Eduard Gufeld
Encyclopedia
Eduard Yefimovich Gufeld (March 19, 1936, Kiev
, Soviet Union
– September 23, 2002) was a Soviet International Grandmaster
of chess
, and a chess author.
By the late 1950s he established himself as one of the strongest players in the world. He defeated Mikhail Tal
, Boris Spassky
, Vasily Smyslov
, Viktor Korchnoi
, David Bronstein
, and just about every other strong Soviet player.
Gufeld played in his first chess tournament in 1953 at the age of 17. He became the junior champion of Ukraine at the age of 18. He became an International Master in 1964, and became an International Grandmaster in 1967. In 1977 his Elo rating
was 2570, and ranked 16th in the world.
He was also a trainer who moved to Tbilisi
, the Republic of Georgia, and lived there for more than a decade, and coached Maia Chiburdanidze
, who became the youngest women's world chess champion in 1978.
After the fall of the Soviet Union
, he emigrated to the USA.
He started the FIDE Committee on Chess Art and Exhibition.
He used to say to those who laughed at his English: "I think that my English is better than your Russian!"
Gufeld was one of most prolific authors in all of chess
, writing over 100 chess books, which sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.
His proudest achievements, however, were his win with the Sämisch Variation of the King's Indian Defense against Vladimir Bagirov
, which he called his "Mona Lisa," and his 1967 win over Vasily Smyslov (see below). The first of these games made it into John Nunn's
collection of the hundred greatest games of all time, Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games, and the 112-game collection that followed it. Gufeld beat Smyslov again in 1975.
In September 2002, Gufeld suffered a stroke and heart attack virtually simultaneously. Following a period of unconsciousness, he regained consciousness but was unable to speak or walk. He died two weeks later at the age of 66 in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles
. He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA.
Here is Gufeld's 1967 win over Smyslov:
Spartakiade, Moscow 1967 Smyslov-Gufeld: 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.b4 Bg7 4.Bb2 O-O 5.e3 b6 6.d4 c5 7.dxc5 bxc5 8.b5 a6 9.a4 Ne4 10.Bxg7 Kxg7 11.Qd5 Qa5+ 12.Ke2 Bb7 13.Qxb7 Nc6 14.Nfd2 Ra7 15.bxc6 Rxb7 16.cxb7 Qb4 17.Nxe4 Qb2+ 18.Nbd2 Qxa1 19.Nxc5 Rb8 20.g3 Qa3 21.Nxd7 Rxb7 22.Bh3 Qd6 23.c5 Qd5 24.f3 Rb2 25.Rd1 e6 26.c6 Qc4+ 27.Ke1 Qd3 28.Bf1 Qxe3+ 29.Be2 a5 30.f4 f6 31.c7 Rc2 32.Kf1 Rxc7 33.Nc4 Rxc4 34.Bxc4 Qf3+ 35.Ke1 Qc3+ 0-1.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
– September 23, 2002) was a Soviet International Grandmaster
International Grandmaster
The title Grandmaster is awarded to strong chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain....
of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, and a chess author.
By the late 1950s he established himself as one of the strongest players in the world. He defeated Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal was a Soviet–Latvian chess player, a Grandmaster, and the eighth World Chess Champion.Widely regarded as a creative genius, and the best attacking player of all time, he played a daring, combinatorial style. His play was known above all for improvisation and unpredictability....
, Boris Spassky
Boris Spassky
Boris Vasilievich Spassky is a Soviet-French chess grandmaster. He was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from late 1969 to 1972...
, Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
, Viktor Korchnoi
Viktor Korchnoi
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit...
, David Bronstein
David Bronstein
David Ionovich Bronstein was a Soviet chess grandmaster, who narrowly missed becoming World Chess Champion in 1951. Bronstein was described by his peers as a creative genius and master of tactics...
, and just about every other strong Soviet player.
Gufeld played in his first chess tournament in 1953 at the age of 17. He became the junior champion of Ukraine at the age of 18. He became an International Master in 1964, and became an International Grandmaster in 1967. In 1977 his Elo rating
Elo rating system
The Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess. It is named after its creator Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-born American physics professor....
was 2570, and ranked 16th in the world.
