach to
studying and following chess theory. He also developed the “chess
language” understandable to all chess players. Since its inception, several
editions of the “Chess Informant” were printed in over three million of
copies, and found its readers in more than 150 countries.
From 1990. to 1994. Matanović was the first vice president of FIDE. He
was awarded a “Medal of National Merits with silver Star” and a “Medal of
labor with the red Flag”. For life achievements he received “The Seventh of
July Award of Serbia”, and in 2001. American corporation “WHO IS
WHO” included Aleksandar Matanovic, a chess player, and the only
Serbian, in the edition "500 leading Europeans of a new era”.

18
t.me/chess_media
 Eternal Bond

We make choices in our lives under the influence of our parents,

professors or following the paths of our best friends. Or it could be an
accidental decision. Sooner or later we discover if our choice was wrong.
In 1941, I became a member of a club “1913”, future “Red star” One
evening, when I was getting ready to go home before the police hour, we
discovered out that the janitor with the keys for chess board closets is not
around. There were some 15 chessboards. What to do with them?
I had a strong desire to take the boards, to bring them home, but I was
afraid to ask, thinking that I don’t deserve to be so lucky.
The others, all of them older than me, had other worries. They were
looking for a “victim” to foist some ten kilograms of chess boards. As if
reading my mind, they allowed me to bring the chess boards home.
On the floor of my room I placed all the pieces down. The whites were
on one side, the blacks on the opposite side. I placed separately all the
pawns, then knights, bishops, rooks, queens and kings... It was a spectacle!
My excitement was endless.
Many years later I realized, thinking of the events of that evening, that
right then between me and the chess pieces an eternal bond was established.

19
t.me/chess_media
 My Friend Janošević

After bombing of Belgrade by Allies, on Easter of 1944, we were in

Ostruznica, with a group of refugees. During that summer, on banks of river
Sava we played chess. One day a well-known chess player Dragan
Janošević Gane showed up. Everybody tried to convince him to play chess
with me. Gane generously decided to play and told me:
– Sit down kiddo, and let me see what you have learned.
With a cigarette in his hand, turned toward the river, not paying attention
to the group of observers, he would occasionally glance at the board and
make the moves. He won all the games, yawned, asked for the time and left.
Decades after, we were both living our lives in the world of chess. In
spite of the fact that we were often on the opposite sides of the chessboard,
we had beautiful, friendly relationship.
From the time we met in Ostruznica up to our last meeting, more than
fifty years passed. Shortly before his death he visited me. I did not offer him
a drink, and used some pathetic and preaching excuse that I am ashamed of
even today, thinking that it would worsen his serious health condition.
Gane did not reproach, did not complain. He just said:
– Hopefully, one day I might be luckier.

20
t.me/chess_media
 B 93
Janošević – Fischer
Skopje 1967
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.f4 ♘c6 [6...e5!?]
7.♘f3! ♗g4?! 8.h3 ♗f3 9.♕f3 g6 10.♗e3 ♗g7 11.♗c4 0-0 12.0-0 ♕c7
13.♗b3 b5 14.g4? [14♖ad1!+/=] b4 15.♘a4 ♘d7 16.♖ad1 ♘a5

17.e5! ♘b3 [17...de5? 18.♗f7! ♔f7 19.♕d5±] 18.ed6 ed6 19.cb3 ♖ae8
20.♖c1 ♕b8 21.♖fd1 ♖e6 22.♗f2 ♖fe8 23.g5 h6 24.h4 ♖8e7?!
[24...♖e4 25.♖c4 f5! 26.♖d5! ∞] 25.♕d5 ♕e8 26.♖c2! ♖e4 27.♕d6
♗f8! 28.♕a6 ♕b8! 29.♕d6 ♖e1! 30.♔g2 ♖d1 31.♕d1 ♕f4 32.♕f3!
hg5 33.♕f4 gf4 34.♖c8 f6 35.♘b6 ♔f7 36.♘d5 ♖e5? [36... ♖e2!
37.♖c7 ♔e8 38.♖c8 ♔f7=] 37.♘f4 g5? [37...♖f5!+/=] 38.♖c7! ♔e8
39.♘g6 ♖e2 40.♘f8! ♘f8 41.h5! ♖b2 42.♔g3 f5 43.♗c5 ♘d7 44.h6!
f4 45.♔h3 ♖a2 46.♗d4! g4 47.♔g4 ♖h2 48.♗g7 ♘b6 49.♖b7 ♘d5
50.♖b5 ♘e7 51.♖b4 ♘g6 52.♖b6 ♖g2 53.♔f3 ♖g3 54.♔e4 ♖e3
55.♔d4 ♔f7 56.♖f6 ♔g8 57.b4 ♔h7 58.b5 ♖b3 59.♔c4 ♖b1 60.♖f7
♔g8 61.♖b7 ♖c1 62.♔d3 ♖f1 63.b6 f3 64.♔e3 ♘h4 65.♖b8 ♔h7
66.b7 ♖e1 67.♔f2 ♖e2 68.♔g3 f2 69.♖f8 1-0
Janošević

21
t.me/chess_media
 Fighting spirit comes out of the fear, which is harmful in large and useful
in small doses.

22
t.me/chess_media
 The School of Life and Chess

It was the winter of 1944. Belgrade was hungry and cold. Although the
war was not over, young people were gathering around junior clubs. At
approximately that time, a collective action was initiated to spend a month
at the mountain Crni Vrh (Black Peak) to cut the firewood. We were told
that we are going to ski, hunt bears, and cut the trees. I, myself, already
with a reputation of the best chess player, was supposed to give a good
example. So I accepted to go after they promised to provide us with the
shoes.
On Crni Vrh there were no skiing, no hunting and no shoes. From
morning to evening star we were cutting trees, and talking what we would
like to eat. In the evening, hardly keeping our eyes open, we were listening
our commissar Vlada Simonov (later the attorney for the “Chess
Informant”), who read us the book “How the steel was tempered”.
On Sundays we played chess and tried to get rid of lice. By the end of the
month, we the youth from the communist league were instructed to shout:
“We want!” when the commandant of the brigade asks at the end of our
term if we wanted to stay another turn. So when he at the meeting asked us
“Do we want?” I yelled, as loud as I could “Yes, we want!”
At that moment I heard some big guy behind me saying:
– You will get what you deserve, you scoundrel...
Some decades later, celebrating the anniversary of labor at Crni Vrh,
journalist Vlada Bunjac, known as a proponent for building the drinking
fountains all around Belgrade, to spice up his speech, added how one
Sunday, on Crni Vrh, Mr. Matanovic found 64 lice on his body.

23
t.me/chess_media
 Much later, thinking of my past and future, I realized how good it was for
me to believe once that I might get the shoes. Without the experience with
Crni Vrh, I would hardly understand the saying – “by surrendering, one can
never save the game”.

Botvinnik: “The most important value of chess is in teaching us to resolve

atypical, non stereotyped situations in our lives, traffic, business and
mutual communication.”

24
t.me/chess_media
 Wise Railroad Worker
If, in the game of big chess players, one gets the advantage in the
opening, even just a small one, his opponent has difficult time. Therefore
the chess players are giving special attention to the openings, and the ideal
for them is to discover some new, efficient move. American chess player
Marshall discovered such a move and kept it a secret for his match with
Capablanca. This is how “Marshals attack” was established and this one
will, later on for decades, trouble the players with white pieces.
In 1947. I participated for the first time at senior chess championship of
Serbia in Cacak, and for the first time in my life I stayed in a hotel. This
was long ago and I remember only the fact that I qualified for the
championship in Skoplje and the face of one of tournament players, certain
Ristic, a chess player with modest success. I remember that he was a
railroad worker. Playing with white pieces against “Marshal’s attack”, he
made a “naive” move – 16.♗d2 and completely destroyed the whole
branch of this opening that for years was resistant to so many wise men in
chess…

In spite of its collapse in Cacak, “Marshal’s attack” continued its second

life through its another branch. Even today it resists the attacks of white
pieces. But, its main idea, starting idea, disappeared after the game Ristic –
Marshal was over with a result 1:0.

25
t.me/chess_media
 It is good to surprise your opponent with the choice of an unexpected
opening. It is even better to surprise him with the opening that he expects.

26
t.me/chess_media
 A Sure Sign
Former system of competition for singles championship of Yugoslavia
contributed the most in producing quality chess players. First one should
qualify for republic championship, and then for semifinals and final. And in
final, with 50 percent winning points, one should get the title of a chess
master. It was not easy to become a Yugoslavian chess master. And when
Bora Tot succeeded in that, he wrote the book “Our chess masters”.
On semifinal tournament of federal championship in Skoplje in 1947, I
won the game with black pieces playing against grand master Bora Kostic.
Although just his name was in my consciousness as huge as a mountain, at
that winning moment I was not aware of its special importance. Today, I
understand this sign much better. It was telling me when I was a young man
that my time has come.
At the tournament in Skopje, my scores were somewhat strange: after
fifth round I had 4,5 points, after sixth round I had 3,5 and after seventh
round I got 2,5. I lost two games in the last two rounds and the two players I
beat earlier – left the tournament.

27
t.me/chess_media
 E 92
Kostić – Matanović
Skopje 1947

1.d4 ♘f6 2.♘f3 g6 3.c4 ♗g7 4.♘c3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.♗e2 ♘bd7 7.h3 e5
8.d5 ♘c5 9.♕c2 a5 [9...a6 (Δb5) 10.0-0 Δ b4] 10.g4 ♘e8 11.♗e3 f5
12.ef5 [12.gf5!] gf5 13.0-0-0 a4 14.♗c5 dc5 15.gf5 [15.♘b4 e4 16.♘d2
♘d6=/∞] ♘d6 [15... ♗f5?! 16.♗d3] 16.♖hg1 a3 17.b3

17...e4! 18.♘e4 ♘ e4 19.♕e4 ♔h8 20.♘e5 [20.♖g7!?] ♗f5 21.♕e3

♕h4 22.f4 ♗h6 23.♗g4 ♗g4 24.♖g4 ♕g4 25.hg4 ♗f4 26.♕f4 ♖f4
27.♘d3 ♖g4 28.♘c5 b6 [28... ♖g2!] 29.♘e6 ♖c8 30.♖d2 h5 31.♔c2
h4 32.♔c3 ♔g8 33.♔b4 ♔f7 34.♔b5 c6! 35.♔b6 cd5 36.cd5 h3
39.♘d4 ♖g2 39.♖d3 ♖h8 39.♖f3 ♔g6 40.♘f5 h2 41.♘g3 ♖g3
42.♖g3 ♔f5 43.♖f3 ♔e5 44.♖f1 h1♕ 0:1
Matanović

28
t.me/chess_media
 One should choose a position the most inconvenient for his opponent.
Sometimes we could also give the opportunity to our opponent that he “by
force” gets the position he likes to play, because it has its price as well…

Chess Club
Chess club from Belgrade was for years situated where today is
restaurant “Dushan’s town” on Terazije Square. There were always chess
players there – good, weak, and even very weak who were gathering
around. During tournaments with rapid move chess games, instead of chess
with clocks, a bell was ringing every five seconds.
If according to Lasker’s opinion that chess is, before all, the fight
between two personalities, we add a wide spread prejudice that somebody’s
intellect should be measured by chess, then the happenings on the chess
board become less interesting than the players – particularly if they are in a
pitched battle.
Matches between a caricaturist Pjer Krizanic and a priest Velenderić in
Chess club on Terazije Square in Belgrade were special occasions. They
were playing so fast that the pieces they were taking from each other they
did not have time to place back on the board, so they kept them in their
hands. One day Pjer arrived with some guy named Djoka who was a
fisherman. He was sitting at the same table, drinking a beer on Pjer’s
account, and for hours he was constantly repeating the mantra: “The priest
is now done for.”

29
t.me/chess_media
 Specialists for rapid move chess games get into the habit to expect the
most from settled traps and from a banner on the opponent’s clock. Those
who were not playing rapid games should better avoid getting in a time
trouble.
When some journalist once asked Botvinnik if he played rapid move
chess, Mikhail Mojsijevic answered: “I once played one such game. It was
on the train in 1929”.

30
t.me/chess_media
 The Price of Success
Only a chess, or chess plus something else? Was I right in believing that
it is a curse if a game becomes a profession, if from the wrong move of a
knight does not depend only whose wooden army is going to win, or if, for
professional chess player, the chess becomes a game, only like a Russian
roulette? Is there the same dilemma in everything else?
Nevertheless, the choice is only one: to avoid to be average in chess it is
possible only if there is nothing else besides chess.
Early evening hours. I am standing with Rabar at the window in Chess
club on Square Terazije. We can hear noises from the street and see the
colorful line of people moving and slowing down. Braslav was nervous
(waiting for his opponent to make a move) and said: “There is life flowing
down there and we are lost on some other planet.”
Many yeas later I was sitting in park with Botvinnik. Two young,
beautiful girls just passed by. Mikhail turned his had discreetly and looked
after them long and careful. In his eyes I recognized the words of Rabar.

Lasker was wrong when he said that there is no luck in the games of
masters.
Fall of a banner in winning position, or overseeing checkmate in one
move, either of master or of a beginner is not luck – it is something else that
is disguised as luck.
Good or bad luck in chess exists only in the choice of the opponent.

31
t.me/chess_media
 Destiny on Smorgasbord
The absolute domination of Soviet chess players, as one British chess
magazine explained, was a result of long Russian winters: people have
nothing to do so they sit around the furnace and play chess. Kotov asked
why then Eskimos do not play even better. Mihajlo Marković, a chess
master, founds deeper reasons for that: in condition without freedom, the
national genius goes to where it can freely express itself.
A simpler explanation was that, for the first time in Soviet Union, the
chess got affirmative social status and a financial basis. And whether people
go to that or to the other side will be announced by talents – by affinity. In
this sense, life resembles Swedish buffet from which we chose our own
destiny.
Some semifinalists in Split 1949. will later pick up their life paths.
Miroslav Radojčić will become one of the most popular journalists in
Belgrade. Srećko Nedeljković became well known cardiologist, Mihajlo
Marković, world well known philosopher and a member of National
Academy. Our game in the last round was the introduction and the end of
Pilja’s competitive ambitions. And I myself will come to the federal
championship, where I will meet my present spouse, get the title of a chess
master and become definitely devoted to chess.
If, during that game, by some chance the providence told me that all
depended on that game, maybe my hand would shake and who knows what
would be the result.

32
t.me/chess_media
 It is always good that the hour or two passes between the meal and the
beginning of the game. It is better to read some newspaper during that time
than to recheck some variations and openings.

Simultaneous Match
Soon after the end of The Second World War the most successful chess
player in the championships was Petar Trifunovic. His best achievement
was in 1950 when he participated as a substitute player on the tournament
for candidates in Budapest. Although, he was at advanced age and in a good
health, Trifunović changed by mid fifties, even though many chessmen of a
quiet, positioned style, like he was, could play with small advantages and
long endings and stay at the scene for a long time.
I remember when Botvinnik blamed Geller: “You don’t have enough
respect for chess.” There are two main reasons why chess players are
competing till the ends of their lives: financial addiction or unconditional
love. If it is both, then it must be Korchnoi. Anyway is not enough just to
respect chess. To last long as a player one needs to sacrifice a lot, it is
necessary to go to bed always before midnight, like Portisch.
Trifunović knew how to live. He was pleasant in his relationships with
people and enjoyed jokes. At one tournament he secretly put in a pocket of
player Milic a rabbit’s paw “accusing” him how it was his magic trick that
helped him save his lost positions.
Before the radio match with America, he convinced master candidate
Beric to play simultaneous match with our team. Those, who (according the
scenario designed by Trifunovic), were supposed to lose made stupid moves
and Beric was confronting them with their errors, or giving them the
instructions.
33
t.me/chess_media
 C 04
Trifunović – Bondarevsky
Stockholm 1948

1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.♘d2 ♘c6 4.♘gf3 ♘f6 5.e5 ♘d7 6.b3 [6.♗e2!?] f6
7.♗b2 fe5 8.de5 ♗c5? [⌓ 8... g6] 9.♗d3 ♕e7 10.a3 a5 11.c4 dc4
[11...♘b6 12.0-0 ♗d7 13.cd5 ♘d5 14.♕c2 0-0-0 15.♖fc1±]12.bc4! b6
13.♗e4 ♗b7 14.♕a4 ♘d8 15.0-0[15.♗b7?! ♘b7 16.♕c6 0-0-0] ♗e4
16.♘e4 0-0 17.♖ad1 ♘b8

18.♘fg5!! h6 [18... ♘f7 19.♘h7! ♔h7 20.♘f6! gf6 21.ef6 ♕e8 22.♕c2
♔h6 23.♗c1 ♔h5 24.♕h7 ♔g4 25.♕h3⌗] 19.♘f6! gf6 20.ef6 ♖f6

[20... ♕e8 21.♖d8! ♕a4 22.f7 ⌗] 21.♗f6 ♕f6 22.♕e8 ♗f8 23.♘e4
♕e7 24.♕d8 ♕d8 [24... ♕a3 25.♖d3+- Δ ♖g3] 25.♖d8 ♔f7 26.a4
♗g7 27.f4 ♔e7 28.♖fd1 c5 29.♖1d6 ♗d4 30.♔f1 ♗e3 31.g3 ♗d4
32.♖c8 1-0 Trifunović

34
t.me/chess_media
 Korchnoi: “One should imitate his opponent: to his good move to
respond with a good move, on his unusual move – the unusual move.”
Do not follow this rule if your opponent makes a bad move.

To play draws does not mean playing best moves.

35
t.me/chess_media
 Close Encounter with Authorities
Radio match between Yugoslavia and USA in 1950, provoked a big
interest in Yugoslavia. Besides chess themes, this match was some kind of
life-saving belt for a country that was under the pressure of IB. A necessary
international success influenced a decision for holding the chess Olympics
in Dubrovnik. It was proven that big chess performances were very
convenient means for amortization of internal tensions. Later this was
confirmed by Olympics in La Habana in 1966, in Buenos Aires in 1978. at
the time of military junta, decision of the authorities to hold the Olympics
in Novi Sad, Vojvodina etc.
During the radio match, at the time of general poverty, our team was
getting the meals in hotel “Majestic” and all of us (even we who were
residing in Belgrade) were accommodated in hotel “Moscow”. We
celebrated our victory in some hotel on mount Avala. Somewhat after
midnight, when we were going back to down town, we found the streets
empty, no cars, not a living soul. Srećko Nedeljković, in a very good mood,
stopped by in front of a hotel “Moscow” and was pretending to play a game
“shoulder rock throw”. Three of us were laughing.
All of a sudden we saw a policeman running and cursing. Srećko sneaks
into the hotel, and three of us convinced of our innocence were waiting for
people’s authority to come.
He started the procedure of identification. When Ivkov said that he is a
student a policeman became more furious. Bora’s try: “We just won against
America, and”… was just a nice try. Then when I said that I am also a
student this added fuel to the flames. At that moment I didn’t remember
magic formula invented for some special situations: “Take it easy comrade.
Remember how it was when you were a student”.
It was Djaja’s turn.
– Your name?
– Djaja.
– Family name?
– Dragutin.
– Your profession?
Silence. A policeman held his notebook tighter, silence continued.
Finally, Djaja said, pronouncing letter by letter:

36
t.me/chess_media
 – I am a Secretary General of the Chess federation of People’s Republic
of Serbia.
A policeman was shocked (he probably overheard the word “Chess”)
began to apologize telling that he was only doing his job and that we should
understand…

37
t.me/chess_media
 B 17

Pinkus – Matanović
Belgrade (radio match) 1950
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 de4 4.♘e4 ♘d7 5 ♘f3 ♘df6 6.♘g3 ♗g4 7.c3
[7.♗e2!?] e6 8.h3 ♗f3 9.♕f3 ♕d5 10.♕d5 ♘d5 11.a3! g6!= 12.c4 ♘df6
13.♗e3 ♗h6 14.♗e2 ♗e3 15.fe3 ♔e7 16.0-0 ♘d7 17.♘e4 f5 18.♘c3
♘gf6 19.b4 a6 20.a4 a5 21.b5 c5 22.♗f3 ♖ab8 23.♘d1? [23.♖ad1]
b6=/+ 24.♘b2 e5 25.♖fe1 e4 26.♗e2 ♘f8 27.dc5 bc5 28.♖ad1 ♘8d7
29.♖d2 ♘b6 30.♖ed1 ♖hd8 31.♔f2 ♖d2 32.♖d2 g5 33.g3 ♖d8
34.♖d8 ♔d8-/+

35.♗d1 ♔e7 36.♗b3 ♘e8 37.♗d1 ♘d6 38.♗e2 ♔e6 39.♗f1 ♔e5
40.♗e2 h6 41.♗f1 f4 42.g4 ♘e8 43.♗e2 ♘d6 44.♗f1 ♔f6 45.♗e2 f3
[45... ♔g6?! 46.♗d1 ♘bc4 47.♘c4 ♘c4 48.♗c2!] 46.♗f1 ♘f7 47.♔g3
⊙
♔g6 48.h4 [48.♔f2 h5 49.♔g3 ♘e5-+] gh4 49.♔h4 ♘e5 50.♘d1
♘a4 51.♔g3 ♔g5 52.b6 ♘b6 53.♘f2 ♘bc4 54.♘e4 ♔g6 55.♗c4 ♘c4
56.♘c5 ♘e5 [Δ ♘g4] 0 : 1
Matanović

38
t.me/chess_media
 Olympic Gold
Gold medal of our chess players at Olympics in Dubrovnik in 1950 was
somewhat darkened because of the absence of representatives from USSR.
But present were leading grand masters like Eve, Reshevsky, Najdorf...
With this success in our first Olympics, a series of future successes of
Yugoslavian chess players was open, and lasted for decades.
In Dubrovnik, I was a substitute player of a substitute player. Actually I
was just given the opportunity to be present at this kind of competition.
At that time newspapers in our country were gloomy. They were crowded
with greeting telegrams and reports from conferences. When in newspaper
“Politika” appeared the column “Do you know?” the readers became
happier. The journalists began to look for some sensations or they were
inventing them.
In a daily “Vjesnik”, from Zagreb, in those days there appeared a story
from Dubrovnik telling how some chess player from Belgium, surprised
after losing several games by some dark haired guy, asked him” Do you
know who I am? I am Tibo, Belgian master.”
And the guy replied:
“And I am Matanovic.”
For years after this, to all who asked me about that, I explained that the
story was made up.
Many years later on the train, and in front of many passengers, some guy
asked me:
“Do you remember, Mr. Matanovic, how you settled up that Belgian on
the beach in Dubrovnik? I was present there, I was sitting next to you.”
I got stuck and said:
“Yes, I remember.”

