Interview with Rafael Vaganian

**Ken Kurkowski** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 02:46 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

I think the differences Vaganian talks about are more significant for strong, professional players like him. As an ordinary club player (of the same age as Rafael), I followed the wisdom of strong players when I first started playing in the '70s, and I still follow the wisdom of strong players (which admittedly now includes computers) today - or try to :). So the difference in creativity is not much different for me. As for theory, yes it goes much deeper today but I and most players of my modest strength neither can memorize all that stuff, or know how to effectively and consistently exploit what we do memorize.
Maybe patzers like me are better off than GMs, at least those who share Vaganian's opinion, in that we can still enjoy the game. Perhaps ignorance is indeed bliss!

**Tom O'Donnell** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 04:27 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Tukmakov, Benjamin and Lesiege also played. Lesiege won a fantastic game vs Kozul and made an IM norm.

Originally posted by Wayne Komer View Post

Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Wikipedia says that he played in Toronto in 1990. Chessgames.com gives games vs Marovic, Hebert, Piasetski, O’Donnell, Vranesic and Kozul. Does anyone have any details of that tournament?

**Brad Thomson** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 05:41 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Alex told me during the Closed of 1994, in Hamilton, that the Kozul game contained the best combination he had played to that point.

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 06:46 PM

Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Alexandre Lesiege’s favorite game is said to be against Zdenko Kozul in 1990, in the Croatia Club International

Alexandre Lesiege – Zdenko Kozul
D78 Neo Grunfeld, 6. O-O c6

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.O-O c6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.e4 b5 9.Re1 a6 10.e5 Nd5 11.a4 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Be6 13.axb5 cxb5 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.e6 f5 16.Nf7 Rxf7 17.exf7+ Kxf7 18.Rxe7+ Kxe7 19.Bg5+ Bf6 20.Qe2+ Kf8 21.Bh6+ Bg7 22.Qe5 Bxh6 23.Bxd5 Bd2 24.Bxa8 Bxc3 25.Rd1 Nd7 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxh7+ Kd6 28.Qxg6+ Qf6 29.Qg8 Qe6 30.Qg5 Kc7 31.Qf4+ Kb6 32.Qf3 Bb2 33.Bd5 Qd6 34.Re1 Qb4 35.Re6+ Ka5 36.Qf4 Nb6 37.Bf3 Qc3 38.d5 Qc1+ 39.Qxc1 Bxc1 40.d6 b4 41.Re5+ Ka4 42.d7 Nxd7 43.Bc6+ Kb3 44.Bxd7 c3 45.Bxf5 Bd2 46.Ra5 c2 47.Bxc2+ Kxc2 48.Rxa6 b3 49.Rb6 Ba5 50.Rb5 b2 51.f4 Kc3 52.Rxb2 Kxb2 53.Kf2 Kc3 54.Ke3 Kc4 55.Ke4 Kc5 56.Ke5 Kc6 57.Ke6 Kc7 58.f5 Kd8 59.Kf7 Bc7 60.g4 Bf4 61.h4 and White wins in 15 moves after 61..Kc8.

**Jack Maguire** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 07:00 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Boris Alterman reports in his 'Black Gambits 1' book that Vaganian was so adept with the Benko Gambit that his opponents started playing 3.Nf3 to seek quieter games. Thus, Rafael came up with a new gambit, the Vaganian Gambit (:

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d5 6.cxd5 Bc5

**Hugh Brodie** · Sunday, 24th August, 2014, 11:49 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Vaganian played in the "Croatia International" in 1990 (in Mississauga). All 66 games from the event are available from CanBase.

Code:

Croatia int.  1990

                                   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 
1   Vaganian,Rafael    xxxx        * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1   9.5/11
2   Benjamin,Joel      xxxx        ½ * ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1   8.0/11
3   Kovacevic,Vlatko   2540   -70  0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½   7.0/11
4   Kozul,Zdenko       2575  -142  0 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1   6.5/11
5   Lesiege,Alexandre  2295   +99  0 0 ½ 1 * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½   5.5/11  26.00
6   Nickoloff,Bryon    2430   -48  0 0 0 ½ 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½   5.5/11  24.75
7   Tukmakov,Vladimir  2570  -264  ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½   4.5/11  26.25
8   Hebert,Jean        2405   -84  ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1   4.5/11  24.00
9   Piasetski,Leon     xxxx        0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1   4.5/11  20.50
10  O'Donnell,Tom      2410  -123  0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½   4.0/11
11  Vranesic,Zvonko    2335   -76  0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 * ½   3.5/11
12  Marovic,Drazen     2470  -262  0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ *   3.0/11

Average elo: 2385 <=> Category: 6

http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/canbaseii.htm

He also played a Candidate's match against Lajos Portisch in Saint John, NB, in 1988. One win for Portisch, and five draws.

