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rrShelby LymanOni chessBeginner's corner— hint explanation*. Defend and atlack simultaneously.87654321black wins the queenBobby Fischer's “revengematch comeback against Boris Spassky was not a pub lie relations success in the U.S. Frequently there was indignation and scorn due to hissometimes bizarre opinions on non-chess maters.Fischer did not do well on the chess side either. With notable exception, fellow grandmasters and journalists have been quick to point out theinadequacies of his play compared to 20 years ago.The chess criticisms are often condescending — a curious phenomenon in as much as almost all of his grandmasters critics cannot even now perform at Fischer s level. How would they evaluatetheir own play and abilities? Vet. I believe, history willjudge his accomplishment with accolades.His score of 10 wins, 5 losses and 15 draws in 30 games with Spassky earned him a performance rating for thematch of 2618. Only 35 playersin the world are higher.And, because an inspired Spassky played a more ener-getic and stronger game than usual, Fischer's may have played even better than implied by the 2618 statistic.Not a bad show after a 20-year-layoff and limited training and preparation! Is there any comeback in major sports that compares?But imagine if Fischer makes the appropriate but torturous effort necessary tobe at the top again.It's true, he would not be likely to beat Garry Kasparov, an extraordinarytalent who is at or close to hisprime. But Fischer would probably prove that he is evennow among the very bestplayers in the world. Surely, a not insignficant accomplishment by an extraordinary 49-year-old chess genius playingunder the twin handicaps of disuse and age.Below is a sensational elementary 12th move blunder and loss — virtually inconceivable when he was world champion — by AnatolyKarpov against U.S. grandmaster Larry Christiansen from the recent Wijk aan ZeeInternational Tournament.Christiansen Karpov
Newspaper Details
Arlington Heights Daily Herald Suburban Chicago
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Sun, Feb 28, 1993
Page 58
Full Page
Clipped by
Los A.
CA, USA 14 Feb 2023
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