39
t.me/chess_media
 Chess Olympics in Dubrovnik 1950
Dr. Eve (left) and Najdorf are analyzing the game

It is good to ignore who is the person sitting on the opposite side of the
board – it could be some very weak or a very strong opponent. Then, there
will be less frivolity and fear.

40
t.me/chess_media
 Child Prodigy
In the early fifties, there appeared the new generation of chess players.
Bora Ivkov became a junior world champion and is in chess nowdays as
well, while Andrija Fuderer, one of the most perspective chess players of all
time, went in the other direction.
To be present on the scene for a long time brings medals, jubilees,
completed image. Some others, like Morphy or Fisher are still provoking
curiosity and imagination in the world of chess.
Fuderer came from Subotica, and via Belgrade, arrived to Zagreb and
was on his own, in spite of many promises. On tournament in Opatija in
1953. a grand master Vidmar, at high age and weak health was offering and
arranging fast draws until he met Andrija Fuderer. This one refused a draw
and later commented:
“University professor and came to take our bread.” He was with both feet
on ground and would not be intimidated by authorities in general.
During a formal dinner after Olympics in Amsterdam in 1954. as soon as
we got the soup started a marathon of all kind of endless speeches. Before
the main meal we came out in order to receive our bronze medals and
instead of our official anthem, the orchestra was playing the old one, so one
after the other, we left the celebration. Fuderer was the only one who stayed
until the end to finish his dinner.
Both, Ivkov and Spassky were junior world champions, but Spassky got a
grand master Bondarevsky for his teacher. When Spassky wanted to show
some of completed games, Bondarevsky would tell him:
“If you sacrificed something show it, if you did not – don’t. Fuderer was
two years younger and not less talented than Petrosian but this one knew by
heart the book of Nimzovitsch “My system in practice” and had grand
master Furman as his personal trainer.
Fuderer played in style of Tall and Kasparov, but at young age he did not
get solid foundation from those who were more experienced and wiser. To
be able to survive he was smuggling and selling bicycle chains and
“Graffos” pens.
At some occasion in train at the border, Andrija declared to custom
employee the calculator. The surprised employee asked what does he need
it for. Fuderer took from his pocket and showed him an article from the
newspaper with his name and photography titled “A child prodigy, who can

41
t.me/chess_media
multiply tree digit numbers by heart”. Customs officer wrote in his passport
the serial number of the machine and train passed the border. Andrija
opened the window and throw out the machine. On his back from Sweden –
he had new machine with the old number.
After weak result on Interregional tournament in Gothenburg in 1955.
Fuderer said:
“With energy and nerves that I am spending in playing chess I could
make much more somewhere else.”
He is not among us anymore, my friend Andrija left us. The last time I
talked to him was over the phone when I invited him to come to Belgrade
for match Fisher – Spassky.

42
t.me/chess_media
 A56
Fuderer – Najdorf
Gothenburg 1955
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.♘c3 d6 5.e4 g6 [5... ♗e7!?] 6.h3 ♗g7
7.♘ge2 ♘a6 8.♗g5 ♘c7 9.♕d2 a6 10.a4 ♖b8? [⌓ 10... b6 ∆ ♖b8,
♗d7] 11.a5 b5 12.ab6 ♖b6 13.g4 h6! [13... h5?! 14.gh5 ♖h5 15.♘g3
♖h8 16. ♘a4! ♖b4 17 f4±] 14.♗e3 h5 15.g5 ♘d7 [15... ♘h7!?] 16.♘c1
f5 17.gf6 ♗f6 18.♖a3 ♗h4 19.♘b3 ♘f8 [19... 0-0 20.♘a5] 20.♖g1 ♕f6
21.♘a5 ♗d7 22.♘a2 ♘h7 23.b4 0-0 24.♖b3 ♖fb8 25.♗e2 ♔h8
26.♗d1 ♗a4 27.♖b1 ♗d1 28.♖d1 ♕f3 29.♖g6 ♖f8 [29... ♕e4?!
30.♕d3] 30.♕e2 [30.bc5? ♖b23 -+] ♕e4 31.♖h6 ♖bb8 [31... ♖f3?
32.♗c5!] 32.♘c6 [32.♘c3 ♕f3 33.♕f3 ♖f3 34.♔e2 ♖bf8 35.♘e4!±]
♖f3

33.♗c5! ♕f4 34.♗d6 ♗f2 35.♕f2 ♕e4 [35... ♖f2 36.♗e5 ♕e5 37.♘e5
♖a2 38.d6+-] 36.♕e2 ♖e3 37.♘c3? [37.♗e5 ♔g8 38.♖g6 ♔f8
39.♖g2+-] ♖e2 38.♘e2 ♕h4 39.♔d2 ♕g5 40.♔c2 ♖e8?! [40... ♕h6
41.♗e5 ♔g8 42.♖g1 ♔f7 43.♖g7 ♕g7∞] 41.♖h7 ♔h7 42.♗c7 ♕g2
43.♖d2 ♕e4 44.♔b2 ♕c4 45.♘c3 e4 46.♖e2 e3 47.♗e5 ♕d3 48.♔b3
h4! 49.♖e1 ♕d2 50.♖e2 ♕d3 51.♗c7 ♕f5 52.♘d4 ♕h3 53.d6 ♔g6
[53... ♕g4 54.♔c4 h3 55.♘d5 ♔g6 56.♘e7! ♔f6 57.♘ef5±] 54.♘d5
♔f7 55.♔c3 ♖e4 56.♔d3 ♕g4 57.♘c6! ♕f5 58.♘e3 ♕h7 59.♖f2 ♖f4
60.♔e2 ♖f2 61.♔f2 ♔e6 62.♘d4 ♔d7 63.♘f3 ♕g7 64.♘c4 ♕c3
65.♘fe5 ♔e6 66.d7 ♕g3 67.♔e2 ♕g2 68.♔d3 ♕f1 69.♔c2 ♕f5
70.♔b2 ♕f2 71.♔a3 ♕g3 72.♔a4 ♕c3 73.d8 ♕ 1-0

43
t.me/chess_media
 Fuderer

It is true that good chess players can see five or ten moves in advance. It
is also true that these predicaments are not often true. If it were not so,
chess would be less complex and less exciting game.
People have to live on something. Chess players are living on their
opponent’s mistakes.

44
t.me/chess_media
 The Right Time
In Belgrade in 1954, and the following year in Zagreb, until then the
largest two international chess tournaments in our country were held.
Bronstein won in Belgrade, Smyslov in Zagreb – they were at that time the
two leading chess players in the world.
In the last round on the tournament in Belgrade, after few moves,
Bronstein offered me a draw. Half of a point was enough for him and in
case of defeat the first place would be mine. Bronstein, plus white pieces – I
accepted the offer with no hesitation.
In Zagreb I was to propose in the envelope my move in the game with
Smyslov. There were easy pieces on the board, theoretically it was a draw,
but there was more to play because the weaker side could make mistake. It
did not make sense to bother and test Smyslov. So I asked him:
– Grand master do you want a draw?
In both cases I was under the impression of a big name, in both cases
there was a feeling (or excuse) that I have time – life is long enough.
Nobody has time! Most often we never have time. The only time is the time
when something is going on and what is going on.

Belgrade 1994. Giants together –

Smyslov, Matanović, Gligorić and Botvinnik

45
t.me/chess_media
 Statistics
Before The Second World War, a chess master Stevan Ćirić, at that time
the president of Chess Federation of Yugoslavia and the president of
Yugoslav Parliament, was asking for the financial supports for chess. The
representatives of the parliament refused him: “Are we going to give money
for gambling?”.
Today the action “Chess to schools” mobilizes almost hundred thousand
of young people and chess is all around us – from the benches in parks like
Kalemegdan, to the boards placed on the front of cabs. Behind this are the
efforts of few generations of chess players, social workers and journalists.
And while chess players and journalists are visible and well known, many
social workers were in a shadow. Most of these social workers put all their
enthusiasm in chess organizations but there were some who simply
wandered into chess.
In the fifties the only serious rivals to the national chess team of
Yugoslavia were teams of USSR, Hungary and, up to a point, West
Germany. One friendly match with German chess players was held in
Krefeld. After the match, on a festive dinner with a group of over few
dozens of guests, the host made a short speech telling how he believes that
the guests were satisfied and that the chess gatherings are useful, so he was
wishing us happy return home.
Then Mr. Cira Bukovic, the president of chess federation of Croatia and
the minister of agriculture in Croatia, started to speak. Right after the first
courteous sentence he started talking about the agriculture and was going on
and on until the end. He presented the numbers comparing how much of
white bread was now and what its price was in former Yugoslavia. Then he
mentioned in the same manner milk, turkeys, sugar beet…And all of that
per capita, over the heads of guests.
We were wandering if our leader is ever going to finish his speech, and
our only hope was Mr. Pirc who was translating it into German language.
We were expecting that he would change something by translating.
As he told us later, he did his best…

46
t.me/chess_media
 Match USSR – Yugoslavia in Leningrad 1957.
Our chess players (from the left) Trifunović, Gligorić, Ivkov, Bertok,
Matanović, Milić i Nedeljković

With Korchnoi – “As a Punishment”

In Belgrade, in 1956, the first friendly match between representation of
USSR and Yugoslavia was organized. It was going on in turns: one year in
our country, the following year in USSR. This tradition will grow less
significant and this will influence the structure of our teams.
At that time there were tree and a half million of registered chess players
in the USSR, 30 grand masters, 400 masters, 23 thousand masters candidate
and the significance of the title was much different than today. The best
among them, almost the first team of the world, arrived in Belgrade:
Smyslov, Keres, Boleslavsky, Geller, Averbakh, Taimanov, Petrosian,
Korchnoi, Simagin.
One from this list that deserves a great respect the new star in the team of
USSR, Korchnoi, promised (at the airport) that out of 8 games he is going
to win 6 points. He got 4,5 points but that he was not bluffing about his
grumpy personality he will show in some future games. Our players were
determined to play with him like “to serve a sentence”. At the end of this
tradition Korchnoi was the most successful chess player of both teams.
Although the winners in all matches were USSR chess players, it was
very useful school and significant recognition for Yugoslav chess.
47
t.me/chess_media
 C 97
Keres – Matanović
USSR – Yugoslavia
Belgrade 1956
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6
8.c3 0-0 9.h3 ♘a5 10.♗c2 c5 11.d4 ♕c7 12.♘bd2 ♖e8 13.♘f1 ♗d7
14.♘e3 [14.b3!] g6 15.b4 cb4 16.cb4 ♘c4 17.♘c4 bc4 18.♖b1 ♖ab8
19.♗d2 [19.♖e3!?; 19.♗e3!?] c3 20.♗h6 a5! 21.ba5 ♕a5 22.♗b3
[⌓22.♖b8 ♖b8 23.♗b3 ♗e6! 24.d5 ♗d7 25.♕c2]

♗a4!! 23.♕c2 23.♗a4 ♖b1 24.♕b1 ♕a4] ♗b3 24.♖b3 ♖b3 25.♕b3
ed4 26.♘d4 ♗f8 27.♗f8 ♔f8 28.♘b5? [⌓28.♕c2 ♕b4 (28... d5!?)
29.♕d3 d5 30.e5 ♘e4] ♘e4 29.♖e3 ♖c8 30.♘d4 d5 31.♘c2 ♕c5
32.♕a4 ♔g8 33.♕d7 ♘f6 34.♕a4 ♔g7 35.♕f4 ♕b6 36.♖e1 ♕b2
37.♘d4 ♕d2 38.♖e3 c2 39.♘f5 ♔h8 40.♘d6 c1 ♕ 41.♔h2 ♕c7
42.♕f6 ♔g8 43.♖e7 ♕e7 0-1
Matanović

48
t.me/chess_media
 C 63
Matanović – Tolush
USSR – Yugoslavia
Leningrad 1957
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 f5 4.♘c3 ♘d4 5.ef5 [5.♗a4!?] ♘f6 6.0-0 c6
7.♗e2 d6 8.♖e1 [8.♘d4?! ed4 9.♗h5 ♔d7] ♘f5 9.d4 e4 [9... ♘ed4
10.♗d3 ♗e7 11.♗f5 dc3 12.♗c8 ♖c8 13.♘g5 ±; 9... ♘d4 10.♘d4 ed4
11.♗h5 ♔d7 12.♕d4±] 10.♘g5 d5 11.f3 ♗b4 12.fe4 de4 13.♗c4 ♘d6

14.♘ce4! [14.♘ge4!? ♘fe4 15.♖e4 ♘e4 16.♕h5] ♗e1 15.♘d6 ♕d6

16.♕e1 ♕e7 17.♕h4 ♗f5 18.♗d2 0-0-0 [18... ♘e4? 19.♖e1 h6 20.g3!]
19.♘f7 ♕e4 20.♕e4 ♘e4 21.♘d8 ♘d2 22.♗e6 ♗e6 23.♘e6 ♖e8
24.♖e1 ♘c4 25.b3 ♘a3 26.c4 b5?! [26...g6±] 27.cb5 ♘b5 28.♔f2 ♖e7
29.a4 ♘c3 30.g4 h6?! [30... ♘d5] 31.h4 ♖f7 32.♔g3 ♔d7 33.♘c5 ♔d6
34.♖e3 ♘a2 35.♖e8+- ♘c3 36.h5 ♘d5 37.♖e6 ♔c7 38.♘d3 ♖f6
39.♘c5 ♖f1 40.♖g6 ♖d1 41.♖g7 ♔b6 42.♖b7 ♔a5 43.♖h7 ♖g1
44.♔f3 ♖f1 45.♔g2 ♖f6 46.♖a7 ♔b4 47.♖b7 ♔a5 48.♔g3 ♖f1
49.♖h7 ♖f6 50.♖g7 ♘f4 51.♖a7 ♔b4 52.♖b7 ♔a3 53.♖e7 ♘d5
54.♖e6 1:0
Matanović

49
t.me/chess_media
 C 92
Matanović – Geller
USSR – Yugoslavia
Belgrade 1961
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6
8.c3 0-09.h3 ♘d7 10.d4 ♘b6 11.♘bd2 ♗f6 12.♘f1 ♖e8 13.♘g3 g6
14.♗h6 ♗d7 15.♕d2! ♘a5 16.♗c2 c5 17.b3 ♕e7 18.♖ad1 ♘c6
19.♗e3 a5 [Δ b4] 20.♕e2 ♖eb8 [20... b4 21.d5] 21.dc5 dc5 22.♗d3 b4
23.♗b5 bc3 24.♗c6 ♗c6 25.♕c2 ♗b5 26.♘e2 [26.♕c3!?] ♗e2 27.♖e2
c4 28.♕c3 cb3 29.ab3 a4 30.♗c5 ♕c7 [⌓ 30... ♕b7] 31.♕e3 ab3
32.♗d6 ♕c4 [32... ♕d7 33.♕b3+-] 33.♗b8 ♖b8 34.♖b1 ♕a4 35.♕b3
♕e8 36.♖eb2 ♔g7 37.♕b5 [37.♕e3!+-] ♘d7 38.♕d5 ♖d8 39.♖b7
♘f8 40.♕b5 ♕e6 41.♖b8 ♖b8 42.♕b8 ♕c4 43.♖e1+- ♕c3 44.♕d6
♘e6 45.♕d2 ♕a3 46.♖e3 ♕a4 47.♔h2 [47.g3!? ♘g5 48.♔g2 ♘f3
(48... ♘e4 49.♕d5) 49.♖f3 ♕e4 50.♕d6 ♗g5 51.h4] h5 48.h4 ♘d4
49.♘d4 ed4 50.♖f3 [50.♖d3!?; 50.♖h3!?] ♕e8 51.♕d3 ♕e5 52.♔g1
♗h4 53.♕c4 ♗f6 54.♕d5 h4 55.♕e5 ♗e5 56.♖b3 ♔h6 57.♔f1 ♔g5
[57... g5 58.f3 59.fg4 ♔g5 60.♖f3] 58.♖f3 f6 59.♔e2 ♔h5 60.♔d3 g5
61.♖h3 ♔g4 62.♔c4 ♔f4 63.♔d5

63... ♔g4 [63... g4!? 64.♖h4 d3 (64... ♔g5 65.♖h7 d3 66.♔c4 d2

67.♖d7 ♔f4 68.♖d2 ♔e4 69.♖e2 ♔f5 70.♔d5) 65.♖h5! (65.♖h1 g3
66.fg3 ♔e3 67.g4 d2 68.g5 ♗g3 69.♖b1 fg5 70.e5 g4 71.e6 ♗h4 72.g3
♗f6) g3 66.♖f5 ♔g4 67.f3 ♔h4 68.♔e6! d2 69.♔f7 d1♕ 70.♔g6 ♕f3

50
t.me/chess_media
71.♖f3 ♔g4 72.♖f6!] 64.♖a3 ♔f4 65.♖f3 ♔g4 66.♔e6 ♔h5 67.♔f5
♔h6 68.♖a3 ♔g7 69.f3 ♔f7 70.♖a7 ♔e8 71.♔e6 ♔d8 72.♖b7 ♔c8
73.♖d7 [73...♔b8 74.♔e7 ♔c8 75.♔e8 ♔b8 76.♔d8 ♔a8 77♔c8⊙]
1-0
Matanović

Matanović – Stein
USSR – Yugoslavia
Lviv 1962
1. e4 c5 2. ♘f3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. ♘d4 ♘f6 5. ♘c3 a6 6. ♗e2 ♘bd7 7.
♗e3 g6 8. h4 h5 9. f3 ♗g7 10. ♕d2 b5 11. a4 b4 12. ♘a2 a5 13. c3 bc3
14. ♘c3 ♗b7 15. 0-0+/= 0-0 16. ♘db5 ♖c8 17. ♖ad1 d5 [17... ♘c5
18.e5!; 17... ♘e5 18.b3] 18. ♘a7! ♖c3 19. bc3 de4 20. ♗b5 ♕a8 21.
♗d7 ♖d8

22. ♕b2! ♖d7 23. ♖d7 ♘d7 24. ♕b5 ♗h6 25. f4! ♘f6 26. ♖b1 ♗f4
27. ♗f4 ♕a7 28. ♕b6 ♕b6 29. ♖b6+- ♘d5 30. ♖b7 ♘f4 31. c4 ♘d3
32. ♖e7 ♘c5 33. ♖e5 ♘a4 34. ♖a5 ♘c3 35. c5 1-0
Matanović

51
t.me/chess_media
 D 25

Korchnoi – Matulović
USSR – Yugoslavia
Ohrid 1972
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. ♘f3 ♘f6 4. e3 ♗g4 5. ♗c4 e6 6. ♘c3 ♘bd7 7. e4?
[⌓ 7.♗e2 ♗d6 8.e4] ♗b4 8. e5 ♘d5 9. ♗d2 ♗c3 10. bc3 0-0 11. 0-0
c5= 12. h3 ♗h5 13. ♗d5 ed5 14. g4 ♗g6 15. ♕b3 ♘b6! 16. dc5 ♘c4
17. ♗f4 [17.♕b7? ♗e4-+]

17... ♕c8! [Δ h5!] 18. ♖ad1? [⌓ 18.♔h2 h5 19.♖g1 ♕c5 20.♘d4]

h5!-/+ 19. ♖d5 ♘a5 20. ♕a4 hg4 21. ♘h2 ♕c6! 22. ♕d4! [22.♕c6 bc6
23.♖d7 gh3-+] gh3 23. f3 ♖ac8 24. ♔f2 b6! 25. ♖g1 [25.cb6 ab6 Δ
26...♕c3, 26... ♘c4] bc5-+ 26. ♕d1 ♘c4 27. ♘g4 ♖b8 28. ♔g3 ♖b1
0-1
Trifunović

52
t.me/chess_media
 A draw is a poisoned fabrication. It is easier to have a fight “or either”
than “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush”.

Hair on the Lapel

The games in which partners do not count their material, but are anxious
to check mate each other – do not last long. The players of stronger style
shine stronger but burn faster. Vasja Smyslov, whom Botvinnik accused for
trying always to change the queens, knew the rule of ending the game with
check mate, but wanted to win the game in some other way – slower but
more sure. At older age, and in spite of his weak sight, he was playing well.
Vasja is no more with us.
On somebody’s face one can see a soul, but the strength of nerves allows
one to last long.
In the last round of the Olympics in Moscow in 1956, the winner of
match Yugoslavia – Hungary would decide a second place. On the first tree
boards the games were over, and on the fourth, if Milić was to get a draw
with Portisch, we would win the silver medal.

