Quote:


i got it from: http://www.chesscorner.com/worldchamps/petrosian/petrosian.htm

not very much info. but enough to verify that he was born in georgia.

Quote:


I checked out Petrosian's childhood details. He was born in Tbilisi, Georgia to Armenian parents. I too thought it impossible that Tigran was georgian before this. But definitely he settled in Armenia later in life.

Oh! another typical georgian ending name is -dze

It cant be denied that prophylaxis IS effective but it definitely isnt pretty. I liken chess to my other favourite sport -football in that I firmly believe it should be played in a free flow attractive attacking style.

In the recent UEFA European Nations Championships the attractive attacking Czechs & Portuguese both lost to the Greeks who played football 'Petrosian style' - Closing down play, tight marking, impenetrable defense & hitting back when teams over reach themselves. Their football wasnt pretty but it was effective cos it won them the Cup! So much so that 'ugly football' is starting to be seen as the only way to go to avoid defeat even more so when the stakes are so high now. So much for Pele proclaiming football the beautiful game!

So i will still stand by this lack of 'positive' attitude argument on people like Petrosian(or the greek football team). This avoidance of defeat stance just kills the look & true spirit of chess (and football). That to me is weak. It is effective but.... the fruits of such an attitude is weak.

But what I found interesting about petrosian is that he was once upon a time an aggressor!! In that article (dunno where) it said that because he was such an aggressor he could sense out even the most subtle tactical/strategical implications of his opponents moves so keenly that he could straight away snuff it out effectively OTB.

But if it makes any of you petrosian fans out there feel better.... all that ive written  is just my personal opinion. Fischer did consider petrosian as one of the 10 greatest players of all time in 1970. I suppose Fischer's word carries more weight than mine.

@smyslov-fan. You are right abt Tal. Its admirable how despite his illness & suffering he can still produce decent games against the best. But alas! its obvious all the hospitalisations & medical appointments etc also distracted his focus to a certain extent. So while he could still play galantly it wasnt enough to bring him to challenge for another championship seriously. For the spirit is willing but the flesh was weak. Who knows what might have happened if he wasnt ill?? But the strength of his spirit to go on doing what he loves despite his suffering is indeed  something of virtue. Oh! Im very certain  that Fischer never played Lasker!

@MnB- I agree wth you about Lasker. I really couldnt believe it that he played Janovski twice!! Needless to say the guy was trashed! Lasker could have played capa 10 yrs earlier but didnt!

Taljechin,

We should judge a person within the context of the times in which they lived.  With that in mind, almost the entire chess community ostracized Alekhin after the war and Alekhin himself felt it necessary to come up with some weak and at least partially untruthful defenses for his actions (which is a generous description).  Yes, I'm sure he was under pressure.  But others who were under pressure managed to locate their moral compasses.

This does nothing to take away from his tremendous contributions to chess.  His greatest games collection still has a prominent place in my library and was one of the most influential books in my chess development.

Fair enough. But only two famous chessplayers wrote disgusting articles to please the nazi-rulers: Alekhine and Diemer.
Euwe at the other hand has helped Dutch jews to escape from nazi-prosecution.

Quote:


I think Petrosian's enormous talent manifested in sensing danger, prophylaxis and slowing down sharp line. The difference between him and Karpov is that, imho, Karpov could creat active play much better.

Willempie,

Spassky did indeed lose to Karpov and Korchnoi in Candidates Matches.  Were Karpov and Korchnoi simply better than Spassky at his best ??? Korchnoi wasn't, but if you're right you have just made a very strong argument for Spassky being the weakest World Champion ever. 

Spassky was able to raise the level of his game occassionally after 1972 but was never the lion he was in the late 1960s.