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PRE-SHOW: 1972 Fischer/Spassky: Beautiful Games Lecture - GM Var Akobian

Courtesy of the World Chess Hall of Fame, this simulcast is a preview. Midway, the stream will end and redirect viewers to the World Chess Hall of Fame channel to see the conclusion (with warning).

Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian analyzes the beautiful games played by American chess phenom Bobby Fischer. In addition to games played against Soviet Boris Spassky during the 1972 World Chess Championship, Var will review Fischer's spectacular 1961 win against the tactical genius Mikhail Tal, Fischer's 1971 unprecedented 6-0 wins against both Mark Taimanov and Bent Larsen, and his final qualifier against Tigran Petrosian.

Armenian-born American Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian earned his Grandmaster title at the age of 20. He was the U.S. Junior Champion in 2003, the winner of the World Open in 2002, 2004, and 2007, and helped the U.S. win the Silver Medal at the 2009 World Team Championship. Akobian is also a two-time USA Olympic bronze medalist and the runner-up at the 2014 U.S. Chess Championship.

Akobian's childhood in Mongolia had such harsh winters that his father forbade him and his sister Armine from playing outside, so he instead taught them chess. “From the very beginning,” Var says, “I was different from the other chess kids. It was never just a game for me. I always wanted to be a Grandmaster and knew that I would do what it takes.”

2023.04.12
WorldChessHOF.org