53
t.me/chess_media
 Both of them were in time trouble. On the board – one complex po
sition with a lot of pieces scattered all over the board, we, to
gether with Hungerians, were watching without breathing. Milić was
on the move. With his hand shaking, he was hardly holding the pieces.
In the decisive moment Portisch was on the move. He had only one
minute left, hardly two, for few moves. And suddenly, looking con
centrated and focused, he started very carefully to clean a hair from
his lapel. The clock was ticking, and a hair was very resistant! Like
hypnotized, we were observing the drama on the lapel, forgetting the
position on the board…
In the following 40 years Portish stayed on the top of worlds
chess, but on that night in hotel “Moscow” Bora Milic was sitting at
the head of the table. He played Weg’s draw with Portisch, and we got
the silver medal.

Portish – Milić
Moskow 1956

1... ♖h2 2.♔g1 ♖h5 3.♕a6 ♗f8 4.♖c8 ♕e7 5.♕b6 d4 6.♗d4 ♕g5
7.♘g3 ♘g3 8.♖f8 ♔f8 9.♕d6 ♔e8 10.♕c6 1/2-1/2

54
t.me/chess_media
 B 92
Duckstein – Matanović
Moskow 1956

1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.♗g5 e6 7.f4 ♗e7
8.♕f3 ♕c7 9.0-0-0 0-0 [9... ♘fd7!?] 10.♗d3 ♘c6 11.♘c6 bc6 12.♖he1
[12.e5!? de5 13.♕h3 h6 14.♗h6] e5! 13.f5 ♗b7 14.♗c4 ♖ad8 15.g4?!
[15.♗b3!?] h6 16.♗h4

16... d5! 17.♗f6 ♗f6 18.ed5 cd5 19.♗d5 e4! 20.♗e4 [20.♘e4 ♗b2
21.♔b2 ♗d5 Δ ♕b7; 20.♕e4 ♗c3 21.bc3 ♗d5 22.♖d5 ♕c3 -/+]♗c3
21.♖d8 ♖d8 22.♕c3 [22.bc3 ♕e7!] ♕c3 23.bc3 ♖e8 24.♗b7 ♖e1
25.♔d2 ♖g1 26.h3 a5 27.c4 ♔f8 28.c5 ♔e7 29.♔c3 ♖g3 30.♔d4 ♖h3
0-1
Matanović

55
t.me/chess_media
 The zeitnot, as a rule, comes to chess players who at the beginning of a
game are using a microscope and at the end of the game a telescope..

My Award Flies to the Sky

A team championship of Europe in 1957. was in Austria. USSR won the
first place, Yugoslavia held the second place, “few paces” ahead from the
third placed team.
There were two matches with USSR team and 6:4 for them, then 6:4 for
us. It was one of the good results in these years when we were trailing
closely the Soviet chess players. In spite of that, our financial conditions
were rather poor. That was all that Chess federation of Yugoslavia was able
to offer. For all the money I received I bought a small parrot.
A lot of water has gone since then under the bridges of Danube and Sava.
There were stormy discussions regarding the money before our
representation went on team championship of Europe in Batumija –
Georgia, and they reminded me of my parrot from Baden-Baden, who, only
few days after my return to Belgrade, flied out through the accidentally
opened window…

56
t.me/chess_media
 An exceptional popularity – Mikhail Tall among his fans at The Square of
Marx and Engels, 1959.

Even the Brave Hearth is Trembling

It was the end of interregional chess championship in Portoroz in 1958. It
was in August, at the dawn. On a hotel’s terrace Tall and Bronstein were
playing fast move games. They started playing the previous evening.
In the last round Bronstein needed half the point to enter a tournament of
candidates. Seven years earlier he lost the crown, and now had the
opportunity to start chasing Botvinnik. Why he didn’t accept the offered
draw?
Later, Bronstein will start his book “Wonderful and furious world” with
quotation by Oscar Wilde: “There are two ways not to love the art. One way
– simply not loving it. And the other – loving it rationally.” Bronstein said
that one should not play for points, and that the points should not be
counted. In the last round after first refusing the offered draw, he himself
offered a draw. Kardoso, the Philipino, did not answer, he just denied by
shaking head. To run away from himself and from oncoming night,
Bronstein found the escape in playing fast move games with Tall because he
lost the game with Kardoso.
57
t.me/chess_media
 Where are the roots of the idea to not count the points and Bronsteins
practice (at that time) to spend 50 minutes on the first move? A pressure on
nerves becomes stronger closer to the beginning of the game. The anxiety
calms down when the clocks start ticking, the crowd becomes quiet, and the
atmosphere of tournament overcomes. Bronstein needed 50 minutes to calm
down.
Ozren Nedeljković avoided to use the word “fight” in his chess reports,
but the only similarity between chess and boxing is not in the square shape
of board and ring. Keres’s serenity before the game is an illusion and a self-
control. There are no fireless chess players. They differ only in their ability
to control their fires.
Mikhail Tall revived the rule to end the chess game with a check-mate.
He could win in some simple manner, but he prefers to choose some other,
more complicated but more beautiful way. It is how he attracted the crowd
and the presence of the crowd, and it’s bond and support gave him the
strength and confidence. In the tournament of candidates in Belgrade 1959
(in the crowded auditorium), he won the first place. In the tournament in
Kirasau, three years later, in the empty hall he was on the last place. There
are even more examples and because of that he is well known for his
attention and respect for the crowd. On the beach in Portoroz, in 1958,
somebody told him that he was braver in chess than in the water. Although
he could not swim, he jumped from the trampoline and almost drowned!

58
t.me/chess_media
 B 06
Kardoso – Bronstein
Portorož 1958
1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.♗c4 [3.f4!?] ♗g7 4.♘e2 ♘f6 5.♘bc3 ♘bd7 6.f3 c6
7.a4 a5 8.♗b3 0-0 9.♗e3 e6 10.♕d2 ♖b8 11.♘d1 b6 12.♘f2 ♗a6 13.g4
c5 14.h4 h5 15.♘g3 hg4 16.fg4 d5 17.h5! [17.e5?! cd4 18.♗d4 ♘h7] c4
18.♗a2 c3 19.bc3? [19.♕c3! ♖c8 20.♕d2 ♕c7 21.e5 Δ c3±] ♕c7 20.e5
♘h7 21.♘d3 g5 22.h6 ♗h8 23.♘h5 ♖bc8 24.♖c1?! ♕c3 25.♕c3 ♖c3
26.♗d2 ♖a3 27.♗b1

♖a4? [27... ♗d3! 28.cd3 ♖a4 Δ f6 -/+] 28.c3! f6 29.♘g7!± ♖a1 30.♘f2
♖b1 31.♖b1 fe5 32.♘e6 ♖c8 33.♖h3 ed4 34.♘d4 ♗d4 35.cd4 ♖c6
36.♖bb3 ♔f7 37.♖be3 ♘df6 38.♖e5 ♖e6 39.♖e6 ♔e6 40.♖b3 ♘d7
41.♘h3 ♔f6 42.♘g5! 1-0
Matanović

59
t.me/chess_media
 B 16

Matanović – Szabo
Portorož 1958
1.e4 c6 2.♘c3 d5 3.d4 de4 4.♘e4 ♘f6 5.♘f6 gf6 6.♘f3 [6.c3!] ♗g4
7.♗e2 e6 [⌓ 7...♕c7] 8.0-0 ♗d6 9.c4 ♖g8 10.♔h1 f5

11.d5! cd5 [11... e5 12.c5 ♗f3 13.♗f3 ♗c5 14.♕c2 e4 15.♕c5 ef3
16.♖e1+-] 12.cd5 e5 13.♘e5! ♗e5 14.♖e1 [14.♗g4? ♖g4 15.♖e1 ♖e4]
♘d7 15.f4 f6 16.♗g4 fg4 [16...♖g4 17.fe5 fe5 18.♕c2±] 17.fe5 fe5
18.♗f4 ♕f6 19.♕d4 [19.♕a4!♔d8 (19... 0-0-0 20.♕a7 ♕f4 21.♖ac1+-)
20.♗g3 Δ ♖f1+-] ♔f7! 20.♗e5 ♘e5 21.♕e5 ♕e5 22.♖e5 ♖g6! [22...
♖ae8 23.♖f1 ♔g6 24.♖e8 ♖e8 25.d6 ♖d8 26.♖d1+-] 23.♖c1 ♖b6
24.♖c7 ♔f6 25.♖e2 ♖d8 26.♖h7 ♖d5 27.♔g1 ♔g6 28.♖he7 ♖f6
29.g3 ♖d1 30.♔g2 ♖ff1 31.♖2e6 ♖f6 [31...♔g5!? 32.♖g7 ♔h5
33.♖e5 ♔h6 34.♖g4±] 32.♖f6 ♔f6 33.♖b7 ♖d2 34.♔g1 a5 35.a4
♖e2 [35... ♔e5 36.♖e7 ♔f5 (36... ♔f6 37.♖e4 ♔f5 38.♖f4+-) 37.♖f7
♔e4 38.♖f2+-] 36.♖b5 ♔g6 37.♖b8 ♔h6 38.♖b6 ♔g5 39.♖b5 ♔g6
40.b3 ♖b2 41.♔f1 ♔f6 42.♖a5 ♖b3 43.♔e2 ♖a3 44.♔d2 ♔g6
45.♔c2 ♖a2 46.♔b3 ♖h2 47.♖c5 ♖h1 48.♖c3 ♔f5 49.a5 ♔e4
50.♔b4 ♔d5 51.♖a3 ♖b1 52.♖b3 ♖f1 53.♖c3 ♖b1 54.♖b3 ♖f1
55.a6 ♔c6 56.♖a3 ♖f8 57.♔c4 ♔c7 58.a7 1-0
Matanović

60
t.me/chess_media
 B 96
Matanović – Tall
Portorož 1958
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.♗g5 ♘bd7 7.♗c4
♕a5 8.♕d2 e6 9.0-0-0 b5 10.♗b3 ♗b7 11.f3 [11.♖he1!?] ♗e7 12.♔b1
b4

13.♘d5! ed5 14.♘f5 ♗f8 15.ed5 0-0-0[15... ♕b6 16.♗a4 0-0-0 17.♗d7
♖d7 18.♗f6 gf6 19.♖he1 Δ ♕f4-h4 ∞/=] 16.a3 h6 17.ab4 ♕c7 18.♗f4
g6 19.♘h6 ♘e5 20.♗g5 ♗h6 21.♗h6 ♘c4 22.♗c4 ♕c4 23.♗g7 ♘d5
24.b3 ♕b4 25.♕b4 ♘b4 26.♗h8 ♖h8 27.♖d6 ♘d5 28.c4 ♘e3 [28...
♔c7 29.c5] 29.♖f6 ♘g2 30.♖f7 ♖d8 31.♔c2 ♘h4 32.♖e1 ♖d7
33.♖e8 ♔c7 34.♖ee7 ♖e7 35.♖e7 ♔b6 36.f4 ♘g2 37.♖e6 ♔a7
38.♖f6 ♗e4 39.♔c3 a5 [39... ♗f5 40.♔b4 ♘f4 41.♔a5+-] 40.♔b2 a4
41.b4 [41.ba4!] ♘e3 42.♖e6 ♘c4 43.♔c3 ♗d5 44.♖g6 ♘b6 45.h4 a3
46.b5 ♗f7 47.♖g1 a2 [⌓47... ♘d5 48.♔b3 ♔b6±] 48.♔b2 ♔b8
49.♖g7 ♗b3 50.♖g1 ♗f7 51.♔a1 ♔c8 52.♖g7 ♗e8 53.♖g5 ♘d7
54.h5 ♘f6 55.h6 ♔c7 56.♖g7 ♔b6 57.♖e7 [57... ♔b5 58.♖e8+-] 1-0
Matanović

61
t.me/chess_media
At young age – Matanovic with his wife Vesna in Amsterdam in 1960.

62
t.me/chess_media
 1951 – 1960
Searching through memories we can find pieces of the events and
pictures scattered in time, and if we connect them we can discover
mountain signs that mark the road.
On tournament in Bad Pyrmont, in 1951, I met Bogoljubov for the
second time. He became a grand master the same year I was born. He was
thinking that Allehin was unsurpassable. He was never sorry because he
dedicated all his life to chess. He lived after this meeting for one more year.
During the game with Najdorf on Bled, I had a feeling, and later in Mar
del Plata, I understood why Tartakower returned to Europe instead of
staying in Argentina. “Between me and Najdorf there must be at last one
ocean.”
I was amazed when Bronstein with the money he got for winning the first
place in Hestings spent on books on Chess.
In the tournament in Hamburg in 1955. after eight rounds I won 8 points.
In Interregional tournament in Stockholm, Kotov won convincingly. The
representative of our chess federation as a journalist and, defending current
political course, how the assistant (second) from the auditorium was
advising Kotov what moves to make by using a pantomime.
During the closing celebration in Beverwijk, in front of whole
auditorium, few of us from Yugoslavia were singing the song “Durmitore”
and “When I went to Bembasha”. The effect was disastrous. It could not
have been worse.
At that time the championships of Yugoslavia were like holidays for all
of us. But in the years to come this enthusiasm of leading chess players to
participate is going to melt down. Team championships and club rivalry
brought a new dimension in chess, which is an individual game. One saying
from that time goes “Good student, good chess player.” This symbolically
announced what the future will bring.
Chess, chess – nothing but chess! Ten hours on a train would pass
quickly with chess. From the railway station to the hotel, and again chess in
the hotel. Was it possible that in spite of huge energy, curiosity, talent, or
memory, our generation could not have achieved more? It could have, but
there was no Mikhail Botvinnik to tell us how.

63
t.me/chess_media
 Magic Fisher
In chess Olympics, the center of the attention were always matches for
the second and third place, because the advantage of the Soviet team (their
first place was ensured) was outstanding. Of course, the special attention
was for individual matches of the best chess players. In that sense there
were changes when at the leading place of USA team in the Olympics came
Fisher. For the first time it was at Olympics in Varna in 1962, at the time
when Fisher burst on the big scene. We were all gathered in a big
auditorium. When he appeared everyone murmured and looked at him.
Four times Fisher participated at Olympics, and his four encounters with
the world champions overshadowed everybody else’s. Once he played with
Botvinnik and two times with Tall and Spassky.
Shortly before Varna and his meeting with Botvinnik, one American
journalist who did not know anything about chess, asked Fisher if he could
sacrifice one knight to Botvinnik. A game between Botvinnik and Fisher in
Varna had a long history. It was game ending with rooks and the game was
discontinued. USSR team sent the position to Moscow so that the team of
experts could find the way out for a draw. And the game ended that way.
Later Fisher announced his analyses and tried to prove how he could win.
On the other side Kasparov (whom Botvinnik gave it as a homework)
denied Fisher’s analyses and found out a draw.

Bobby Fischer, Chess Olympiad 1960,

64
t.me/chess_media
 D 98

Botvinnik – Fischer
Varna 1962
1.c4 g6 2.d4 ♘f6 3.♘c3 d5 4.♘f3 ♗g7 5.♕b3 dc4 6.♕c4 0-0 7.e4 ♗g4
8.♗e3 ♘fd7 9.♗e2 ♘c6 10.♖d1 ♘b6 11.♕c5 ♕d6 12.h3 (12.e5!?)
♗f3 13.gf3 ♖fd8 14.d5 ♘e5 15.♘b5 ♕f6 16.f4 ♘ed7 17.e5 ♕f4!
[18.♕b6 ♕e4! 19.f3 ♕h4! 20.♗f2 ♕b4-+] 18.♗f4 ♘c5 19.♘c7 ♖ac8
20.d6 ed6 21.ed6 ♗b2 22.0-0 ♘bd7 23.♖d5 b6 24.♗f3? [24.♗c4! ♘e6
25.♗h2 ♘d4 26.♖b1 ♗c3 27.♖c1 ♗b2= Fischer] ♘e6! 25.♘e6? [♗e3]
fe6 26.♖d3 ♘c5 27.♖e3 e5 28.♗e5 ♗e5 29.♖e5 ♖d6 30.♖e7 ♖d7
31.♖d7 ♘d7 32.♗g4 ♖c7 33.♖e1 ♔f7 34.♔g2 ♘c5 35.♖e3 ♖e7
36.♖f3 ♔g7 37.♖c3 ♖e4 38.♗d1 ♖d4 39.♗c2 ♔f6 40.♔f3 ♔g5
41.♔g3 ♘e4 42.♗e4 ♖e4 43.♖a3 ♖e7 [43... a5! 44.♖b3 ♖b4 45.♖b4
ab4 46.f4 ♔f5 47.♔f3 ♔e6 48.♔e4 (48.♔g4 h6) ♔d6 49.♔d4 b5
50.♔d3 ♔d5-+ Botvinnik] 44.♖f3 ♖c7 45.a4 ♖c5

46.♖f7 ♖a5 47.♖h7 ♖a4 48.h4 ♔f5 49.♖f7 ♔e5 50.♖g7 ♖a1 51.♔f3
b5 52.h5!= ♖a3 53.♔g2 gh5 54.♖g5 ♔d6 55.♖b5 h4 56.f4 ♔c6
57.♖b8 h3 58.♔h2 a5 59.f5 ♔c7 60.♖b5 ♔d6 61.f6 ♔e6 62.♖b6 ♔f7
63.♖a6 ♔g6 64.♖c6 a4 65.♖a6 ♔f7 66.♖c6 ♖d3 67.♖a6 a3 68.♔g1
1/2-1/2
Matanović

65
t.me/chess_media
 C 93
Fischer – Spassky
La Habana 1966
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 0-
0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 h6 10.d4 ♖e8 11.♘bd2 ♗f8 12.♘f1 ♗d7 [12... ♗b7!?]
13.♘g3 ♘a5 14.♗c2 c5 15.b3! [15.d5 ♘c4!=] cd4 ?! [15...♘c6 16.♗e3?
ed4 17.cd4 cd4 18.♘d4 d5!=; 16.d5! +/=] 16.cd4 ♘c6 17.♗b2 g6
18.♕d2± ♗g7 19.♖ad1 ♕b6 20.♘f1 ♖ad8 21.♘e3 ♕b8 22.♗b1 ♕b7
23.♖c1 ♔h7 24.a3 ♗c8 25.♗c3 ♗d7 26.♕b2 ♕b8 27.b4 ♔g8
28.♖cd1 ♘h7 29.♗a2 ♘g5 30.♘g5 hg5 31.de5 de5 32.♘d5 ♘e7
33.♘e7 ♖e7 34.♕d2 ♗f6 35.♕d6! ♔g7 36.♕a6 ?? [36.♗e5! ♖e5
37.♕b8 ♖b8 38.♖d7±] ♖c8! 37.♖d6!= ♖c3 38.♖f6 ♗e6 39.♖e6 fe6
40.♖d1 ♕b7 41.♕b7 ♖b7 42.♗e6=/∞ ♖a3 43.♔h2 ♖a4 44.♖b1 ♖c7
45.f3 ♖a6 46.♗b3 ♖a3 47.♖b2 ♖a1 48.♔g3 ♔f6 49.♔g4 ♖c3
50.♗d5 ♖aa3 51.h4 gh4 52.♔h4 ♖a1 53.♖d2 ♖aa3 54.♔g4 ♖d3
55.♖c2 ♖ac3 56.♖a2 ♖a3 57.♖c2 1/2-1/2
Parma

66
t.me/chess_media
 D 87
Spassky – Fischer
Zigen 1970
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5 4.cd5 ♘d5 5.e4 ♘c3 6.bc3 ♗g7 7.♗c4 c5
8.♘e2 ♘c6 9.♗e3 0-0 10.0-0 ♕c7 11.♖c1 ♖d8 12.h3 [12.f4 ♗g4 13.f5
gf5 14.f7!? ♔f7 15.♕b3 e6 16.♘f4 ♕d7 17.ef5 ♘a5 18.♕e6 ♕e6
19.♘e6 Δ 19...♘c4? 20.♗g5 ♖g8 21.♖f4; 12.♕d2!?; 12.♗f4!?] b6
[12...a6!?] 13.f4 e6 14.♕e1 ♘a5 15.♗d3 f5 16.g4! [16.♖d1?! Δ ♕f2] fe4
17.♗e4 ♗b7 18.♘g3 ♘c4 19.♗b7 [19.♗f2 ♗e4 20.♕e4 ♘d2 21.♕e6
♔h8 22.♖fd1 ♘f3 23.♔f1 ♘h4-/+] ♕b7 20.♗f2 ♕c6 21.♕e2 cd4
22.cd4 b5∞ 23.♘e4 ♗d4 [23... ♖e8?! 24.a4 a6 25.♘c5 Δ ♘a6!] 24.♘g5
♗f2 25.♖f2 ♖d6 26.♖e1 ♕b6! 27.♘e4 ♖d4 28.♘f6 ♔h8 29.♕e6

29... ♖d6! [29... ♖d1?? 30♕f7 ♖e1 31.♔g2 ♕c6 32.♔g3 ♖e3 33.♔h4
♖h3 34.♔h3 ♕h1 35.♖h2+-] 30.♕e4 ♖f8?? [30...♖ad8 31.g5 ♖d2
32.♖ef1 ♕e3=] 31.g5 ♖d2 32.♖ef1 ♖f1 [32.♖ee2!? ♘d6 33♕e7 ♖f7
34.♕f7 ♕f2 35.♖f2 ♖d1 36.♔g2 ♘f7 37.♖e2] ♕c7 [32... ♘d6 33.♕e5
♘f7 34.♕c3+-] 33.♖d2 ♘d2 34.♕d4 ♖d8 35.♘d5 ♔g8 36.♖f2 ♘c4
37.♖e2 ♖d6 38.♖e8 ♔f7 39.♖f8 1-0
Matanović

67
t.me/chess_media
 Once and Now
At the beginning of 20th century chess players were at the same time
highly educated, experts in their professions, and only a small amount of
time they were spending on playing chess. During decades this time
allocated for chess became longer, while the number of doctors and
professors among leading chess players became smaller. Today professional
chess players are just chess players.
For a long time there was a theory that without universal education and
culture, the chess players could not achieve their higher standing. The
practice denied this. And why it would it be necessary in the world where in
so many professions, only the high specialization in a field of interest brings
success?

