Korchnoi still indefatigable at 81
› Korchnoi still indefatigable at 81

Viktor Korchnoi has finished joint top scorer with Kevin Spraggett and Zoltan Ribli in a match organised by the Geneva Chess Club. Five of the club’s players took on a team of legends from the 4th-10th August, and it was particularly heartening to see Korchnoi’s passion for chess still burning as fiercely as ever. In ten games, with two games a day at times, he played only two draws, both of which lasted over 50 moves.

Although Viktor Korchnoi was the only player to beat the future champion, Joe Gallagher, it was disappointing to see him finish last at the recent Swiss Championship. Korchnoi may have played in a wheelchair in Geneva, but he made sure he was back where he belongs:

  1. Les Légendes (RtgAvg:2544, TB1: 33 / TB2: 561)
Bo.   Name Rtg FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts.
1 GM Hort Vlastimil 2475 GER ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 5.5
2 GM Spraggett Kevin 2595 CAN 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 7.0
3 GM Ribli Zoltan 2561 HUN 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 7.0
4 GM Korchnoi Viktor 2519 SUI ½ 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 7.0
5 GM Andersson Ulf 2569 SWE 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 6.5
 

  2. CEG (RtgAvg:2351, TB1: 17 / TB2: 561)
Bo.   Name Rtg FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts.
1   Rindlisbacher Lars 2304 SUI ½ 1 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 4.0
2 IM Vuilleumier Alexandre 2332 SUI 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.5
3 FM Dubessay Bastien 2350 FRA 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 3.0
4 IM Gerber Richard 2408 SUI ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 4.5
5 IM Domont Alexandre 2361 SUI 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 3.0

As you can see, the legends lived up to their reputations and ratings, though Lars Rindlisbacher was delighted to claim an IM norm on the club team.

Youth and experience - on the left Lars Rindlisbacher, and on the right, Czech Grandmaster Vlastimil Hort, one of the world's top players in the 1960s and 70s 

The events were captured in excellent videos, with the final round video focussing on Korchnoi:

More videos here

Here are a few moments from his games:

Viktor Korchnoi – Richard Gerber

Black has everything under control... if it wasn't for 38.Nxf7! And on 38…Rxb7 there follows 39.Nfxd6+.

Viktor Korchnoi – Bastien Dubessay

Korchnoi effortlessly demonstrates a win for White: 34.d6! Re8 35.Bf3! Bc8 36.Bc6 Rd8 37.d7! and it was over (37…Bxd7 38.Rd6).

The venue was Geneva's Swissotel Metropole

Viktor Korchnoi – Alexandre Vuilleumier

Black has just played 24…Nc6, to which Korchnoi replied with two sacrifices his opponent simply couldn't accept: 25.Ng6! (the first) Bxg4! 26.Nxh8 Rxh8 27.Re8! (the second) After 27…Nb4! 28.Qe3 Rxe8 29.Qxe8 Be6 there was still a lot to do, but Viktor has some experience of winning such positions…