2

I remember reading somewhere that Leonid Stein (one of the top players at that time) has ridiculed Bobby Fischer for grabbing the poisoned pawn in the Najdorf Sicilian during the Spassky-Fischer match in 1972. I wonder if that is really true. Perhaps it was a journalist's way of attracting readers' attention. Can anyone point me to a source of the citation?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

Although it is hard to prove a negative, I don't believe that Stein ridiculed Fischer for taking the poisoned pawn. My evidence is:

  1. An analysis on Chess.com of game 11 claims to source commentary of Stein's and others from Fischer-Spassky 1972 From a Soviet Point of View. Although I cannot find the original source, the commentary quoted on Chess.com is fair and balanced. In fact, 8...Qxb2 doesn't even receive a dubious mark
  2. Googling leonid stein ridicule picks up no relevant articles on the first page
  3. According to the Chessmaster database, Stein's co-comentators Bronstein and Korchnoi had grabbed the poisoned pawn before. I don't think that Stein would have been critical of a move that other top players had played before in a well analysed opening
Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.