68
t.me/chess_media
 To Be a Genius Means to be Alone
As a meteor he flied over the sky, shined and burned. From 1969. to
1972. all the obstacles were falling down with the bang: Interregional
tournament in Mallorca, Taimanov, Larsen, Petrosian and Spassky. Robert
Fisher became the new world champion.
When he arrived at Interregional tournament in Portoroz in 1958. Fisher’s
second (coach assistant) refused Bobby’s qualification for tournaments of
candidates. It has been told as a good joke, but the prophecy came true. He
was constantly in sweater in a middle of summer, in puberty and never
looked in the eyes when shaking hands. When in “dead draw” position he
offered me a draw – I refused with anger. Who I am going to beat if not
him.
Many years later, when I gave him new “Informant”, he first noticed the
small number of games that were analyzed. Playing chess he learned that
any move of the opponent is threatening. And in personal life he was
distrustful, always suspicious of the other party. And he was always alone.
If all the participants of the tournament were accommodated in one hotel,
he would go to some other hotel. In semidarkness of a messy room he
would sit playing chess all alone. Spassky remembered telling him: “Bobby,
let’s go! Sunshine, pretty girls…”
Never, not even out of courtesy, he would compliment his colleagues – he
did not want to “advertise” them. When asked if he was satisfied with his
assistant coach Larsen (on the candidate’s tournament) he answered:
“Dilettante. He has no clue.”
At the chess board absolutely fair, following the rules of the chess game,
but if the commentator, like in his match with Spassky in Belgrade in 1992,
did not praise him or eventually mentioned his weak move, he would
demand his removal from the match.
On interregional tournament in Tunisia in 1967, we almost established a
wager if Fisher is going to live or not. Three times he “definitely” left the
championship. When the American ambassador warned him telling that he,
Fisher, represents the USA he answered that he represents only himself and
left slamming the door. He left the tournament even though he was leading
and won all of his most important opponents.
Before the match “USSR and the rest of the world” in Belgrade in 1970.
after long exchange of telegrams and long list of Fisher’s demands, Fisher

69
t.me/chess_media
last demand was that he wanted the cab from the airport and the porter to be
paid. A telegram for this demand costs more.
When I told him over the phone that his chances against Spassky are
higher, after short pause, he changed his attitude.
Captain of the team “The rest of the world” was Dr. Eve who put him at
the first chessboard, and the second one was for Larsen. Larsen refused to
play at the second board. The beginning of the game with the world
champion was very close, Fisher’s anxiety was increasing, and that evening
in hotel “Metropol” in Belgrade, Fisher announced (without being asked):
“OK. I am better than Larsen, but let him play at the first board.”
Fisher is an ingenious chess player. He can play all positions with
mastery. It does not matter if he plays with White or with Black pieces, or
who his opponent is – he always plays to win. But against his own lack of
self-confidence he was losing and wining the battles. At the end he lost the
war.

Bobby Fischer 1972

70
t.me/chess_media
 A 01
Larsen – Spassky
Belgrade 1970
1.b3 e5 2.♗b2 ♘c6 3.c4 ♘f6 4.♘f3 e4 5.♘d4 ♗c5 6.♘c6 dc6 7.e3 ♗f5
8.♕c2 ♕e7 9.♗e2 0-0-0 10.f4?-/+ [Δ 11.♗f6 ♕f6 12.♘c3] ♘g4! 11.g3
h5 [11... ♖d2 12.♘d2 ♘e3 13.♕c3 ♖d8∞] 12.h3 [12.♘c3 ♖d2!-+]

12... h4! 13.hg4 [13.♗g4 ♗g4 14.hg4 hg3 15.♖g1 ♖h! 16.♖h1 g2
17.♖g1 ♕h4 18.♔e2 ♕g4 19.♔e1 ♕g3 20.♔d1 (20.♔e2 ♕f3 21.♔e1
♗e7-+) ♕f2 21.♕e4 ♕g1 22.♔c2 ♕f2-+] hg3 14.♖g1 ♖h1! 15.♖h1 g2
16.♖f1 [16.♖g1 ♕h4 17.♔d1 ♕h1 18.♕c3 ♕g1 19.♔c2 ♕f2 20.gf5
♕e2 21.♘a3 ♕d3 22.♕d3 ed3 23.♔c3 a5 (23... ♗e3 24.de3 d2 25.♖d1
♖h8-+) 24.♘c2!; 21... ♗b4-+] ♕h4 17.♔d1 gf1♕ [18.♗f1 ♗g4-+] 0-1
Spassky

71
t.me/chess_media
 B 13
Fisher – Petrosian
Belgrade 1970
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.ed5 cd5 4.♗d3 [4.c4] ♘c6 5.c3 ♘f6 6.♗f4 [6.h3 e5!;
6.♗g5 ♘e4 7.♗e4 de4 8.d5 ♘e5 9.♕a4 ♕d7 10.♕e4 ♕f5-/+] ♗g4 [6...
g6] 7.♕b3 ♘a5 [7... ♕c8! Δ ♗h5-g6] 8.♕a4 ♗d7 9.♕c2 e6 [9... a6]
10.♘f3 ♕b6 11.a4! ♖c8 [11... ♘b3 12.♖a2 ♖c8 13.0-0 ♗e7±; 11...
♕b3 12.♕e2 ♗a4? 13.♖a4 ♕a4 14.♗b5] 12.♘bd2 ♘c6 13.♕b1
♘h5?! [13... g6] 14.♗e3 h6 [14...f5 15.g4! fg4 16.♘g5 ♗d6
17.♗h7]15.♘e5 ♘f6 [15...♘e5 16.de5 ♗c5 17.a5 ♕c7 18.♘f3±] 16.h3
♗d6 17.0-0 ♔f8? [17... 0-0] 18.f4 ♗e8 [18... ♘e5 19.fe5 ♗e5 20.e5+-]
19.♗f2 ♕c7 [19... g6 20.f5! gf5 21.♗f5 ef5 22.♕f5 ♕d8 23.♗h4+-]
20.♗h4 ♘g8± 21.f5 ♘e5 22.de5 ♗e5 23.fe6 ♗f6 24.ef7 ♗f7 25.♘f3!
♗h4 [25... g5 26.♗f2 ♔g7 27.♗d4+-] 26.♘h4 ♘f6 27.♘g6 ♗g6
28.♗g6 ♔e7!! 29.♕f5 ♔d8 30.♖ae1 ♕c5 31.♔h1 ♖f8 [31... ♖c6!?]

32.♕e5+- ♖c7 [32... ♕c7 33.♖f6!+-; 33.♕d5!+-] 33.b4! ♕c6 34.c4! dc4
35.♗f5 ♖ff7 36.♖d1 ♖fd7 [36... ♘d7 37.♖fe1+-] 37.♗d7 ♖d7
38.♕b8 ♔e7 [38... ♕c8 39.♖d7 ♘d7 40.♕d6+-] 39.♖de1 [39... ♔f7
40.♕e8⌗] 1-0
Fisher

72
t.me/chess_media
 Hidden possibilities in positions first will discover those who do not
believe that two and two are always four.

The ideal psychological approach to the game is to forget all calculations

regarding the possible result and concentrate on finding the best move.
Even though this is not easy.

73
t.me/chess_media
 Intuition
A tournament in La Habana in 1962. was richly organized in spite of bad
economy in Cuba. Tournament hall, restaurant, swimming pool, and control
knobs in the elevator – all of that was in one luxury hotel. Everything was
in honor of Jose Raul Capablanca. In La Habana in 1921. Capablanca won
Lasker and got the title of a world champion in chess. Our chess player
Bora Kostic played with Capablanca in La Habana. Capablanca won with
the score 5:0.
Bora Kostic was very popular among our chess players from the time we
started participating in tournaments. If he ends his game successfully he
would, after dinner, enjoy in some liquor, light a cigarette (even though he
was not a smoker) and it was the right time to provoke him to tell the
stories.
One of those nights he was telling us stories of Capablanca. For the game
he lost with him he was accusing his wife who wanted to see La Habana at
all costs. And about Capablanca and his multiple talents he had only the
best to say: he was among the best in the world not only in chess but also in
bridge and pool.
Kostić told us how once, he and few other chess players, were sitting in
some chess club in Manhattan and were analyzing some position and after
about two hours concluded that the best move would be to play bishop.
Then they called Capablanca who was playing bridge in neighboring room.
He came, started looking at the position for a minute or two and moved the
knight. New analyses followed with the conclusion that – Capablanca was
right.
How to find the best move in the game? By applying the general rules, by
intuition, or following the principle: I do this, he does that, and so on…?
The intuition is a subtle mechanism, and a product of a talent and a
comprehensive knowledge of the game of chess. First, the spontaneous
reaction to the move of the opponent is as good as the level of knowledge
and talent that stands behind it.
The intuition of Capablanca is mostly based on his test (to make sure) of
the move that first comes to has mind and then he does it. This could be the
reason why he never had time troubles.
Why Capablanca later concluded that the game of chess is exhausted, that
the board should have ten time ten spaces and that even new pieces should

74
t.me/chess_media
be introduced? Could it be that he, like Fisher and Bronstein, conquered the
chess (and not only the new generations of chess players) or because of his
computer-like style of playing?
Probably it could be because of both.

75
t.me/chess_media
 C 58
Jofe – Kostić

Wujork 1919

1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗c4 ♘f6 4.♘g5 d5 5.ed5 ♘a5 6.♗b5 c6 7.dc6 bc6
8.♗d3 [8.♕f3!?] ♗d6 9.c3 h6 10.♘e4 ♘e4 11.♗e4 0-0 12.d4 [12.b4!?]
f5 13.de5 fe4 14.♕d6 ♕h4 15.♗e3 [15.0-0 ♗a6] ♗a6 16.♘d2 ♖ad8
17.♕b4

17... ♖d2! 18.♔d2 ♖f2 19.♔c1 [19.♗f2 ♕f2 20.♔c1 ♗d3+-] ♖g2
20.♕a5 ♗c8 [⌓ 20... ♗d3 21.♕a4 ♕h3 22.♗d2 ♖d2 23.♔d2 ♕g2-+]
21.♖d1 ♕h3 22.♕d8 ♔h7 23.♕d4 ♕f3 24.♖e1 c5 25.♕d5 ♖h2
26.♗d2 ♗f5 27.e6

76
t.me/chess_media
27... e3 28.♕f3 ed2 29.♔d1 ♗c2! 30.♔c2 de1♕ 31.♔b3 ♕e6 32.c4
♕b6 33.♔c3 ♕b2 34.♔d3 ♕d4⌗ 0-1
V. Vuković

After defeat, the best medication is to win the next game.

77
t.me/chess_media
 Strength of Materials
The tournament in Yerevan in 1965. lasted for almost 30 days, and only
15 rounds were completed. I was sitting in the park for hours waiting for
that month to end. Thomas Mann was writing in one of his works how a
caravan is traveling through the desert for months at easy pace, with no
hurry, because it is known that at the end the time will conquer the space.
Well, but how to conquer time? Five hours for 40 moves, although it was
known long ago that in many openings the real game starts after 20 moves.
Two rounds, and then a free day to rest! It was like that for decades. And it
will last as long as the costs for hotel across the park for participants are
going to be paid by the local management.
In the head of a man in a desert, alone between the sand and the sky,
religions were born. In the park in Yerevan the idea was born for the book
that will later be named the “Chess Informant”.
One of participants in this tournament was Tigran Petrosian. Of course!
Two years earlier, in 1963, he won the title of a world champion. For the
match with Botvinnik he was on preparations in Yerevan. To let him
prepare in peace, the street where he lived was closed for traffic. When he
would go down the streets people would line up and, pointing finger at him,
would say to their children: “It is him.” Katalikos, patriarch of Armenia
invited the participants of the tournament in Yerevan for the reception. We
were all sitting in a row, facing patriarch with Tigran sitting on his right
side.
Among many significant characteristics that adorned the man who for six
years had a chess crown, one was special: an apprehension of danger, of the
moment when the balance is volatile. The other Tigran’s characteristic, one
that was perhaps even more pronounced (coming probably from the same
root), was his persistence if he was in difficult position. A brilliant
generation of USSR chess players – a “war generation” with Botvinnik,
Smyslov, Petrosian, Geller, Korchnoi, Spassky... endured refuge camps,
orphanages, hunger and all kind of freezing winds. A firm generation, that
in contrast to the following ones that would last on the scene for few years,
lasted and remained on top for several decades.

78
t.me/chess_media
 A 17
Portisch – Matanović
Yerevan 1965
1.c4 ♘f6 2.♘c3 e6 3.♘f3 b6 4.e4 ♗b7 5.♕e2 c5 [5... ♗b4!] 6.e5 ♘g8
7.d4 cd4 8.♘d4 ♘c6 9.♘c6 ♗c6 10.♗d2 ♘e7 11.0-0-0 ♕c7 12.♔b1
♘f5 13.♖g1? [13.♗f4!? Δ f3, ♕e1, ♗d3] ♖c8 14.♗f4 [Δ g4; 14.g4?
♘d4 15.♕e3 ♘f3-+] ♕b7! 15.♖d3 a6 [Δ b5-b4] 16.g4 ♘h4 17.♖h3
♗e7 18.♗c1 b5! 19.f4 b4 20.♘d1

20... ♘f3!-/+ 21.♖gg3 ♗e4 22.♔a1 ♘d4 23.♕d2 ♘c2 24.♔b1 ♘a3
25.♔a1 ♘c2 26.♔b1 ♘e3! 27.♗d3 ♘f1-+ 28.♕e2 ♘g3 29.♖g3 ♗d3
30.♕d3 ♕c6 31.b3 d5 32.♘e3 dc4 33.♘c4 ♖d8 34.♕c2 ♕d5 35.f5 f6
36.ef6 ♗f6 37.♖e3 0-0 38.fe6 ♖fe8 39.♕e2 ♖e7 [Δ ♖de8] 0-1
Trifunović

79
t.me/chess_media
 Chess Esperanto
If a chess player at the opening does not know the significant
reinforcement in 15th and 20th move, he has weak chances against the one
who does know. Invested work with all the information available today
from various sources could win the battle against a talent.
The essence was always the same. The difference is that earlier there was
a lack of information, and it was not equally available to everyone.
Therefore (for example) the Soviet chess players were dominant because, in
addition to everything else, they had behind them the mighty organization
providing them with support of systematic information.
There is a lesson to be learned here. And this is how the idea of “Chess
Informant” was conceived. For the realization of this idea it would be
necessary to collect and select the games from all significant world chess
competitions, and have the players who actually played these games
comment on them. This is the base. What then?
This kind of project demands an enormous work and an engagement of
large number of people. For small Yugoslavian market that kind of book
would produce financial losses and the translation to different languages
would make even more losses. The solution is – CHESS LANGUAGE!
Only one version of the book for the entire world. It was necessary to
eliminate the verbal comments and to introduce the SYSTEM OF SIGNS –
SYMBOLS. It was important to place the codes for the names of openings
and classify the openings, so this classification, in final version, could be
divided in 500 parts – or codes. This is how the main elements were
defined.
It was not Marshal’s attack but C 89. Russian defense became C 42 and C
43. Fisher made a “gag” telling: “If behind the move stays a sign of a
triangle (which means with V= idea) and there is no comment behind it, it
means that the move is without idea.” After “Chess Informant”, as the
ground stone, followed ”Encyclopedia of chess openings” – 500 codes were
divided in five books with 100 codes in each. Then “Encyclopedia of chess
endings”, “Monograph of chess openings” and many other books written in
chess language up to the “Small encyclopedia of chess openings”.
Very quickly, chess players around the world accepted the system
presented in “Chess Informant”. In Hungary they wrote: “A new generation
is growing – the generation of “Chess Informant””. The most common title

80
t.me/chess_media
is “Chess Bible”. In American magazine “Chess life” the list of 10 best
chess books was published. For decades the fourth or fifth (sometimes
sixth) place was reserved for the issues of “Chess Informant”. The editor of
“Chess Life” was bored with this, so he excluded “Chess Informant” out of
the competition explaining that these places are reserved for books of
“Chess Informant” but it is necessary to make some free space for other
books.
For tree and a half decades, in about 150 countries, circulated some tree
millions books of “Chess Informant”. It is how “Chess Informant”
stimulated development of chess in general, adding one more trophy to
Yugoslav chess and modestly contributed to the good reputation of our
country.

Celebration of thirty years of “Informant” 1996.in Belgrade – Matanović and president of FIDE
Ilyumzhinov.

81
t.me/chess_media
 E 30

Spassky – Tal
Tallinn 1973
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 e6 3.♘c3 ♗b4 4.♗g5 h6 5.♗h4 c5 6.d5 b5!? [6...d6]
7.de6 [e4] fe6 8.cb5 d5! 9.e3 0-0 10.♘f3? [10.♗d3; 10.a3] ♕a5 11.♗f6
♖f6=/∞ 12.♕d2 [12.♕c1] a6 13.ba6 ♘c6! 14.♗e2

14... d4!-/+ 15.ed4 ♖f3! [15...cd4 16.♘d4 ♘d4 17.♕d4 ♗c5 18.♕e4
♗f2 19.♔d1; 18.♕a4! ∞] 16.♗f3 cd4 17.0-0 dc3 18.bc3 ♗c3 19.♕d6
♖a6 20.♗c6 ♗b4! 21.♕b8 ♖c6 22.♖ac1 ♗c5 23.♖c2 ♕a4 24.♕b3
♕f4 25.♕g3? [25.♕f3; 25.♕b5!? ♕d6-/+] ♕f5 26.♖fc1 ♗b7 27.♕f3
♕g5 28.♕b3 [28.♕g3 ♗f2! 29.♔f2 ♖c2-+; 28.h3!? Δ ♕g4] ♖c7-+
29.g3 ♗f2! 30.♔f2 ♕f6 31.♔e1 ♕e5 32.♔f1 ♗a6! 33.♔g1 ♕d4
34.♔g2 ♕e4 35.♔g1 ♗b7 36.h4 ♕h1 37.♔f2 ♖f7 38.♔e2 ♕e4 0-1
Keres, Nej

82
t.me/chess_media
 C 05
Reshevsky – Vaganian
Skopje 1976
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.♘d2 ♘f6 4.e5 ♘fd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 ♘c6 7.♘df3 ♕a5
8.♔f2 [8.♗e3! cd4 9.♘d4 ♘d4 10.♗d4 ♘b8 11.♘f3 ♘c6 12.♗e3+/=]
♗e7 9.♗d3 ♕b6 10.♘e2 f6 11.ef6 [11.♔g3 g5!?]♗f6 [11... ♘f6 12.♖e1
0-0 13.♔g1+/=] 12.♔g3 cd4 13.cd4 0-0 14.♖e1? [14.h3 Δ ♔h2]

14... e5! 15.fe5 ♘de5! 16.de5 ♗h4 17.♔h4 [17.♘h4 ♕f2⌗] ♖f3!! [17...
♕f2? 18.♘g3 ♕g2 19.♗f1!+-] 18.♖f1! ♕b4 19.♗f4 ♕e7 20.♗g5
♕e6! 21.♗f5 ♖f5 22.♘f4 [22.♖f5 ♕f5 23.♕d5 ♗e6 24.♕f3 ♕e5
25.♗f4 g5!-+] ♕e5-+ 23.♕g4 ♖f7 24.♕h5 ♘e7 25.g4 ♘g6 26.♔g3
♗d7 27.♖ae1 ♕d6 28.♗h6 ♖af8 0-1
Vaganian

83
t.me/chess_media
 B 81
Karpov – Sax
Linares 1983
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 e6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 e6 6.g4 h6 7.♖g1 ♗e7
8.♗e3 ♘c6 9.♕e2 ♗d7 10.h4 ♘d4 11.♗d4 e5 12.♗e3 ♗c6 13.♕d3!
♕a5 [13... ♘h7 14.g5 hg5 15.♘d5+/=] 14.0-0-0 ♘e4 [14... 0-0-0 15.g5 d5
16.gf6 de4 17.fe7 (17.♕c4!?) ed3 18.ed8♕ Δ ♗d3] 15.♘e4 d5 16.♕b3!
[16.♘d2 ♕a2 17.♘b3 a5; 16.♕d2 ♕a2 (16... ♕d2 17.♘d2 d4) 17.♘c3
♕a1 18.♘b1] de4 17.♗c4 ♖f8⎕ [17... 0-0 18.g5→]

