# RIP Viktor Korchnoi **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-viktor-korchnoi/756754 "2016-06-07T18:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-viktor-korchnoi/756754/1 "2016-06-07T18:28:04Z")
> **[Viktor Korchnoi dies at 85](https://en.chessbase.com/post/viktor-korchnoi-dies-at-85)** > > He was one of the truly great chess players, a legend. He played in three matches that produced the World Champion, but in each case lost to Anatoly Karpov. It made him the strongest player never to have won the title. In 1976 he defected from the... Wow, not a surprise given his age (85), but he often seemed like the kind of guy who had enough piss and vinegar that he could last past 100. I’ve played over many games of his and admired his willingness to take proffered material, no matter how dangerous, and then defend fantastically. His duels with Karpov are legend, though they never ended in his favor in match play. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-viktor-korchnoi/756754/2 "2016-06-07T21:48:04Z")
He was my prime chess hero during the time in my life I took chess most seriously (back when he was dueling with Karpov and the Soviet establishment). Sad to see him taken off the board. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-viktor-korchnoi/756754/3 "2016-06-08T02:40:40Z")
The linked Chessbase article is very good. I liked the point Korchnoi noted about playing matches against Grandmasters born 101 years apart: Levenfish (1889) and Carlsen (1990). ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-viktor-korchnoi/756754/4 "2016-06-08T04:42:01Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > He was my prime chess hero during the time in my life I took chess most seriously (back when he was dueling with Karpov and the Soviet establishment). Sad to see him taken off the board. Just posted this in the Dead pool, more appropriate here. Korchnoi (White) - Karpov (Black) (Black to move) .a .b .c .d .e .f .g .h ◻︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎|8 ◼︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎♖|7 ◻︎:black\_medium\_square:︎♜:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎|6 ◼︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎|5 ♙◼︎◻︎◼︎♞◼︎◻︎◼︎|4 ◼︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎|3 ◻︎:black\_medium\_square:︎:white\_medium\_square:︎♞♚:black\_medium\_square:︎♙♙|2 ♖◻︎◼︎◻︎◼︎◻︎♔◻︎|1 RIP After Nf3+! Korchnoi resigned as it was mate in 2 or less moves (Game 17 1978 World Championship)