**Daryl Bertrand** · Monday, 25th August, 2014, 04:44 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Tom doesn't mention it here but I once asked him who the strongest player he ever faced was and at the time he told me Rafael Vaganian. I've seen the game I remember a slow painful squeeze and this was when Tom was at the height of his powers! I actually thought he played in the Canadian Open in Edmonton in the 80's or whatever year Tukmakov won the event. Thanks for posting this, I always love hearing about the glory days of chess!

**Gordon Taylor** · Tuesday, 26th August, 2014, 10:58 AM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

The Croatia International 1990 received good coverage in En Passant #102, which was during my term as editor. That issue gave it 12 pages and 6 photos (supplied by Mike Miklausic, the chief organizer). A group photo is to be found on page 31, the crosstable on page 64, and Vaganian graced the cover. I managed to squeeze in 48 of the games, without notes, but the most interesting games had short intro's to direct the reader, and, of course, many diagrams. My thinking was that as this was an exceptionally strong round robin tournament, it deserved to be well covered (and perhaps to encourage other organizers to equal or better it). Reaction was mixed: Les Bunning, soon-to-be CFC President, felt it was a waste of space; Kevin Spraggett later told me it was one of the few times he thought En Passant looked like a professional magazine. I'm still proud of that issue.

**Ken Kurkowski** · Tuesday, 26th August, 2014, 12:04 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Why anyone would consider coverage of a tournament held in Canada, and featuring top class international players plus several of Canada's best, a 'waste of space' in the national chess magazine, boggles the mind.

**Gordon Taylor** · Tuesday, 26th August, 2014, 01:33 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Well, in fairness to Les, I don't think he objected to our covering the event, but rather that I gave it 12 pages and there weren't any annotated games. I was perhaps imitating the old Soviet magazine, Shakhmatny Bulletin, which covered a lot of events but only via raw game scores. The idea, I think, was to encourage readers to play through the games and make their own judgements.

**Brad Thomson** · Tuesday, 26th August, 2014, 01:34 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Personally, I have full respect for Les Bunning.

Now, I have told this story before, but cannot resist telling it again. When I worked at the CFC a call came from Casto P. Abundo, who ran FIDE at the time, asking for submissions arguing that chess is a sport, with the intention of making a presentation to the IOC. I prepared an essay and emailed it to him. He thanked me, published the essay on the FIDE website, published the essay in their well-produced glossy magazine prepared to promote the occasion, and submitted the essay to the IOC as part of their full package designed to convince the IOC that chess is a sport and should have a place in the regular Olympics. Not only my name, but "Chess Federation of Canada" appeared with the essay.

When the then President of the CFC, not Les Bunning, was told about this modest accomplishment his response was simple.

"I hope this was not done on company time."

**Tony Ficzere** · Tuesday, 26th August, 2014, 10:54 PM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Originally posted by Gordon Taylor View Post

The Croatia International 1990 received good coverage in En Passant #102, which was during my term as editor. That issue gave it 12 pages and 6 photos (supplied by Mike Miklausic, the chief organizer). A group photo is to be found on page 31, the crosstable on page 64, and Vaganian graced the cover. I managed to squeeze in 48 of the games, without notes, but the most interesting games had short intro's to direct the reader, and, of course, many diagrams. My thinking was that as this was an exceptionally strong round robin tournament, it deserved to be well covered (and perhaps to encourage other organizers to equal or better it). Reaction was mixed: Les Bunning, soon-to-be CFC President, felt it was a waste of space; Kevin Spraggett later told me it was one of the few times he thought En Passant looked like a professional magazine. I'm still proud of that issue.

Hey Gordo, I remember that issue very well, one of the best EP's ever produced in my humble opinion. The three of us made a good team way back when (Tom O being the other member). Here's hoping you are doing well!

**Gordon Taylor** · Wednesday, 27th August, 2014, 09:31 AM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Hi Tony. Yes, those were interesting times. Of course, we were over-worked and under-paid (especially you !), but there was always lots to do and the business end was a going concern back then. Tom was a good worker but left us in December 1990 to do his European tour, but then Knut Neven arrived and filled the gap. I assume you've done well in Alberta. Lots of money splashing around there. I'm sure your kids are now all grown up but, have they left the house? :)

**Brad Thomson** · Wednesday, 27th August, 2014, 09:56 AM

Re: Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Gordon, Tony and Knut, the CFC office that Hal Bond, then Troy Vail and myself inherited from you guys was in good shape. For the five years that I had the pleasure of working there the place grew in sales, membership numbers held, and En Passant increased in size and went onto the magazine stands as we moved into the internet age. Of course, we are all familiar with some of the "restructuring" that took place from time to time. I would like to believe that we all made a contribution to Canadian chess. :)

Interview with Rafael Vaganian

Interview with Rafael Vaganian

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