18.♖d5! [18.g5 hg5 19.hg5 a) 19...♖c8 20.g6 fg6 21.♗e6 Δ 21... ♗a4
22.♕b7! b) 19...♕b4 20.g6! fg6 (20... ♕b3 21.gf7 ♖f7 22.ab3) 21.♕b4
♗b4 22.♖g6; c) 19… g6⎕ 20.♗d5+/=] ♗d5 [18... ♕c7 19.♖gd1 19.♗d5
♖d8 [19... ♕b4 20.♗b7 ♕b3 21.ab3 ♖b8 22.♗c6 ♔d8 23.♗a7 ♔c7
24.♗b8 ♖b8 25.♗e4±] 20.♗c4! ♗b4! [20...♗d6 21.♕b7 ♕c7
22.♕e4±] 21.c3 b5! 22.♗e2 ♗d6 23.♕d5! ♔e7?! [23...♕c7 24.♗b5
(24.g5) ♔e7 25.♕e4] 24.♗c5! ♗c5⎕ [24... f6 25.♗c4! ♖d7 26.♖d1+-]
25.♕e5 ♔d7 26.♕c5 ♕c7 27.♕f5 ♔e7 [27... ♔c6 28.♕b5 ♔d6
29.♕b4+-] 28.♕e4 ♔d7 29.♕f5 ♔e7 30.♖e1 ♖d6 31.♗c4 ♔d8
32.♗b5 a6 33.♗a4! [⇗a4-e8] g6 34.♕f3! ♔c8 35.♖e7! ♖d1 [35... ♕e7
36.♕a8 ♔c7 37.♕a7 ♔d8 38.♕b8⌗] 36.♔d1 ♕e7 [36... ♖d8 37.♖d7
♖d7 38.♗d7 ♕d7 39.♔c1+-] 37.♕a8 ♔c7 38.♕a7 ♔d6 39.♕b6 [39...
♔d5 40.♕d4 ♔e6 41.♗b3⌗] 1-0
Karpov

84
t.me/chess_media
 E 81
Beliavski – Nunn
Wijk aan Zee 1985
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 ♗g7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.♗e3 ♘bd7 7.♕d2 c5
8.d5 ♘e5! 9.h3? [9.♗g5!?; 9.g4!?] ♘h5 10.♗f2?! [10.f4 ♘g3-/+;
10.♕f2 ♕a5 11.♗d2 (11.♖c1 b5!?) f5 12.f4 (12.ef5 ♖f5 13.g4 ♘f4
14.♕g3 ♘ed3 15.♗d3 ♘d3 16.♔e2 ♘b2 17.gf5 ♗f5→) fe4 13.♘e4
♕b6↑ ✕] f5 11.ef5

15... ♖f5!! [11... gf5 12.f4 ♘g6 13.g3±] 12.g4 ♖f3 13.gh5 ♕f8-/+→
14.♘e4 ♗h6 15.♕c2 [♕e2 ♘d3 16.♕d3 ♖d3 17.♗d3 ♕f4!] ♕f4!
16.♘e2 [16.♘f3 ♘f3 17.♔d1 ♗f5 18.♗d3 ♘d4 19.♗d4 ♕f3] ♖f2!
17.♘f2 ♘f3 18.♔d1 ♕h4! 19.♘d3 ♗f5 20.♘ec1 ♘d2!-+ 21.hg6 hg6
22.♗g2 [22.b3 ♕e4 23.♖g1 ♕d4; 22.♕d2 ♗d2 23.♔d2 ♕c4 Δ ♕d5,
c4] ♘c4 23.♕f2 [23.♖e1 ♕h5] ♘e3 24.♔e2 ♕c4 25.♗f3 ♖f8 26.♖g1
♘c2 27.♔d1 ♗d3 0-1
Beliavski

85
t.me/chess_media
 B 44
Karpov – Kasparov
Moscow (m/16) 1985
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 e6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘c6 5.♘b5 d6 6.c4 ♘f6 7.♘1c3 a6
8.♘a3 d5 9.cd5 ed5 10.ed5 ♘b4 11.♗e2!? [11.♗g5 ♘bd5 12.♘d5 ♕d5
13.♗f6 (13.♕d5 ♘d5 14.0-0-0 ♗e6 15.♗c4 ♘c7!=) ♕d1 14.♖d1 gf6=]
♗c5! [11...♘bd5 12.0-0 ♗e7 (12... ♗a3? 13.♕a4) 13.♘d5 ♘d5 14.♗f3
♗e6 15.♘c2+/=] 12.0-0 0-0 13.♗f3 ♗f5 [✕♘a3] 14.♗g5 [14.♗e3
♗e3 15.fe3 ♕b6⇆] ♖e8! 15.♕d2 [15.♘c4 ♗d3 16.a3 ♗c4 (16... ♗f1?
17.ab4 ♗c4 18.bc5±) 17.ab4 ♗b4 18.♖e1∞] b5 16.♖ad1 [16.♕f4 ♗g6
17.♗f6 ♕f6 18.♕f6 gf6=] ♘d3! 17.♘ab1? [17.♗e2? ♘f2 18.♖f2 b4;
17.d6! ♕d6!? (17... b4? 18.♗a8 ♕a8 19.a4 ba3 20.♗f6 gf6 21.♘c5 ♘c5
22.♕d5±; 17... ♖a7 18.♘d5) 18.♗a8 ♖a8∞/=] h6! 18.♗h4 b4! 19.♘a4
[19.♘e2 g5! 20.♗g5 ♘f2-/+] ♗d6 20.♗g3 [20.♕c2? ♖c8 21.♕b3 ♘f4
22.♖c1 ♖c1 23.♖c1 g5 24.♗g3 g4-+] ♖c8 21.b3 [Δ ♘b2]

21... g5!! 22.♗d6 [22.♘b2? ♘b2 23.♕b2 g4; 22.♗e2? ♘e4; 22.h4 ♘e4
(22... ♘f4!?) 23.♗e4 ♗e4 24.hg5 (24.♗d6 ♕d6 25.hg5 ♘f4!; 24.♕e3
♗f4! 25.♕d4 gh4) ♗g3 25.fg3 ♕d5 26.gh6 (26.♕e3? ♗g2) ♖c6!→]
♕d6 23.g3 [23.♗e2 ♘f4 24.♗c4 ♘g4 25.g3 ♖c4! 26.bc4 ♖e2 27.c5
(27.♕d4 ♗e4) ♕g6 28.gf4 ♕h5-+] ♘d7! 24.♗g2 [24.♘b2 ♕f6!!
25.♘c4 (25.♘d3 ♗d3 26.♗g4 ♘e5 27.f4 ♘g4 28.♕d3 ♕b6-+) ♘7e5
26.♘e5 (26.♗e2 ♗h3-+) ♘e5 27.♗g2 (27.♗e2 ♗d3!-+) ♗d3 28.f4
(28.♖fe1 ♘f3! 29.♗f3 ♕f3 30.♖e8 ♖e8 31.♕d3 ♖e1!-+) ♖c2 29.♕e3
♗f1 30.♖f1 gf4-+] ♕f6! 25.a3 a5 26.ab4 ab4 27.♕a2 ♗g6 28.d6
[28.♘d2 ♖e2-+; 28.♗h3 ♖cd8 Δ ♘7e5-+] g4 [28... ♕d6? 29.♘d2]

86
t.me/chess_media
29.♕d2 ♔g7 30.f3 [30.f4 ♗f5!] ♕d6 31.fg4 ♕d4 32.♔h1 ♘f6 33.♖f4
[33.h3 ♖e3! (33... ♘e4? 34.♕d3 ♘f2 35.♖f2 ♗d3 36.♖fd2) 34.♖f4
♕e5-+]♘e4 34.♕d3 ♘f2 35.♖f2 ♗d3 36.♖fd2 ♕e3! 37.♖d3 ♖c1!!
38.♘b2 ♕f2! 39.♘d2 ♖d1 [39... ♖e2!] 40.♘d1 ♖e1 0-1
Kasparov

87
t.me/chess_media
 E 67
Ivanchuk – Jusupov
Brisel (m/9) 1991
1.c4 e5 2.g3 d6 3.♗g2 g6 4.d4 ♘d7 5.♘c3 ♗g7 6.♘f3 ♘gf6 7.0-0 0-0
8.♕c2 ♖e8 9.♖d1 c6 10.b3 ♕e7 11.♗a3 e4 [11... ed4] 12.♘g5 e3 13.f4
♘f8 14.b4 ♗f5 15.♕b3 h6 16.♘f3 ♘g4 [11... g5!?] 17.b5 g5 18.bc6 bc6
19.♘e5!? gf4 20.♘c6 ♕g5 21.♗d6 ♘g6 22.♘d5 ♕h5 [22... ♘h2
23.♘f4 ♘f4 (23... ♕g3 24.♘g6 ♕d6 25.♘ge7) 24.♗f4 ♕h5∞] 23.h4

23...♘h4!? [23... fg3 24. ♗g3 ♘h4 25. ♘f4 ♕g5 26.♘h3=] 24.gh4 ♕h4
25.♘de7 [25. ♘ce7 ♔h8 26. ♘f5 ♕h2 27.♔f1 ♗e5!! Δ 28. ♗e5 ♖e5
29. de5 ♖g8 (Δ ♕h1, ♘h2, ♖g1⌗) 30.♘de3 fe3 31. ♘e3 ♕f4 32.♗f3
♘e3 33.♔e1 ♖g1 34. ♔f2 (34. ♔d2 ♕d4 35.♕d3 ♘c4-+) ♖g2 35. ♔e1
♕h4 36. ♔d2 ♕d4 37.♔e1 ♖g1-+; 25.♗f4!? ♕f2 ♔h1 ♗e4 27.♗e4
♕h4 (27... ♖e4 28.♖f1 ♕h4 29.♔g2 ♖f4 30. ♘f4+-) 28.♔g2 ♕f2 29.
♔h3 ♖e4 30. ♖g1±; 26... ♕h4=] ♔h8 26.♘f5 ♕h2 27.♔f1 ♖e6 [27...
♗f6! 28. ♖d3 (28. c5 ♖g8 29. ♕d5 ♕h1!!-+) ♗h4! 29. ♖e3 ♗f2
30.♖e8 ♖e8 31.e4 ♕g1 32. ♔e2 ♕g2↑] 28.♕b7? [28. ♘ce7! ♖e7 (28...
♖d6? 29. ♘d6 f3 30. ♘f7 ♔h7 31.♕d3⌗; 28... ♗f6? 29. ♕b7+-) 29.
♘e7 (29.♗e7 f3 30. ef3 e2 31. ♔e2 ♕g2 32. ♔d3 ♕f3→) ♕g3 30.
♔g1=]

88
t.me/chess_media
28... ♖g6!! [28... ♖g8 29.♘ce7] 29.♕a8 ♔h7 [Δ ♕h1] 30.♕g8⎕ ♔g8
31.♘ce7 ♔h7 32.♘g6 fg6 33.♘g7 ♘f2!!-+ [Δ ♘h3] 34.♗f4 ♕f4
35.♘e6 [35.♖db1 ♘h3 36.♔e1 ♕h4 37.♔d1 ♕d4 38.♔c2 ♕c4 39.♔b2
♕e2] ♕h2 36.♖db1 ♘h3 37.♖b7 ♔g8 38.♖b8 ♕b8 39.♗h3 ♕g3 0-
1
Jusupov

89
t.me/chess_media
 C 80
Kasparov – Anand
New York (m/10) 1995
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♘e4 6.d4 b5 7.♗b3 d5
8.de5 ♗e6 9.♘bd2 ♘c5 10.c3 d4 11.♘g5 dc3 12.♘e6 fe6 13.bc3 ♕d3

14.♗c2 ♕c3 15.♘b3!! ♘b3 [15... ♖d6!? 16.♗d2 ♖d2! (16... ♕e5?
17.♕g4!↑) 17.♘d2+/=] 16.♗b3 ♘d4?! [16...♕a1 17.♕h5 g6 18.♕f3
♘d8 19.♕f6 ♖g8 20.♗e6 ♗e7 21.♗d7! ♔d7 22.e6 ♘e6 23.♕a1 ♗d6
24.♗e3±]

17.♕g4!! ♕a1 18.♗e6 ♖d8 [18... ♗e7 19.♗g5 ♕c3 (19... h5 20.♕e4+-)
20.♗d7 ♔f7 21.e6 ♔f8 22.♕h5 g6 23.♕h6! ♔g8 24.♗e7 ♘f5
25.♕f4+-; 18... ♕c3!?]

90
t.me/chess_media
19.♗h6!! ♕c3 [19... ♕b2 20.♗g7 ♕e2 21.♗h8 ♕g4 22.♗g4+-; 19...
♕f1 20.♔f1 g6 21.♗e3 ♗c5 22.♗b3! ♘b3 (22... ♖f8 23.♗d4+-)
23.♕e6 ♗e7 24.ab3+-] 20.♗g7 ♕d3 21.♗h8! ♕g6 [21... ♘e2 22.♔h1
♘g3 23.hg3 ♕f1 24.♔h2 ♕d3 (24... ♕f2 25.♗f6+-; 24... ♖d1
25.♕h5+-) 25.♗f5 ♕c4 26.f4+-] 22.♗f6 ♗e7 23.♗e7 ♕g4 [23... ♔e7
24.♕h4 ♔e8 25.♗g4+-] 24.♗g4 ♔e7 25.♖c1! +- c6 26.f4 a5 27.♔f2 a4
28.♔e3 b4 29.♗d1! a3 30.g4 ♖d5 31.♖c4 c5 [31... ♘e6 32.♗b3 ♘c5
33.♗c2! (33.♖b4?? ♖d3 34.♔e2 ♖b3-+) b3 34.♗b3 ♖d3 35.♔e2 ♖b3
36.♖c5] 32.♔e4 ♖d8 33.♖c5 ♘e6 34.♖d5 ♖c8 35.f5 ♖c4 36.♔e3
♘c5 37.g5 ♖c1 38.♖d6 [38... b3 39.f6 ♔f8 40.♗h5 ♖e1 41.♔f3 ♘b7
42.♖a6] 1-0
Kasparov

91
t.me/chess_media
 B 85
Ivanchuk – Topalov
Novgorod 1996
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.♗e2 e6 7.0-0 ♗e7
8.f4 0-0 9.♔h1 ♕c7 10.a4 ♘c6 11.♗e3 ♖e8 12.♗f3 ♖b8 13.g4 ♗f8
14.g5 ♘d7 15.♗g2 ♘d4 16.♗d4 b5 [16... b6!?] 17.ab5 ab5 18.♖a7
♕d8 [18... ♕c6 19.f5! ♘e5 20.g6! hg6 21.fg6 fg6 22.♗e5 de5 23.♕g4
♖b7 24.♖b7 ♗b7 25.♕g6 ♕d7 26.♘b5+/=] 19.b4! e5 20.♗e3 ef4
21.♗f4 ♘e5 22.♘d5 ♗g4?! [22... ♗e6 23.♘c7 ♗g4! (23... ♖e7 24.♘e6
fe6 25.♖a6 ♘f7 26.♕g4 g6 27.♖d1+/=) 24.♕a1 ♖e7 25.♘d5 ♖a7
26.♕a7+/=] 23.♕d2 ♘c6? [23... ♗e6 24.♕f2 ♘c6 25.♖aa1 ♕d7
26.♗e3 ♘e5 (26... ♗d5 27.ed5 ♘b4 28.♗d4! ♖a8 29.♖ab1 ♘a6
30.♖b3 ♘c5 31.♖h3→) 27.♗d4+/=]

24.g6!! ♘a7 [24... fg6 25.♗g5 ♗e7 (25... ♕c8 26.♖c7 ♕a6 27.♕c3+-)
26.♘e7 ♘e7 27.♕f4 ♗e6 28.♕h4+-; 24... hg6 25.♖f7! ♗e6 26.♗g5
♗e7 27.♘e7 ♘e7 28.♕f4 ♕d7 29.♖g7! ♔g7 30.♗f6+-; 24... f6!?
25.♖c7! ♗d7 (25...♖c8 26.♖c6 ♖c6 27.♘f6 ♕f6 29.♕d5 ♔h8
29.♕c6±; 25... ♘e7 26.gh7 ♔h8 27.♖a1 ♘d5 28.♕d5±; 25... ♘e5
26.gh7 ♔h8 27.♕f2 ♗e6 28.♖c3±) 26.♘f6 (26.gh7 ♔h8 27.♕c3 ♘e5
28.♖a1±) gf6 27.♕d5 ♔h8 28.gh7 ♗e7 29.♖c6 ♗c6 30.♕c6±] 25.gf7
♔h8 26.♗g5!! [26.fe8♕ ♕e8 27.♘e3±] ♕d7 [26... ♖e7 27.♘e7 ♗e7
28.♕f4+-] 27.fe8♘ ♖e8 [27... ♕e8 28.♘f6! gf6 29.♗f6 ♔g8 30.e5!
♗e6 31.♗d5+-] 28.♕f2 ♔g8 29.e5!! h6 [29... ♗e6 30.♘f4! ♗c4
31.e6+-; 29... ♘c8 30.♘c7 ♕c7 31.♗d5+-; 29... de5 30.♘b6 ♕c7

92
t.me/chess_media
31.♗d5+-] 30.♘ b6 ♕c7 31.♗d5 ♔h7 [31... ♔h8 32.♕f8 ♖f8 33.♖f8
♔h7 34.♗e4 g6 35.♗f6+-] 32.♗e4 ♔g8 33.♘d5 ♕d7 34.♘e7! 1-0
Ivanchuk
B 01
Anand – Lautier
Biel 1997
1.e4 d5 2.ed5 ♕d5 3.♘c3 ♕a5 4.d4 ♘f6 5.♘f3 c6 6.♗c4 ♗f5 7.♘e5 e6
8.g4 ♗g6 9.h4 ♘bd7 10.♘d7 ♘d7 11.h5 ♗e4 12.♖h3 ♗g2 13.♖e3
♘b6 [13... b5 14.♗d3 b4 15. ♘e4+/=] 14.♗d3 [14.♗b3?! c5!] ♘d5
15.f3! ♗b4 [15... ♘c3 16.bc3 ♕c3 17.♗d2 ♕d4 18.♔f2 ♗f3 19.♔f3
♗c5 20.♔g2+/=] 16.♔f2! ♗c3 [16... ♘c3 17.bc3 ♗c3 18.♖b1 ♗d4
19.♔g2 ♗e3 20.♗e3±] 17.bc3 ♕c3 18.♖b1 ♕d4 [18... ♗f3 19.♕f3
♕d4 20.♖b7±] 19.♖b7 ♖d8 [19... ♗h3 20.♖f7! c5 21.♖f5!! (Lautier)
♘e3 22.♗e3 ♕b2 23.♖c5 0-0 24.♔g3!+-; 19... ♘f4 20.♔g3 (20.♕e1
♕f6 21.♔g3±; 20.♗e2±) ♕d6 21.♗a3 ♘h5 (21... ♕a3 22.♗e4!+-)
22.♔g2 ♕g3 23.♔f1+-]

20.h6!! gh6? [20... ♘e3⎕ 21.♗e3 ♕e5 22.hg7 ♖g8 23.♕c1 (23.♗h6
♕h2!; 23.♕g1 ♗f3 24.♔f3±) ♗f3 (23... ♕h2 24.♗f4 ♕h3 25.♕a3!+-)
24.♕a3 ♕h2 25.♔f3 ♕h3 26.♔e2 ♕g4 27.♔d2 ♕h4 28.♕c3 c5
29.♖a7±] 21.♗g6!! ♘e7 [21... ♕e3 22.♗e3 fg6 23.♗c5+-; 21.♕f6
22.♗f7 ♕f7 23.♖f7 ♘e3 24.♕d8! ♔d8 25.♗e3 ♗h3 26.♖a7+-]
22.♕d4 ♖d4 23.♖d3! ♖d8 24.♖d8 ♔d8 25.♗d3! [25... ♗h1 26.♗b2
♖e8 27.♗f6+-] 1 : 0
Anand

93
t.me/chess_media
 D 85
Gelfand – Shirov
Polanica Zdroj 1998
1.d4 ♘f6 2.♘f3 g6 3.c4 ♗g7 4.♘c3 d5 5.cd5 ♘d5 6.e4 ♘c3 7.bc3 c5
8.♖b1 0-0 9.♗e2 cd4 10.cd4 ♕a5 11.♗d2 ♕a2 12.0-0 ♗g4 13.♗g5 h6
14.♗h4 a5 15.♖b7 g5 16.♗g3 a4 17.h4 a3 18.hg5 hg5 19.♖c7! ♘a6?
[19... ♘d7 20.e5! 20... ♕b2 21.♖c2 ♕b3 (21... ♕b6 22.♘g5 ♗f5
23.♖a2±) 22.♘g5 a2 (22... ♗e2 23.♕e2 a2 24.♖a1 ♕b1 25.♖c1± Δ
25...♖fb8 26.e6 ♕c1 27.♖c1 ♖b1 28.ef7 ♔f8 29.♘e6 ♔f7 30.♘g5+-)
23.♖a2 (23.♖c1 ♕d1 24.♗d1 ♗d1 25.♖cd1 ♘b6∞/=) ♕d1 24.♖d1
♖a2 25.♗g4 ♘b6+/=; 19... ♕b2 20.♖c2!? ♕b6 (20... ♕b3 21.♘g5 a2
22.♖a2 ♕d1 23.♖d1 ♖a2 24.♗g4+/= Δ ♘e6) 21.♘g5 ♕d4 (21... ♗e2
22.♕e2 ♘d7 23.e5 ♖a4 24.e6±; 21... a2 22.♖a2 ♖a2 23.♗g4 ♗d4
24.♗e6! fe6 25.♕h5 ♖ff2 26.♕g6) 22.♕d4 ♗d4 23.♗g4 a2 24.♖a2
♖a2 25.♘e6 ♘c6 26.♘f8 ♔f8+/=; 19...♗f3 20.♗f3] 20.♖e7 ♕b2 [20...
♗f6 21.♖b7] 21.♗c4 ♕b4 [21... ♗f6 22.♖f7 ♖f7 23.e5! (23.♗f7 ♔f7
24.♘g5 ♗g5 25.♕g4+-) ♗e7 (23... ♕b7 24.ef6 ♗f3 25.♕d2 ♗e4
26.♖e1+-) 24.♗f7 ♔f7 25.♘g5+-; 21... a2 22.♖f7 ♖f7 23.♗f7 ♔h8
(23... ♔f7 24.♘g5+-) 24.♕a1+-] 22.♗f7 ♔h8 [22... ♖f7 23.♖f7 ♗d4
24.♗e5 ♗e5 25.♕d5+-] 23.♖d7!!