He was also a trainer who moved to Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, the Republic of Georgia, and lived there for more than a decade, and coached Maia Chiburdanidze
Maia Chiburdanidze
Maia Chiburdanidze is a Georgian chess grandmaster, and the seventh Women's World Chess Champion. She is the only chess player in history who has won nine Chess Olympiads....
, who became the youngest women's world chess champion in 1978.
After the fall of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, he emigrated to the USA.
He started the FIDE Committee on Chess Art and Exhibition.
He used to say to those who laughed at his English: "I think that my English is better than your Russian!"
Gufeld was one of most prolific authors in all of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, writing over 100 chess books, which sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.
His proudest achievements, however, were his win with the Sämisch Variation of the King's Indian Defense against Vladimir Bagirov
Vladimir Bagirov
Vladimir Bagirov was a Soviet-Latvian grandmaster of chess, chess author, and trainer. He played in ten USSR Championships, with his best result being fourth place in his debut in 1960. Bagirov was World Senior Champion in 1998...
, which he called his "Mona Lisa," and his 1967 win over Vasily Smyslov (see below). The first of these games made it into John Nunn's
John Nunn
John Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....
collection of the hundred greatest games of all time, Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games, and the 112-game collection that followed it. Gufeld beat Smyslov again in 1975.
In September 2002, Gufeld suffered a stroke and heart attack virtually simultaneously. Following a period of unconsciousness, he regained consciousness but was unable to speak or walk. He died two weeks later at the age of 66 in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA.
Here is Gufeld's 1967 win over Smyslov:
Spartakiade, Moscow 1967 Smyslov-Gufeld: 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.b4 Bg7 4.Bb2 O-O 5.e3 b6 6.d4 c5 7.dxc5 bxc5 8.b5 a6 9.a4 Ne4 10.Bxg7 Kxg7 11.Qd5 Qa5+ 12.Ke2 Bb7 13.Qxb7 Nc6 14.Nfd2 Ra7 15.bxc6 Rxb7 16.cxb7 Qb4 17.Nxe4 Qb2+ 18.Nbd2 Qxa1 19.Nxc5 Rb8 20.g3 Qa3 21.Nxd7 Rxb7 22.Bh3 Qd6 23.c5 Qd5 24.f3 Rb2 25.Rd1 e6 26.c6 Qc4+ 27.Ke1 Qd3 28.Bf1 Qxe3+ 29.Be2 a5 30.f4 f6 31.c7 Rc2 32.Kf1 Rxc7 33.Nc4 Rxc4 34.Bxc4 Qf3+ 35.Ke1 Qc3+ 0-1.
Books
- Beating the Sicilian, Batsford, 1984. ISBN 0713408995.
- Exploiting Small Advantages, Batsford, 1985. 2003 reprint: ISBN 978-0713486483.
- The Sicilian for the Tournament Player, Batsford, 1989. ISBN 0713461675.
- My Life in Chess, Intl Chess Enterprises, 1993. ISBN 1-879479-21-4.
- An Opening Repertoire For The Attacking Player, Batsford, 1996. ISBN 1857441966.
- The Modern French Tarrasch, Cadogan, 1996. ISBN 1857441036.
- with Eric Schiller: Secrets Of The Sicilian Dragon, Cardoza, 1998. ISBN 0940685922.
- Leonid Stein: Master of Risk Strategy, Thinkers Press, 2000. ISBN 0-938650-54-8.
- with Eric Schiller: Secrets Of The King's Indian (Cardoza Publishing's Essential Opening Repertoire Series), Cardoza, 2000. ISBN 1580420176.
- Chess: The Search for Mona Lisa, Batsford, 2001. ISBN 0-7134-8477-2.
- Bobby Fischer: From Chess Genius to Legend, Thinkers Press, 2003. ISBN 978-0938650843.
- Chess Strategy, Batsford, 2003. ISBN 0-7134-8775-5.
- The Art of the King's Indian, Batsford, 2003. ISBN 978-0713486612.