Guevara Chess Game [Archive]

JudgeKure

20th February 2006, 22:48

Check it out

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1101539

Guevara had the edge.

But I cant seem to figure out why his opponent resigned soo early...They were both playing good...

Odd.

JudgeKure

20th February 2006, 22:50

Guevara was Black, Bytheway

Sentinel

20th February 2006, 23:09

But I cant seem to figure out why his opponent resigned soo early

I can't see that either, and it's really bugging me now! Damn.. :D

Perhaps out of respect for Che, he didn't want to win over the people's hero or something? :lol: :lol:

But it looks like Che was rather good, so it seems weird anyway.

Who was Najdorf anyway, was he a "professional" player?

Janus

20th February 2006, 23:21

Who was Najdorf anyway, was he a "professional" player?
Miguel Najdorf wasn't a full-time chess professional but he was a chess grandmaster and one of the world's leading chess players in the '50s and 60s.

Like The Sentinel said, he probably resigned in a show of humility. It wouldn't be very good if he just went out and crushed the famous Che Guevara in a game of chess.

JudgeKure

21st February 2006, 00:21

....

Haligonian Red

27th February 2006, 01:15

It does seem funny for anyone to be offering a draw after 16 moves, but against Najdorf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Najdorf) that's an accomplishment in itself. The guy was no lightweight. As an International Grandmaster, he had to be rated over 2500 by FIDE.

Something else about this match bugs me. I distinctly remember reading that Che preferred a "combative" style of play, which is code for taking risks early on, upsetting the balance on the board. That doesn't mean big sacrifices necessarily, but it does mean opening up the centre lines at least. Careful "positional" games like this one weren"t Che's style.

On the face of things (and I'm only rated slightly over 1400 mind you) it looks to me like they were deliberately playing for a draw. Not a thrown game, but one that was likely to end without bloodshed.

It would be nice to see some other games and compare styles, see how Che played on the offensive.

JudgeKure

27th February 2006, 01:37

......

Godfather

7th April 2006, 12:32

There isn't much to watch, anyway.

Left-wingist

25th April 2006, 03:19

I thought Che was white at first due to the fact that Miguel seemed to be assaulting more early on. Also is Miguel the same man that is in the picture with Che playing chess? If so maybe they just played for the photo oppurtunity.