23... ♗d7 24.♘g5 ♕b6 25.♗e6! ♕e6 [25... ♗e8 26.♕g4 ♗d4 (26... ♖f6
27.♗e5 Δ 27... ♖e6 28.♘f7) 27.♕h4 ♔g7 28.♕h7 ♔f6 29.e5 ♔g5 (29...
♗e5 30.♕f5 ♔e7 31.♕e5+-) 30.♕g7 ♗g6 31.♗h4 ♔f4 32.♕g6+-]
26.♘e6 ♗e6 27.♗e5!? [27.♗d6±] ♖f7 [27... ♗c4 28.♕c1 ♗e5 29.♕c4
♗g7 30.♖a1 ♖fc8 31.♕d3 ♘c5 (31... ♗f8 32.e5+-) 32.♕h3 ♔g8

94
t.me/chess_media
33.e5+-)] 28.♕h5 ♔g8 29.♕g6 ♗d7 30.♗g7 [30.♕g3!?] ♖g7 31.♕d6
♔h7 [31...♘c7! 32.♕c7 ♗h3 33.♕c6 ♖a5 34.♖c1! 34...♖g2 (34... ♗g2
35.♕c8 ♔h7 36.♖c7 ♖ag5 37.♖g7 ♖g7 38.♔h2+-; 34...a2 35.♔h2
♗g2 36.d5! ♔h7 37.♕f6 ♖a8 38.d6+-) 35.♔h1 a2 36.♕e8 ♔h7 37.♕e7
♔h6 38.♖c6 ♖g6 39.♕f8 ♔g5 40.♕d8 ♔f4 41.♕a5 ♖c6 42.♕a2+-]
32.♕a3 ♘c7 33.♕e3 ♘e6 34.d5 ♘g5 35.f4 ♘h3 [35...♘f7 36.f5]
36.♔h1 ♖a2 [36... ♖ag8 37.gh3 ♖g3 38.♖f3] 37.f5! [37.gh3? ♖gg2!=]
♘g5 38.f6 ♖g6 39.f7[Δf8♘] 1-0
Gelfand, Huzman

95
t.me/chess_media
 B 07
Kasparov – Topalov
Wijk aan Zee 1999
1.e4 d6 2.d4 ♘f6 3.♘c3 g6 4.♗e3 ♗g7 5.♕d2 c6 6.f3 b5 7.♘ge2 ♘bd7
8.♗h6 ♗h6 9.♕h6 ♗b7 10.a3 e5 11.0-0-0 ♕e7 12.♔b1 a6 13.♘c1 0-0-
0 14.♘b3 ed4! 15.♖d4 c5 16.♖d1 ♘b6! 17.g3 ♔b8 18.♘a5 ♗a8
19.♗h3 d5 20.♕f4 ♔a7 21.♖he1 d4 [21... de4? 22.fe4± Δ 22.♖he8
23.♘d5] 22.♘d5 [22.♘a2 ♖he8∞] ♘bd5 23.ed5 ♕d6

24.♖d4!! cd4? [24...♔b6! 25.♘b3! ♗d5! 26.♕d6 ♖d6 27.♖d2 ♖hd8

28.♖ed1=] 25.♖e7! [25.♕d4? ♕b6 26.♖e7 ♘d7-/+] ♔b6 [25...♔b8
26.♕d4! ♘d7 27.♗d7 ♗d5 28.c4! ♕e7 29.♕b6 ♔a8 30.♕a6 ♔b8
31.♕b6 ♔a8 32.♗c6! ♗c6 33.♘c6+-] 26.♕d4 ♔a5 [26... ♕c5 27.♕f6
♕d6 28.♗e6!! ♗d5 (28...♖he8 29.b4!+-] 29.b4! ♗a8 30.♕f7 ♕d1
31.♔b2 ♕f3 32.♗f5+-] 27.b4 ♔a4 28.♕c3 [28.♖a7!+-] ♕d5 [28... ♗d5
29.♔b2+-] 29.♖a7! ♗b7 30.♖b7 ♕c4 [30... ♖d6 31.♖b6!!+-; 30...
♖he8!? 31.♖b6 ♖b8 32.♗f1!! a) 32... ♖ed8 33.♖c6! ♘h5 (33... ♘d7
34.♖d6!+-) 34.♖c5 ♖ac8 35.♔b2!+-; b) 32... ♘d7 33.♖d6! ♖ec8
34.♕b2+-; c) 32... ♖e6 33.♖e6 fe6 34.♔b2+-; d) 32... ♖e1!? 33.♕e1
♘d7 34.♖b7!! ♕b7 (34... ♘e5 35.♕c3 ♕f3 36.♗d3 ♕d5 37.♗e4+-)
35.♕d1! ♔a3 36.c3+-; 30... ♘e4!? 31.fe4 ♕c4 32.♖a7!! ♖d1 (32... ♖a8
33.♕e3+-) 33.♔b2 ♕c3 34.♔c3 ♖d6 35.e5 ♖b6 36.♔b2 ♖e8 37.♗g2!
♖d8 (37... ♖e5 38.♗b7+-) 38.♗b7 ♖d7 39.♗c6!! ♖d8 (39... ♖d2
40.♗e8+-) 40.♗d7+-] 31.♕f6 ♔a3 [31... ♖d1!? 32.♔b2 ♖a8
33.♕b6!+-] 32.♕a6 ♔b4 33.c3! ♔c3 34.♕a1 ♔d2 [34... ♔b4 35.♕b2
♔a5 36.♕a3 ♕a4 37.♖a7+-] 35.♕b2 ♔d1 36.♗f1! ♖d2 37.♖d7! ♖d7

96
t.me/chess_media
38.♗c4 bc4 39.♕h8 ♖d3 40.♕a8 c3 41.♕a4 ♔e1 42.f4 f5 43.♔c1 ♖d2
44.♕a7 1-0
Kasparov

B 32
Nunn – Nataf
France 1999
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 e5 5.♘b5 d6 6.c4 ♗e7 7.♘1c3 a6
8.♘a3 f5!? 9.♗d3!? f4 [✕♗c1; 9...fe4!?] 10.g3!? ♘f6!? [10... fg3
11.hg3∞] 11.gf4 ef4 12.♗f4 0-0∞/= 13.♗g3 [13.♕d2?! ♘g4!=/+ 14.0-0-
0? (14.♗g3? ♘f2!! 15.♗f2 ♖f2 16.♔f2 ♗g5!!-+) ♖f4! 15.♕f4 ♗g5-+]
♘g4!→ [✕f2] 14.♗e2! [14.h3?? ♘f2!! 15.♗f2 ♖f2 16.♔f2 ♗h4
17.♔e2 (17.♔g2 ♕g5 18.♔f1 ♕f4 19.♔e2 ♘d4⌗) ♘d4 18.♔d2

(18.♔e3 ♕g5 19.♔d4 ♕c5⌗) ♕g5⌗; 14.♘c2? ♘f2! 15.♗f2 ♖f2

16.♔f2 ♗h4-+; 14.♕d2? ♘f2!15.♗f2 ♖f2 16.♔f2 (16.♕f2 ♗h4-+)
♗g5! (16... ♗h4? 17.♔g2+- ✕g5) 17.♕c2 ♗h4!-+; 14.0-0!?] ♘f2!!
15.♕d5! [15.♗f2?! ♖f2! a) 16.♔f2? ♗h4 17.♔g2 (17.♔e3 ♕g5
18.♔d3 ♘b4! 19.♔d4 ♕c5⌗) ♕g5-+; b) 16.♕d5 ♔h8!-+] ♔h8! 16.♗f2
♘b4!! 17.♕h5 [17.♕d4? ♖f2! 18.♔f2 ♗h4-+ Δ ♕g5; 17.♕d2? ♖f2!!
18.♔f2 ♗g5!! (Δ ♗h4) 19.♕d4 ♗h4! 20.♔f3!? (20.♔g2 ♕g5-+) ♗h3!
(Δ ♕f8) 21.♘d5 ♕g5! 22.♘f4 ♖f8! 23.♕d6 ♗g4 24.♔e3 ♖f4 25.♕f4
♗f2!-+] ♖f2!! 18.♔f2 ♗h4 19.♔g2 ⎕ [19.♔e3 g6! g6! 20.♕f3 (20.♕h6
♗g5 -+) ♕g5! 21.♕f4 ♕c5! 22.♔f3 (22.♔d2 ♗g5-+) ♕f2⌗] g6!
20.♕f3 [20.♕h6? ♗g5-+] ♕g5 21.♔f1⎕ ♗h3!! 22.♕h3 ♖f8 23.♗f3
♕e3 24.♕h4⎕ ♘d3!! 25.♘d5 ♕f3 26.♔g1 ♘f2!! 27.♔f1 ♕h1 28.♔e2
♕a1 0-1
Nataf

97
t.me/chess_media
 “Match of the Century” Is His Piece of Work
Superiority of USSR chess players, up to the first years of the sixth
decade of the last century, was the unsurmountable obstacle for the leading
chess players outside of the USSR: Reshevsky, Najdorf, Gligoric, Szabo…
But with the arrival of new generation – Portisch, Larsen, and particularly
Fisher, the situation has changed. Like Alexander the Macedonian (the
Great) who with his invasion to Persian Empire, changed the picture of the
world, Fisher with his spectacular results made possible something that
looked impossible.
With that the process was opened that would lead to the idea born in
“Chess Informant” in order to measure the strength of USSR chess players
and the selection of “the rest of the world. With the “Match of the century”
in 1970. organized by “Chess Informant”, Belgrade formally became the
capital of world chess.
Never before chess had such publicity around the world. It will be
surpassed two years later with the match Fisher – Spassky, because (in
addition to everything else) in that match one Russian was fighting a duel
with one American.
Five former, one actual, and one future world champion, leading grand
masters from many countries and the president of FIDE were at the podium
of Labor Union Building in Belgrade. On the plaza in front of Labor Union
Building gathered many chess fans who were watching the game on the
billboards, the auditorium was packed, there were speeches, TV cameras,
lights – everybody taking pictures, but the man who completed the lion’s
share of the work and organized this event was missing.
Taking care to provide sponsors, advertising, trying to cover the cost for
organization – Milivoje Molerovic was at the entrance paying attention that
nobody can enter without a ticket. “Match of the century” was his piece of
work.

98
t.me/chess_media
 An event for history: match between USSR and “the rest of the world” in Belgrade 1970. (from
the left): Djurasevic, Molerovic, Ugrinovic, Majstorovic and Olafson.

Respectable guests arrived – president of FIDE Ilyumzhinov, A. Maric,

Matanovic and president of Russian Chess Federation Bebchuk in Belgrade
1996.
99
t.me/chess_media
 Match USSR – “the rest of the world” in Belgrade 1970.
In a first row seated (from the left): Petrosian, Tall, Spassky, dr Eve and Smyslov. Botvinnik is in a
third row (between Keres and Larsen).

100
t.me/chess_media
 A Man – the Monument
I am watching the photography with the participants of the match USSR
– “Rest of the world”. In a first row are sitting four former and one actual
world champion. The others are standing. In a third row is sticking out the
head of Mihail Botvinik. Botvinik is standing in a third row!
On the wall of Chess House in Moscow there are 13 photos of world
champions. My eyes are magnetically attracted by the image of Mihail
Botvinik. Strongly squeezing the hand, and with focused, probing glance
Botvinik was looking at somebody he meets for the first time. In his
apartment, the honorary spot was reserved for “gusle” (a Balkan musical
instrument) that he got as a present in Montenegro. In the thirties of the last
century, when in USSR it was rather rare that a private person could be the
owner of an automobile, he got one from the government. He showed me a
document saying that Mikhail Botvinnik is approved to buy monthly a few
times dozen liters of gasoline. A document was signed by J.V. Stalin.
Botvinnik was the president of USSR – Dutch Association. After he
received the invitation to visit Holland, he went to get the passport and a
visa. Minister of sport informed him that his application would be taken in
consideration. Botvinnik answered this way: “Tomorrow at 12:00 sharp I
will come to pick up the passport and a visa. If it is not done, I will call on a
press conference and announce that I am cancelling my membership in the
USSR Chess Federation.”
The next day, at 12:00 sharp – the passport and visa were ready. With the
Soviet minister only Mikhail Botvinnik could communicate that way.
At some point Kasparov made a list of his 10 best friends and among
them were his mother, Botvinnik and then the others. Sometimes later,
during USSR championship, in some dispute, Botvinnik who was a referee,
made a decision (according to his conscience) that was to Kasparov’s
disadvantage. Their relationship, after that, was damaged until the end.
Concessions and compromises on account of his principles Botvinnik never
made. He lived like that and even during his life he was – a monument.
Botvinnik pointed out four conditions that are important for the success
of chess players: talent, character, good health and special preparations.
Kotov put in one word all what new Botvinnik contributed to chess:
“SCHOLARLY APPROACH”. A chess history recorded double attitudes of
chess players in their later years. Some of them are faithful and attached to

101
t.me/chess_media
competitive chess. The others, like Botvinnik, when they realize that talent
and knowledge are not of importance, but the sleepless night after the lost
game – do not want to roll their big names on the margins of newspapers.
He turned the last page of his life and dedicated it to studying computers
in chess. Could, one day, the computer play better chess than a grand
master? “It could”, said Botvinik, “but we are going to play chess anyway.
There are automobiles and airplanes but people still compete in running at
100 or 1000 meters.”

Grandfather and grandson – two Mikhail Botvinnik

102
t.me/chess_media
 Botvinnik – Capablanca
(AVRO) Amsterdam 1938

30.♗a3!! ♕a3 31.♘h5! gh5 32.♕g5 ♔f8 33.♕f6 ♔g8 34.e7 ♕c1
35.♔f2 ♕c2 36.♔g3 ♕d3 37.♔h4 ♕e4 38.♔h5 ♕e2 39.♔h4 ♕e4
40.g4 ♕e1 41.♔h5 1-0

Once Botvinik complained to his friend Romanovski that he played a

draw in some game where he had a lead.
Romanowski told him:
“It means that deep down in yourself you did not want to win.”
There could be some other simple explanations, but this one makes us
think.

103
t.me/chess_media
 Story About Two Cutlets
In a tournament in Adelaide, in Australia 1972, one day came Stanko, our
countryman from the vicinity of town Sabac. He was working as a miner,
digging opal in the town of Andamuka, in central Australia. He read in the
newspapers about the tournament and one player from Yugoslavia that
participated, so he came to Adelaide.
He does not play chess. All the time he was sitting in a first row, watched
me with attention, and was bringing me coffee and juices. When I stop the
game, he would come with me to my hotel room. While I was analyzing the
game for hours, he was watching me silently. During the game with
Portisch – I had a severe time trouble. Stanko was fidgeting on his chair all
the time, not knowing how to help me.
Later, when we were talking I asked him about his life in Australia. He
said: “I can not live without soccer club RED STAR and a movie star
Ckalja. If all this could be in one place, all that is good in our country and
what is good here – it would be the best.”
After the end of this tournament I went to town Voga-Voga, Central
Australia, to play simultaneous game. There, the poster was displayed:
“World champion in chess, A. Matanovic, plays simultaneous games on 30
boards”. Later, a cocktail and a barbeque was organized in my honor. Few
dozens of people were gathered in the back yard. We were standing or
walking with plates in our hands.
Wishing to thank one of our hosts and to tell him how everything was
tasteful, I approached the grill and asked for some more meat. Kindly, with
a nice smile on his face, the host told me: “Oh, of course! It’s a pleasure.
But, you know, we have planed only two cutlets for each participant.”
And I have already had two cutlets…

Matanović in Hong-Kong 1972.

104
t.me/chess_media
 Negative Charge
There are two kinds of chess players. Some of them are stimulated by
disturbed relationships with their rivals and, in general, by some conflicting
situation. Here belongs, for example, Fisher and Korchnoi. In the other
group are those who need to know good and bad sides of their opponents
(what he knows, what he doesn’t know), and they are disturbed by anything
unrelated to the chessboard. Such are Spassky and Smyslov, for example.
In Reykjavik in 1972. there was a match Fisher – Spassky for the
champion’s title, and in Belgrade, in 1977, a match Spassky – Korchnoi that
opens the path to the world champion Karpov. Both matches were played in
the atmosphere of high electricity. On reason that Spassky lost both matches
was his negative charge.

Being the winners at Championship of Yugoslavia in Belgrade 1978. – Matanovic and Ivkov are
giving an interview to the journalist B.Rakic.

105
t.me/chess_media
 Gymnastic of Mind
Twenty years ago, in some interview, grandmaster Pirc said: “I stopped
playing in chess tournaments when I turned fifty. At that moment I had 35
years behind me of playing chess. I believed, and I think I was right, it was
time for me to withdraw. I didn’t want to drag myself from tournament to
tournament making results below my reputation. If we are thinking about
creative chess, intimately I believe this is a kind of a boundary that a man
who dedicated his life to chess should think about.”
Grand master Krogius, who wrote several books about psychology of
chess and chess players, following statistics, discovered that chess players
reach their creative peak at the age of 37.
Although, some others, that in spite of natural laws, continue to compete
in their late years, deserve full respect; and gratitude. Because, with their
example they emphasize the most precious characteristics of the chess
game: the possibility of mental activity (in spite of age) that brings
satisfaction.
This is why Lasker, Reshevsky, Najdorf, Smyslov, Gligorić or Korchnoi
are supported by all those who respect and love chess. Among all the
thoughts about chess in this context, one has a special place: “Chess is
gymnastic of mind.”

106
t.me/chess_media
 C 96
Matanović – Gligorić
Titovo Užice 1966
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6
8.c3 0-0 9.h3 ♘a5 10.♗c2 c5 11.d4 ♘d7 12.♘bd2 cd4 13.cd4 ♘c6
14.♘b3 a5 15.♗e3 a4 16.♘c1 [Δ ♘e2-c3-d5] ed4 17.♘d4 ♘d4 18.♗d4
♘e5 19.♘e2 ♗b7?! [19... ♗d7; 19... ♗e6!?] 20.♘c3 ♗c6 21.b3! a3?
[21... ♕a5!? 22.♖b1 ♖fc8]

22.b4! ♗f6 23.♗b3 ♖c8 24.♖c1 ♘g6 25.♘d5 ♗e5 26.♗e5 ♘e5
27.♖e3! ♗d5 28.♗d5 ♕b6 29.♖a3 ♖c1 30.♕c1 ♕d4 31.♕c3 ♕d1
32.♔h2 ♕f1 [32... ♕e2!] 33.♕c2! [33.♕d2 ♖c8!] h6 34.♖b3 g5 [34...
♔h7 35.♖b1 ♖c8 36.♕c8 ♕b1 37.f4 ♘g6 38.♗f7+-] 35.♖b1 ♕d3
36.♕d3 ♘d3 37.♖b3 ♘f4 [37... ♘f2 38.♖f3 ♘d1 39.♗b3 ♘b2
40.♖f5+-] 38.♗c6 ♖c8 39.♗b5 ♖c2 40.♔g3 ♖a2 41.♗f1 ♖a1 42.♗c4
♔g7 [42... ♖c1 43.♗d5 ♖g1 44.b5 ♖g2 45.♔f3 ♖h2 46.♔e3 ♖h3
47.f3 ♘d5 48.ed5 ♖h1 49.b6 ♖e1 50.♔d4 ♖e8 51.♔c4+-] 43.b5 ♖a7
44.b6 ♖b7 45.♔f3 ♔f6 46.♖b5 ♔e7 47.♗d5 ♖b8 48.h4 ♘d5 49.ed5
gh4 50.♔g4 ♔f6 51.♔f4 ♖b7 52.♖b3 ♔g6 53.♔e4 f5 54.♔d4 f4 55.f3
♔f5 56.♔c4 ♔e5 57.♖b2 ⊙ 1-0
Trifunović

107
t.me/chess_media
 B 04
Matanović – Ljubojević

Yugoslavia 1975

1.e4 ♘f6 2.e5 ♘d5 3.d4 d6 4.♘f3 ♘b6 5.a4 ♗g4 6.a5 ♘6d7 7.ed6
[7.h3! ♗h5 8.e6 fe6 9.g4±] cd6 8.h3 ♗h5 9.♗e2 e6 = 10.c3 ♗e7 11.0-0
0-0 12.♖e1 a6 [12... d5!?=] 13.d5! ♗f3? [13... e5] 14.♗f3 e5 15.♘d2!
♘f6 16.b4+/= ♘bd7 17.c4 ♘e8 18.♗e2 ♖c8 19.♕b3 ♔h8 20.♗b2 f5
21.♘f3 ♗f6 22.♖ac1 [22.♖ad1!?] g5 23.♗f1 ♘g7 24.c5 g4 25.hg4 fg4
26.♘d2 g3 27.fg3 ♗g5

28.♘e4 ♗c1 29.♖c1 dc5 30.bc5 ♕a5 31.♕b7 [31.c6? bc6 32.dc6
♖b8-/+] ♕a4! 32.♘g5=/∞ ♖b8 33.♕c6 ♕b3 34.♕h6 ♘f6 35.♘e6
♕g3? [35... ♘e6? 36.♗e5 ♘g7 37.♖c3+-; 35... ♘f5! 36.♕d2∞] 36.♗e5
1-0
Matanović

108
t.me/chess_media
 C 95
Matanović – Ivkov
Belgrade (m/5) 1978
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6
8.c3 0-0 9.h3 ♘b8 10.d4 ♘bd7 11.♘bd2 ♗b7 12.♗c2 ♖e8 13.a4 ♗f8
14.b3 g6 15.♗b2 ♗g7 16.♗d3 c6 17.♕c2 ♘h5 [17... ♖c8 18.♗f1=]
18.♗f1 ♕b6 = 19.♖ad1 ♖ad8 20.b4 ♘f4 [20...c5 21.dc5 dc5 22.ab5 ab5
23.c4±] 21.g3 ♘h5 22.♕b3 d5? [22...♕a7!?]

23.a5 ♕c7 24.♗g2 ♘hf6 25.ed5 cd5? [25... ♘d5!?] 26.♘e5 ♘e5 27.de5
♖e5 28.♖e5 ♕e5 29.c4± ♕e2 30.cb5 [30.♕f3!±] ♕b5 31.♘c4 ♘e8
32.♘b6 ♗b2 33.♕b2 ♘c7 34.♕f6 ♘e6 35.♕e7+- ♗c6? [35... ♖b8
36.♘d7 ♖d8 37.♘f6 ♔g7 38.♖e1 ♕c6 39.♘g4; 35... ♗a8 36.♘a8 ♖a8
37.♖d5] 36.♗f1 1-0
Matanović

109
t.me/chess_media
 Three Decades of High Flying
From 1950 to 1980 Yugoslav chess players realized their best success.
Various circumstances contributed to that, and before all, it was the system
of competition that activated wide circle of young people choosing the best
among them. Thanks to the long line of high-quality chess players, in
competition with other countries (not counting USSR) our advantage was
growing with growth of board numbers and matches between
representations. But the number of Olympic medals, because the teams are
presented at only four boards, do not show completely the strength of
Yugoslav chess at that time.
During these three decades, when Yugoslav representation participated in
15 Olympic games, only in 1978 at Olympics in Buenos Aires we did not
win one of the three first places. At the Olympics in La Habana, in 1966,
Yugoslavia and Hungary shared the third and fourth place with the same
number of points. In calculation of success of winners (as one of the
following criterion) an error was made and instead of our team winning the
bronze medal, it was given to the team of Hungary. Right after the
ceremony with awarding of medals the error was discovered, but the
intervention was missing. Not then, not even later, but the truth is well
known. So, in 15 Olympic games Yugoslav chess players won 1 gold, 6
silver and 7 bronze medals including the one from La Habana. From
Dubrovnik to La Valetta, many Yugoslav chess players significantly
contributed to our team whose core players were Gligoric, Ivkov and the
writer of this text. Since, in chess, the focus is on individual competitions,
which produces various different ambitions, the essential and delicate
question is the relationship between the members of the team.
If the first plan shows mutual competition and ranking lists, the strength
of the team becomes weaker. This kind of virus was even more visible after
the golden period, when the change of generations was taking place.

110
t.me/chess_media
 B 80
Fischer – Gligorić
Varna 1962
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.g3 e6 [6...e5] 7.♗g2
♗e7 8.0-0 0-0!? [8... ♕c7] 9.f4 ♕c7 10.g4! ♘c6 11.♘c6! bc6 2.g5 ♘d7
13.f5± ♖e8 14.♔h1 ♗f8 15.♗f4 ♘e5 16.f6 g6 17.h4 [17.♕e1] a5 18.h5
♗a6 19.♖e1 ♕b6 20.hg6 fg6 [20... hg6!?] 21.♗e5 de5 22.♕f3 ♖a7
23.♗f1 ♖f7 24.♗a6 ♕a6 25.♕g3?! [25.♘d1! Δ ♘e3-g4] ♕b6! 26.♕e5
[26.b3 ♕c5] ♕b2 27.♖ad1 h6 [27... ♗b4 28.♖e3 ♕c2] 28.♖e3 ♗b4
29.gh6 ♕c2 30.♖g1 ♔h7 31.♕g3 [31.♖g6? ♔g6 (31... ♕c1 Δ ♕e3-+)
32.♖g3 ♔h7 33.♕h5 ♕c1 34.♔g2 ♖f6 35.♖g7 ♔h8 36.♕e8 ♗f8-+]
♖g8 32.e5

32... ♗c3! 33.♖c3 ♕e4 34.♖g2 ♖d8-/+ 35.♖e3 ♖d1 36.♔h2 ♕b1
37.♕g4!? [37.♖g1] ♖h1 38.♔g3 ♕c1 39.♖e4 [39.♖ee2; 39.♕e2]
♖d7!-+ 40.♕e2 ♕g5 41.♕g4 [41.♖g4 ♕h5 42.♔f2 ♕f5 Δ ♖d3] ♖d3
42.♔f2 ♖d2 43.♔g3 [43.♔f3 ♖g2 44.♕g2 ♕c1] ♖g2 44.♔g2 ♕c1 0-
1
Gligorić

111
t.me/chess_media
 B 09
Padevski – Matanović
La Habana 1966
1.e4 d6 2.d4 ♘f6 3.♘c3 g6 4.f4 ♗g7 5.♘f3 0-0 6.e5 ♘fd7 7.h4 c5 8.h5
cd4 9.♕d4 de5 10.♕f2

10... e4 [10... e6? 11.hg6 fg6 12.♕g3 ef4 13.♗f4 ♕a5 14.♗d2 ♘f6
15.♗c4 ♘c6 16.0-0-0 ♕c5 17.♕h4 ♘h5 18.♘e4±] 11.♘g5 [11.♘e4
♘f6 12.♘f6 ef6 13.hg6 ♖e8±] ♘f6! 12.hg6 hg6 13.♕h4? [13.♗c4
♗g4∞] ♕d4! 14.♘b5 [14.♘h7 ♖d8; 14.♗d2 ♗g4; 14.♘ce4 ♖d8!
15.♗d3 ♗f5-/+] ♕b6 15.♗c4 ♗g4!-/+ 16.f5 gf5 17.♘h7 ♘bd7 18.♘f8
♘f8 19.♘c3 ♖c8 20.♗b3 e6 21.♕f2 ♕f2 22.♔f2 ♘g6 23.♗e3 f4
24.♗a7 e3 25.♗e3 ♖c3! 26.bc3 ♘e4 27.♔g1 fe3 28.♗c4 ♗c3 29.♖b1
♘d2 30.♖b7 ♘c4 31.♖c7 e2 32.♔f2 ♗d4 33.♔g3 ♘e3 34.♖c8 ♔g7
35.♖e1 ♗e5 36.♔f2 ♘d1 37.♔g1 ♗g3 38.♖e2 ♗e2 0-1
Matanović

112
t.me/chess_media
 B 68
Matanović – Jansa
Lugano 1968
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 ♘c6 6.♗g5 e6 7.♕d2 a6
8.0-0-0 ♗d7 9.f4 ♗e7 10.♘f3 b5 11.e5 [11.a3!?] b4 12.ef6 bc3 13.♕c3
gf6 14.♗h4 d5 15.♔b1 ♘b4?! [15... ♖g8] 16.♘d4 ♖c8 17.♕b3!
[17.♕e3=] ♕a5 18.♗e1 [18.a3? ♘c2-+] ♗a4

19.♕a3!+- 0-0 [19... ♘c2 20.♕e7! ♔e7 21.♗a5; 19... ♖c2 20.♗b3]
20.b3 e5 21.fe5 fe5 22.♘f5 ♗c5 23.ba4 ♖c6 24.♕b3! ♖b8 25.a3 ♖cb6
26.♗b5! ab5 27.ab4 1-0
Matanović

A 94
Uhlman – Ivkov
Zigen 1970
1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 ♘f6 4.♗g2 ♗e7 5.♘f3 0-0 6.0-0 d5 7.b3 c6 8.♗a3
♗a3 [⌓ 8... ♘bd7] 9.♘a3 ♕e7 10.♕c1 ♗d7 11.b4?! [⌓ 11.♘c2 Δ
♘e1-d3] ♗e8 12.♖b1 a6 13.♖b3 ♗h5 14.cd5 cd5 [Δ ♘c6] 15.♘e5?!
♗e2 16.♖e1 ♗h5 17.b5 ab5 18.♘b5

113
t.me/chess_media
18... ♘c6!-/+ 19.♘c6 bc6 20.♕c6 ♖fc8! 21.♕b6 [21.♕e6? ♕e6 22.♖e6
♖c1 23.♗f1 ♘e4-+] ♘e4! [Δ ♕d7, ♖c6, Δ ♘d2-f3] 22.f3 ♕d7!-+
23.fe4 ♖c6 24.♕c6 ♕c6 25.ed5 ♕c2 [Δ♖a2; 25... ed5 26.♘c7!] 26.♘c3
♖c8 27.de6 ♖c3 28.♗d5 ♗e8 29.e7 ♔h8 30.♗f7 ♕d2 0-1
Trifunović

Solidarity of members of the same generation who are at the same time
competitors to each other actually means- if he can, I can too. From there
stems a paradox that competition not only stimulates progress, but also
stimulates the feeling of confidence.

114
t.me/chess_media
 It Did Happen
The tournament in Malta was the end of a successful period of Yugoslav
chess players in Chess Olympics. Soon afterwards, our chess players were
not capable to win a single medal. An opportunity was given in Malta to our
representatives of new generation Slavoljub Marjanovic and Predrag
Nikolic, and there began their success on international competitions.
In 1992, on team championship of Europe in Debrecen, Predrag Nikolic
and Bruno Parma, representing Bosnia and Hercegovina and Slovenia,
voted to exclude Yugoslav representation out of competition. And this did
happen.

Olympiad on Malta 1980. year. To be seated (from the right) (team coach), Kostić (president
CFY), Ljubojević I Ivkov. Stayed (from the left) Kurajica, Parma, P. Nikolić and Marjanović

115
t.me/chess_media
 C 64
Ljubojević – Durao
Ourense 1974
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 ♗c5 4.0-0 ♘d4 5.♘d4 ♗d4 6.c3 ♗b6 7.d4
c6 8.♗a4 d6 9.♘a3 ♗c7 10.d5!+/= [10.f4 ♕h4!?; 10.♗c2!?] ♗d7
[10...b5? 11.♗b3 ♗b7 12.dc6 ♗c6 13.♗d5±] 11.dc6 bc6 [11... ♗c6?!
12.♗c6 bc6 13.♕g4±] 12.♘c4 ♕e7 13.f4! ♘f6 14.fe5 de5 15.b3 ♗b6
[15... ♘e4?! 16.♗a3±] 16.♔h1 ♘e4 17.♗a3! ♕e6 [Δ ♘g3; 17... ♕h4
18.♕d3! ♘f2 19.♖f2 ♕f2 20.♘d6 ♔d8 21.♖f1 Δ ♘f7+-]; 17... ♗c5
18.♗c5 ♕c5 19.♖f7!! ♔f7 20.♕d7 ♔g6 21.♕g4 ♘g5 22.h4 h6 23.b4+-]
18.♕d3! f5 [18... ♘f2? 19.♖f2 ♗f2 20.♘d6 ♔d8 21.♕f3+-] 19.♖ae1!
[Δ ♖e4, ♘d6+-] ♗c7 [19... 0-0-0? 20.♘b6 Δ ♕a6+-]

20.♖f5!!+- ♕f5 21.♖e4 [Δ 22.♗c6 ♗c6 23.♖e5 ♕e5 24.♘e5 ♗e5

25.♕f5] 0-0-0 [21... ♖d8 22.♕e2] 22.♘d6 ♗d6 23.♕a6 [23.♗d6?!
♗e8! 24.♕a6 ♔d7 25.♗c5 ♕e4 26.♕a7 ♔e6 27.♕e7 ♔f5 28.♕d8∞]
♔c7 [23... ♔b8 24.♗d6 ♔a8 25.♗c6] 24.♕a7 ♔c8 25.♗b5!! [25...
cb5? 26.♕a6 ♔c7 27.♗d6⌗; 25... ♖df8 26.♗d6! ♕f1 27.♗f1 ♖f1
28.♕g1 ♖g1 29.♔g1 Δ ♖e5] 1-0
Krnić

116
t.me/chess_media
 The only good zeitnot is if you are in a losing position. It is an
opportunity to stimulate the opponent to play FASTER, in order to use the
time factor. And then he can make mistake…

117
t.me/chess_media
 Girls Better than Boys
This happened long ago. In one championship of Yugoslavia for ladies,
the president of Chess Federation, Brana Jevremovic, asked me to help one
lady to analyse a discontinued game. She placed the pieces on the board.
Each girl had three pawns at the beginning position and on the same side.
My competitor had one rook more, and her opponent had two. I asked her
what is there to be looked over. It didn’t help! Move after move several
times – and everything is clear. But she said the crucial sentence: “But,
what if she makes a mistake?”.
The difference between earlier women’s chess and more recent one is
enormous. Because of its competitive elements, chess is often compared
with sports. There are no colleges for male and female. That kind of
division does not exist where the head is to be used. Female chess came out
of the idea that chess is easier and faster become popular among young
females. In Pioneer Houses in Georgia, people say that girls are better in
chess than boys.
First female world champion was Vera Menčik, who relatively
successfully played on male Chess tournaments, but she was a rare
example. Time changed this, and Georgians were those who broke the ice.
Today the leading ladies in chess are from Georgia, Hungary, China, Russia,
from our country and other – compete successfully in male competition as
well. It is the way for female chess players to take over chess game, and the
way that will end this unnatural division.

118
t.me/chess_media
 B 81
J. Polgar – Anand
Dos Hermanos 1999
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.♗e3 e6 7.g4 e5 8.♘f5
g6 9.g5 gf5 10.ef5 d5 11.♕f3 d4 12.0-0-0 ♘bd7 13.♗d2 dc3 14.♗c3
♗g7 15.♖g1! 0-0? [15...♕c7 16.gf6 ♗f6 17.♖g4∞/=] 16.gf6 ♕f6
17.♕e3 ♔h8 18.f4 ♕b6?! [18... ♖g8 19.♖g7 ♕g7 20.fe5 ♖e8 21.e6 f6
(21... ♘f6? 22.ef7+-) 22.♖d2 ♕e7 23.♖g2↑; 22.ef7+-0 22.♖d2 ♕e7
23.♖g2↑; 18... ♔e8! 19.♗c4!?∞/=] 19.♕g3 ♕h6 [19... ♖g8 20.♗c4
♘f6 (20... ♕f6 21.fe5 ♗h6 22.♔b1 ♖g3 23.ef6 ♖g1 24.♖g1 ♘c5
25.♗f7 ♗f5 26.♗e8+-) 21.♗f7 ♗f5 22.♗g8 ♖g8 23.♗e5] 20.♖d6 f6
[20... ♗f6 21.♔b1 e4 22.♖f6 ♘f6 23.♕h3+-; 20... ♘f6 21.♗e5 ♗f5
22.♕g7 ♕g7 23.♗f6 ♕f6 24.♖f6±] 21.♗d2 e4 22.♗c4 b5 23.♗e6 ♖a7
[23... ♘c5 24.♗e3 ♘e6 25.fe6] 24.♖c6! a5 25.♗e3 ♖b7 26.♗d5 ♖b8
27.♖c7 b4 28.b3! ♖b5 [28... ♖d8 29.♗c6] 29.♗c6 ♖f5 30.♖c8 ♖c8
31.♗d7 ♖cc5 32.♗f5 ♖f5 33.♖d1 ♔g8 34.♕g2 1-0
J. Polgar

119
t.me/chess_media
 B 47
Anand – A. Marić
Lugano 1988
1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.d4 cd4 4.♘d4 ♕c7 5.♘c3 e6 6.f4 [6.g3 a6 7.♗g2
d6 8.0-0] a6 7.♘c6 bc6 8.♗d3 d5 9.0-0 ♘f6 10.e5 ♘d7 11.b3 [11.♔h1]
♘c5 12.♔h1 ♗e7 13.♕h5 g6 14.♕h6 ♗f8 15.♕h3+/= a5 16.♗e3 ♗a6!
17.♖fd1 ♗e7 18.♕h6 ♗f8 19.♕h4 ♗e7 20.♕f2 [20.♕h6=] ♘d7
21.♕e2 ♕c8 [21... ♗d3 22.cd3 Δ d4] 22.♘a4 c5 = 23.♗d2 ♗d3 24.cd3
0-0 25.♖ac1 [Δ d4] ♕a6 26.♗e3 ♖ac8 27.♖d2→♕b5 28.♖dc2 ♖c6
29.♗f2 [29.d4 c4∞] ♖fc8 30.♕e3 c4! 31.♘c3 ♕a6 32.bc4 dc4 33.d4
♘b6 [Δ ♘d5] 34.♕f3 ♖6c7 35.♕h3 ♖d7

36.♗h4?! [36.g4!?] ♗h4 37.♕h4 ♖d4-/+ 38.♖e2 [Δ ♗e4] ♘d5 39.♘e4

c3! 40.♖ee1 ♕d3 41.♖c3 ♖c3 42.♕d8 ♔g7 43.♘f6 ♘f6 44.ef6
[44.♕f6 ♔g8]♔h6 45.♕f8 ♔h5 46.♕f7 ♖f4 47.♖e5 ♖f5 48.♕h7 ♔g5
49.h4 ♔f6 [50.♕h8 ♔e7] 0-1
Božić

120
t.me/chess_media
 C 88
Geller – Xie Jun
Wien 1993
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 0-
0 8.a4 ♗b7 9.d3 d6 10.♘bd2 ♘a5 11.♗a2 c5 12.♘f1 b4! [12... ♗c8
13.ab5 ab5 14.♘e3 Δ ♘d5+/=] 13.♘e3 ♗c8 14.c3 ♖b8 15.♘d2 ♗e6=
16.♘d5?! ♘d5 17.ed5 ♗d7 18.♘c4 ♘c4 19.♗c4 a5 20.cb4 ♖b4 21.b3

21... ♗g5!=/+ [21... f5 22.f4 ♗f6 23.♖a2∞] 22.♗d2! ♖b8 23.♕c1 ♗d2
24.♕d2 f5 25.f4 ⎕ ef4 26.♕f4 ♕f6 27.♖a2 [Δ ♖ae2] g5! [27... ♖be8
28.♖ae2=] 28.♕f2 f4 29.♖ae2 f3 30.♖e7 ♖bd8 31.♕f3 ♕f3 32.gf3
♖f3 33.♔g2 ♖f7-/+ 34.d4!? cd4 35.♖f7 ♔f7 36.♖d1 ♖e8 37.♖d4
♖e3! [✕ ♗c4,b3] 38.h4? g4!-+ [✕♗c4, b3, h4] 39.♖d3 ♖e2! 40.♔g3
♖e1 41.♖d2 ♖e3 42.♔g2 ♗f5 43.♔f2 ♖h3 44.♔g1 ♖h4 45.♗f1 g3
46.♖g2 ♖g4 47.♗e2 ♖g5 48.♗f3 h5 49.b4 ab4 50.a5 h4 51.♖b2 h3
52.a6 g2 53.♗g2 ♗e4 [54.a7 ♗d5] 0-1
Xie Jun

121
t.me/chess_media
 Asians Are Coming
It was one of the most beautiful stories of Bora Kostic, who in twenties of
the last century, traveling through the countries of southeast Asia, spend
some time in Indonesia and was playing chess with a chief of the Batkari
tribe. In 1982. Indonesia was organizing chess tournaments with 26
competitors under the sponsorship of the first lady, wife of president
Suharto. Reception, accommodation, first part of the tournament in Jakarta
(in central Java), the second on the island of Bali – all of this on the highest
level. In Bali, the participants were accommodated in the apartments used
usually by the representatives of OPEC – when they had their conferences.
Money was plentiful! Because of all that, something very unusual
happened.
Beside Kurajica, Hulak and myself, there was around some guy from
Belgrade whom I had seen earlier as an observer in chess tournaments. We
did not ask him what he was doing there, the organizers did not ask him,
and he was not telling. He was enjoying the complete hospitality as all other
participants of the tournament. While we were playing chess, he was
choosing to swim either in the swimming pool with fresh water or in the sea
50 meters away from the swimming pool. Few days before the end of the
tournament, the organizers found out that the bills became too high. They
asked me “Who is this man?” I told them that I don’t have the slightest idea.
Finally they asked him. He said that he just loves chess. Next day he was
deported back to Yugoslavia but nobody asked him to pay the costs.
The rots of chess tradition in Indonesia and China are not deep, but chess
players from these countries, in relatively short period of time, became
significant factor in international competition. While at Olympics in
Yerevan our team was sliding down to the bottom of the Hall due to lower
place on the list, Chinese chess players stayed at the main scene till the end,
on the pedestal.
All this proves that, thanks to abundance of chess information, young,
ambitious people (if they get some help) can make a real progress quickly.
In the countries with many chess players, like it was in Yugoslavia, there
are more chances to discover genuine pearls.

122
t.me/chess_media
Matanović with female world champion Xie Jun and Campomanes in India 1994.

123
t.me/chess_media
 Magician Campomanes
Of all the presidents of FIDE, Campomanes contributed the most to the
progress of chess – and had against him a lot of grumblers, as it usually
happens. His predecessor Olafson did not have the opponents. Campomanes
sincerely loved chess. Chess was his life. Energetic, skillful, he knew a lot
of people who were important names in chess, and about those who had
particular “specific weight”. He knew their family situations and their
weaknesses or virtues.
He memorized the names, and would call everybody by name. He asked
me to check if he pronounced correctly the last name Savicevic. Besides
everything else it helped him to control the situation during the elections of
FIDE.
When after the elections spirits would calm down, when the four years
mandate starts, the leadership of FIDE rules the harmony with decisive
influence of Campomanes. It lasts as long as the new election is not in
sight. All the time Campomanes was taking in consideration the a fact that
those who might be in future potential candidates came from the leadership.
This period of peace in the house was similar to political battles in
Middle Ages, on one side was the church (FIDE), and on the other side
secular authorities (Karpov and Kasparov).
The result of constant changes of allies and battles in a triangle
Campomanes – Karpov – Kasparov, was always 2:1 for Campomanes. With
his magic equilibristics to make from a bitter enemy today, his ally of
tomorrow – he succeeded in long period of time to overcome all the
obstacles.
During his mandates Campomanes enlarged the number of FIDE
members to 150. When in Reykjavik, in 1972, Spassky received an
instruction from his Federation to leave the match with Fisher because
Fisher did not arrive at the beginning, he refused, taking in consideration
that the prize money at that time was unbelievable 250 000 dollars.
Extremely skillful in the field of finances, Campomanes raised the prize
money in matches for the world title in chess to the amounts of millions.
Boss Jezda, who squandered other people’s money, wanted unreasonably
high prize money for the match Fischer – Spassky in 1992, trying to brake
all the records in the battle of cat (Campomanes) and mouse (Boss Jezda)

124
t.me/chess_media
and he lost million of Francs (again somebody else’s) paying the bail of
FIDE for the organization of match Karpov – Kasparov.
New elections were around the corner, few candidates were competing
for the presidential position, and among them were some from the
Presidency of FIDE. During the meeting in Athens, with approval of
Campomanes, and in order to escape the schism, I suggested that in the next
mandate Campomanes performs the presidential function for two years, and
after that to give up his place to Makropulos. But, Makropulos, who
organized two Olympics in Greece and moved the main office of FIDE to
Athens – refused my preposition.
At the conference of FIDE in Curitiba (Brazil), Makropulos announces
his candidacy for the president. During the closing ceremony we were
served ten kinds of meat. Kampomanes skipped the first, the second, then
the third, and told me: “Wait, the best is yet to come” And it really came:
Campomanes decided to support the candidacy of Kuatli for the President
of FIDE!
Makropulos or Kuatli? At the meeting in Montpellier, the Presidency of
FIDE was split. Thanks to my vote, Kuatli was not condemned for of some
of his previous actions. Somewhat later, in Paris, Campomanes confirmed
his support in front of Kuatli and his team. At the same time he made an
agreement with Kasparov (with whom he was in conflict at that time) and
with Makarov, (the president of Russian Chess Federation) to support him,
Campomanes, as a candidate for the president of FIDE at the congress in
Moscow.
At the congress of FIDE in Moscow 1994, Makropulos comes to the side
of Campomanes in a joint battle against Kuatli. In his dramatic finals with
unknown solution up to the last moment, the congress made decision that
the new mandate for the President of FIDE goes to Campomanes.

125
t.me/chess_media
Florencio Campomanes

126
t.me/chess_media
 The Burden of Home Turf
In 1994, in the vicinity of Hydarabad, chess matches of candidates for the
title of world champion were played: Kramnik – Gellfand, Salov – Timman
and Anand – Kamsky. The road from the airport in Delhi to the city was
with posted advertisements with information about the matches. Similar
situation was in Hyderabad.
In the homeland of chess, India, everything was in honor of Anand. And
only when he played with Kamski the auditorium was full. TV was
covering the matches, chess players of India were waiting for the victory of
their idol. After the regular time of match was – 4: 4, and two fast games
were decisive. Under the impression of the atmosphere in the auditorium, I
myself was wishing the victory of Anand.
Unfortunately, one of the best players of fast moves chess lost both
games. The awareness that everybody was on his side, and that everybody
was expecting his victory, turn into pressure that led him to defeat. Next
year, again with Kamsky, but in Las Palmas, Anand convincingly won.

Matches of candidates for the world winner – India, 1994.

127
t.me/chess_media
 The Kiss of Najdorf
The more one knows the secrets of the game of chess, the stronger he
becomes attached to it. When the financial dependence disappears, love
toward chess appears in a clear form. With all his essence Najdorf belonged
to chess, he came through all phases, and at the end he started loving chess
players.
In his mature years he was full of energy and ambition. Always in
motion, he was able to see everything on the chessboard and around it, he
was not choosing the means to fulfill his goals: he used his knowledge, his
persistence, and tricks. In Amsterdam, in 1954, he had a fist fight with
Reshevsky, his main rival at that time, for a title of the best chess player of
the West. Two of them played 51 games. Reshevsky won 20, lost 10, and
had 21 draws. During the Olympics in Dubrovnik they played their first
game. I saw Najdorf then for the first time. Somewhat later we played our
first game. He won at the tournament in Mar de Plata, in 1962, that lasted
about twenty days. Next to the auditorium where we played, there was a
casino. The prize money he won – Najdorf lost playing roulette in 20
minutes.
Through the years he participated less on tournaments, but he was present
very often at big chess manifestations. Rather rare were the Olympics
without the presence of Najdorf. Last time I saw him at Olympics in
Yerevan 1996. When fourteen years old French chess player Etienne Bacro
won the game, Najdorf, beaming with joy, approached and kissed him.

Miguel Najdorf
128
t.me/chess_media
 A 85
Gluksberg – Najdorf
Warsaw 1935
1.d4 f5 2.c4 ♘f6 3.♘c3 e6 4.♘f3 d5 5.e3 c6 6.♗d3 ♗d6 7.0-0 0-0
8.♘e2 [8.♕c2!?] ♘bd7 9.♘g5?!

9... ♗h2! 10.♔h1 ♘g4 11.f4 ♕e8 12.g3 ♕h5 13.♔g2 ♗g1! 14.♘g1
♕h2 15.♔f3 e5!! 16.de5 ♘de5! 17.fe5 ♘e5 18.♔f4 ♘g6 19.♔f3 f4!
20.ef4 [20.♗g6 ♗g4! 21.♔g4 ♕g3 22.♔h5 hg6 23.♔g6 ♖f6 24.♔h5
♖h6⌗] ♗g4! 21.♔g4 ♘e5! 22.fe5 h5⌗ 0-1
Matanović

129
t.me/chess_media
 Higher than average memory is necessary for a success of a chess player.
As the strength of memory wanes with time, the significance of talent grows
as much as the understanding of principles of chess.
The chess player in later years of his life, if his competitiveness rapidly
goes down, means that that in his youth he mainly relied on his memory.

130
t.me/chess_media
 After one game Korchnoi asked Fisher why he didn’t accept the sacrifice
of the pawn and did not think about it or checked the accuracy of the
sacrifice. Fisher answered: “I trusted you.” Is it true that suspicion is the
first step toward the knowledge?

131
t.me/chess_media
 Three Key Principles
Chess game is not inexhaustible. The same is with ideas in chess. From
16th century on, when the rules of the game were definitely established,
chess players intended to find out all the laws that rule on the chessboard.
During 19th century in different periods that were marked with the most
famous persons – Philidor, Morphy, Steinitz, Lasker – the basic principles
were discovered and defined. Everything after that was deepening and
polishing.
The essence of chess game was and is – attack the weak points in the
opponent’s position. There are three key principles that are the sources of
all the others:
– An attack is successful if it relies on healthy positional bases. If the
positional advantage is not used for the attack, it does not exist anymore;
– Best defence is the one where only the necessary, minimal means are
used;
– Justification of a sacrifice, or taking over the weakness in own position,
depends on the values of gained initiative in return.
As much as the space of not yet discovered principles grew smaller, the
gap between various generations became smaller. An average grand master
today would be superior to Morphy, less to Steinitz, while against leading
chess players from the time of Capablanca and Alekhine, he would have an
advantage only in possession of information, particularly in the openings.
On the tournament in Wijk aan Zee, in 2000, Kasparov made one more in
the long line of his victories. Being in a good mood he went a bit too far
saying that in relation to the best players of today, those from previous
generation (Botvinnik, Smyslov etc.) are only the amateurs.
At about the same time the grand master Sort played over the Internet the
game with the partner whose name was unknown in the world of chess. It
did not go well, he was losing, and to make it shorter he criticized his
invisible opponent because of his manner, and stopped the game. The
opponent apologized if he was not polite, but asked him to take in
consideration that he is only 12 years old!
Could it happen that this kid, at his doubled age, together with his
contemporaries is going to call present coryphaeus the amateurs? Or is this
going to happen with the third or fourth computer generation “Deep blue”?

132
t.me/chess_media
 A 07
Kasparov – Deep Blue
New York (m/1) 1997
1.♘f3 d5 2.g3 ♗g4 3.b3 ♘d7 4.♗b2 e6 5.♗g2 ♘gf6 6.0-0 c6 7.d3 ♗d6
8.♘bd2 0-0 9.h3 ♗h5 10.e3 h6 [10... ♕e7 11.a3 ♗c5=] 11.♕e1 ♕a5?!
12.a3 ♗c7? 13.♘h4 g5?! 14.♘hf3 e5 15.e4 ♖fe8 16.♘h2 ♕b6 17.♕c1
a5 [17... ♗d6!] 18.♖e1 ♗d6 19.♘df1 [⌓19.♘hf1] de4 20.de4 ♗c5
21.♘e3 ♖ad8 22.♘hf1 g4?! [22... ♗g6=] 23.hg4 ♘g4 24.f3?! [24.♘g4
♗g4 25.♘e3 ♘f6+/=] ♘e3 25.♘e3 ♗e7 26.♔h1 ♗g5 27.♖e2 a4 28.b4
f5 [28... ♘f6!?] 29.ef5 e4

30.f4⎕ ♗e2 [30...♗f4!?] 31.fg5 ♘e5 32.g6 ♗f3 33.♗c3 ♕b5 [33... h5∞]
34.♕f1 ♕f1 35.♖f1 h5 36.♔g1 ♔f8? [36... ♘g4! 37.f6 ♖e6 38.♗h3
(38.♗f3? ef3 39.♖f3 ♘f6! 40.♗f6 ♖f8 41.g4 ♖ff6 42.♖f6 ♖f6 43.gh5
♖f3-+) ♖f6 39.♘g4 hg4 40.♗f6 ♖d6 41.♗g4 ♗g4=] 37.♗h3 b5
38.♔f2 ♔g7 39.g4+- ♔h6 40.♖g1 hg4 41.♗g4 ♗g4 42.♘g4 ♘g4
43.♖g4 ♖d5 44.f6 ♖d1? 45.g7 1-0
Benjamin, Deep Blue

133
t.me/chess_media
 C 93
Deep Blue – Kasparov
New York (m/2) 1997
1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6
8.c3 0-0 9.h3 h6 10.d4 ♖e8 11.♘bd2 ♗f8 12.♘f1 ♗d7 13.♘g3 ♘a5
14.♗c2 c5 15.b3 ♘c6 16.d5 ♘e7 17.♗e3 ♘g6 18.♕d2 ♘h7 [19... a5
19.a4 b4 20.cb4±] 19.a4 ♘h4?! [19...♗e7 20.♘f5 ♗f5 21.ef5♘h4
22.♘h4 ♗h4 23.f6!?∞] 20.♘h4 ♕h4 21.♕e2 ♕d8 22.b4 ♕c7 23.♖ec1
c4 24.♖a3 ♖ec8 25.♖ca1 ♕d8 26.f4 [26.ab5 ab5 27.♗a7!? Karpov] ♘f6
27.fe5 de5 28.♕f1 [⌓ 28.♕f2] ♘e8 29.♕f2 ♘d6 30.♗b6 ♕e8 31.♖3a2
♗e7 32.♗c5 ♗f8 [32...♕f8 33.♘h5± Deep Blue] 33.♘f5! ♗f5 [33...
♘f5 34.ef5 ba4+/= Deep Blue] 34.ef5 f6 [34... ♖d8 35.f6] 35.♗d6 ♗d6
36.ab5 [36.♕b6!? ♕e7! (36... ♖d8 37.♗e4!) 37.ab5 ♖ab8 a) 38.♕a6 e4
39.♕a7 (39.♗e4 ♕e5 40.♗f3 ♖d8 41.♕a3 ♕f5=/∞; 39.♖e1 ♕e5
40.♖e4 ♕h2 41.♔f2 ♗g3 42.♔f3 ♗d6 43.♔f2=) ♕e5 40.♕e3 ♖e8=/∞
Deep Blue; b)♕e3! ab5 39.♗e4± King] ab5 37.♗e4! [37.♕b6 ♖a2
38.♖a2 ♖a8! 39.♖a8 ♕a8 40.♕d6 ♕a1 41.♔h2 ♕c1= Deep Blue] ♖a2
38.♕a2 ♕d7 39.♕a7± ♖c7 40.♕b6 ♖b7 41.♖a8 ♔f7 42.♕a6 ♕c7
43.♕c6 ♕b6 44.♔f1?! [44.♔h1! ♖b8 45.♖a6 ♕e3 46.♕d6 ♖e8
47.♖a1! ♕e4 48.♖a7 ♔g8 49.♕d7+-] ♖b8

45.♖a6? [45... ♕e3! a) 46.♕d6 ♖e8! 47.h4 (♗f3 ♕c1 48.♔f2 ♕d2
49.♗e2 ♕f4 50.♔e1 ♕c1 51.♗d1 ♕c3 52.♔f1 ♕c1!=; 47.♖a1 ♕e4
48.♖a7 ♔g8 49.♕d7 ♕d3=) h5!! 48.♗f3 ♕c1 49.♔f2 ♕d2 50.♗e2
(50.♔g3 ♕f4 51.♔h3 ♕f5=) ♕f4 51.♔e1 ♕c1 52.♗d1 ♕c3 53.♔f1

134
t.me/chess_media
 ♕c1! 54.♔e2 ♕b2=; b) 46.♕d7! ♔g8 47.♕d6 ♖f8 48.♕c5 (Deep Blue)
♕e4 49.d6+/=; 45.♕b6 ♖b6 46.♔e2+-] 1-0
Benjamin

The new experience could be a comfort for the lost game. Anyway, the
experiences of others should be used more…

135
t.me/chess_media
 Six Decades
Yugoslav chess went through the path “from thorns to the stars” thanks to
the energy and enthusiasm of a long list of chess players, public workers,
and chess journalists. At the time when a base for further progress of
positive changes was made in public status of chess, with a large number of
young, talented people – the engine stalled. From chess organization, that
was once a progressive force, only a façade was left, and behind it paraded
those who got lost there and those who wanted and could do more, but the
actual situation did not allow it.
As a result of political decision on the level of the government, was
introduced with one-year mandate with obligatory rotation of leading
people from clubs of Yugoslav chess federation – the chess organization
became a field of battles where the partial interests overcame the common
goal. After all, this was happening not only in chess organization.
In the past, the largest stimulus in development of Yugoslavian chess
gave Svetozar Gligoric. Not only did he do it with his results and long
presence, but also with his professional relationship toward chess game.
Ljubomir Ljubojevic was the one who was the closest to the world’s top,
and he was, at the same time, the first of our chess players who accepted
“atomic” style. In female chess to the world’s top the closest were Milunka
Lazarević and Alisa Marić.
Six decades or 60 years! Photographs of friends, rivals, moments of joy,
anxieties and defeats are mixed and faded. One life path that is similar to
many others. All us, chess players, no matter how deep are our footprints –
remain the debtors to the game of chess.

136
t.me/chess_media
 From the Legend – to a Symbol of the “Informant”
by Branislav Rakić
Quoting the most important world news in chess, one international site
announced on Internet the following: “A new volume of the “Chess
Informant” from Belgrade just came out. Do not forget to take a look at its
electronic edition, because there is a lot to see. It is big and mighty like
Niagara Falls.”
So, in this white city of ours, where one can still feel the smell of NATO
bombs, a chess journal has been created for decades, conquering the world,
a journal which Bobby Fisher once called the “chess Bible”.
As much as they know about the “Informant”, millions of fans of this
ancient game, all around the world, also know that the symbol and the
author of the “Chess Informant” is a grand master Aleksandar Matanovic –
the legend of Yugoslavian chess.
But, to become well known all around the world, Matanović had a long
way to go. In the beginning he was just a young chess fan from Belgrade on
his way to become a grand master and the legend of Yugoslav chess, and
then he followed a path from the legend to the symbol of the “Chess
Informant”, for which he laid a cornerstone in 1966. and gave it a soul.
Everything started with an anthological scene when young Matanović
was arranging, all around his room, 15 chess boards placing pawns and
other chess pieces, and shocked with the picture he had seen, almost dazed,
he entered the magic kingdom of Caisa. There, from the chess goddess, he
was getting the wings for his flight to dizzying heights, the wings resistant
to all earthly and out-of-chess-world challenges.
This flight that followed was mighty: Matanović first started with his
success in junior tournaments, then followed the title of a chess master and
international master, and finally promotion into the grand master. In
addition, he won a title of Yugoslavian senior champion in chess, Olympic
medals and countless various medals from European championships and
finally the title he dreamed about, one that made him part of a history, the
title of a legend of Yugoslavian chess.
The last time when Matanovic won the senior championship of
Yugoslavia in 1978, he said good-bye to active competitive chess playing,

137
t.me/chess_media
and became the selector of Yugoslavian chess representation, winning with
his team the last Olympic medal for his country in Malta in 1980.
Since then, the “Chess Informant” becomes his main obsession, and as a
world famous chess player he was elected vice president of FIDE, world
chess organization, whose leader at that time was Florencio Campomanes,
magic Philipino, who, among all the leaders of FIDE, contributed the most
to the development and popularization of this ancient game all around the
world, while Matanovic, as a vice president, promoted the success of
Yugoslavian chess.
In addition to all this, Matanović managed to preserve the harmony of his
family life from the moment he met his future spouse (at young age) with
whom he had a son and a grandson as well. He was an example of a caring
husband, father and now a grandfather.
Long ago, when as a young journalist, I first interviewed the chess legend
Mikhail Botvinnik, I was so impressed that I titled my text: “Botvinnik – a
man or a mountain?” I had the same dilemma now, facing whole life and
work of a grand master Matanovic.
When a man of his stature writes a book at the autumn of his life it can’t
be just an ordinary book. A book in front of us represents a chess “signs
along the path” like the book of a famous Yugoslavian Nobel prize winner
Ivo Andrić “Znakovi pored puta” (Signs by the road).
Being so talented, wise, and modest Matanovic is our “Ivo Andric of
chess”.
This book will take its readers to an exciting journey and will make them
more mature and wiser for chess. They will “get” a diploma for being more
mature and wiser for chess. And they might even get a kiss from the chess
goddess Caisa personally.
Maybe among the readers there will be somebody who will get the same
wings from Caisa, like she gave them once to a young and enchanted
Matanović…

138
t.me/chess_media
For cover used photos from Wikimedia Commons:
ChessSet.jpg Photo taken by Alan Light
USA Antelope-Canyon.jpg Author Lucas Löffler

Photos taken from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons:

Aleksandar Matanović 1961, Author: Rossem, Wim van / Anefo
Chess Set, Author: Jeff Dahl
Children Playing Chess on the Street - Santiago de Cuba - Cuba, Author: Adam Jones Adam63
Mirror Case with a Couple Playing Chess, 1325-1350 AD, French, Paris, ivory - Cleveland Museum
of Art - DSC08542.Author: Daderot
Chess playing Louvre OA117 Photographer: Marie-Lan Nguyen
Atelier of the Boxes - Mirror Cover with Lovers Playing Chess and a Dispute between the Sexes -
Walters 71206 Source/Photographer: Walters Art Museum
Chess king Louvre OA5541Photographer: Marie-Lan Nguyen
Echiquier de Charlemagne cavalier CdM Author: Siren-Com
Chinese Chess game 2 Photograph by Rama
Chess Players, 1818 - Johann Erdmann Hummel
Bobby Fischer 1960 in LeipzigCC-BY-SA-3.0-de Bobby Fischer, Chess Olympiad 1960,
Photographs by Ulrich Kohls
Bobby Fischer 1972CC BY-SA 3.0 Bobby Fischer, Verhoeff, Bert / Anefo — [1] Dutch National
Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANeFo), 1945-1989,
Nummer toegang 2.24.01.05 Bestanddeelnummer 925-3512
Echiquier de Charlemagne reine CdMCC BY-SA 3.0 Author: Siren-Com — Travail personnel
The Chess Game.jpg Artist Ludwig Deutsch 1896
Florencio Campomanes.jpg Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Author: karpidis from Piraeus,
Greece
Miguel Najdorf 1973 CC BY-SA 3.0 Hoogovens tournament, Images from Anefo, Images from
Nationaal Archief
Kids chess tournamentCC BY 2.0 ninahale -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94693506@N00/3297855452/sizes/o/
Pawn04.jpg Amber pawn rendered with Blender, by me Igor Križanovskij, 2005 Free Art License
Шахматный комплект Стаунтон фигурыCC BY-SA 3.0 "KADUN" workshop Uploaded by
Blacklake

Other photos from the personal archives of Grandmaster Matanovic

139
t.me/chess_media
Download chess Books with: t.me/chess_media

140
t.me/chess_media