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TigranPetrosianWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TigranPetrosian
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Thisarticleisaboutthechessplayerandworldchampion.Forthefootballer,seeTigranPetrosyan
(footballer).Forthechessgrandmasterbornin1984,seeTigranL.Petrosian.
TigranVartanovichPetrosian(Russian:

Armenian:
June17,1929August13,1984)wasa
SovietArmenianGrandmaster,andWorldChess
Championfrom1963to1969.Hewasnicknamed"Iron
Tigran"duetohisalmostimpenetrabledefensiveplaying
style,whichemphasisedsafetyaboveallelse.[1][2]
PetrosianwasaCandidatefortheWorldChampionship
oneightoccasions(1953,1956,1959,1962,1971,1974,
1977and1980).HewontheWorldChampionshipin
1963(againstMikhailBotvinnik),successfullydefended
itin1966(againstBorisSpassky),andlostitin1969(to
Spassky).ThushewasthedefendingWorldChampion
oraWorldChampionshipCandidateintenconsecutive
threeyearcycles.HewontheSovietChampionshipfour
times(1959,1961,1969,and1975).
Petrosianiswidelyknownforpopularizingchessin
Armenia.[3][4]Hewasrecognizedasthehardestplayerto
beatinthehistoryofchessbytheauthorsofa2004
book.[5]

Contents

TigranPetrosian

TigranPetrosianin1975
Country

SovietUnion

Born

June17,1929
Tiflis,GeorgianSSR,SovietUnion
(presentdayTbilisi,Georgia)

Died

August13,1984(aged55)
Moscow,SovietUnion

Title

Grandmaster(1952)

World
196369
Champion
Peak
rating

2645(July1972)

1Earlyyears
2GrandmasterinMoscow
31963WorldChampionship
4ReigningWorldChampion
5Latercareer
6Deathandlegacy
7Olympiadsandteamchampionships
8Playingstyle
8.1Thepositionalexchangesacrifice
8.2Contributionstoopeningtheory
9Deafness
10Quotations
11Seealso
12References
13Externallinks
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Earlyyears
PetrosianwasborntoArmenianparentsonJune17,1929inTiflis,GeorgianSSR(moderndayGeorgia).[6]
Asayoungboy,Petrosianwasanexcellentstudentandenjoyedstudying,asdidhisbrotherHmayakand
sisterVartoosh.Helearnedtoplaychessattheageof8,[7]thoughhisilliteratefatherVartanencouraged
himtocontinuestudying,ashethoughtchesswasunlikelytobringhissonanysuccessasacareer.[8]
PetrosianwasorphanedduringWorldWarIIandwasforcedtosweepstreetstoearnaliving.[6]Itwas
aboutthistimethathishearingbegantodeteriorate,aproblemthatafflictedhimthroughouthislife.Ina
1969interviewwithTimemagazine,herecalled:

Istartedsweepingstreetsinthemiddleofthewinteranditwashorrible.Ofcoursethere
werenomachinesthen,sowehadtodoeverythingbyhand.Someoftheoldermenhelped
meout.Iwasaweakboy.AndIwasashamedofbeingastreetsweeperthat'snatural,I
suppose.Itwasn'tsobadintheearlymorningwhenthestreetswereempty,butwhenitgot
lightandthecrowdscameoutIreallyhatedit.Igotsickandmissedayearinschool.We
hadababushka,asisterofmyfather,andshereallysavedme.Shegavemebreadtoeat
whenIwassickandhungry.That'swhenthistroublewithmyhearingstarted.Idon't
rememberhowitallhappened.Thingsaren'tveryclearfromthattime.[9]

HeusedhisrationstobuyChessPraxisbyDanishgrandmasterAronNimzowitsch,abookwhichPetrosian
wouldlaterclaimtohavehadthegreatestinfluenceonhimasachessplayer.[8]HealsopurchasedTheArt
ofSacrificeinChessbyRudolfSpielmann.TheotherplayertohavehadanearlyeffectonPetrosian'schess
wasJosRalCapablanca.[8]At12yearsold,hebegantrainingattheTiflisPalaceofPioneers[7][10]under
theauspicesofArchilEbralidze.EbralidzewasasupporterofNimzowitschandCapablanca,andhis
scientificapproachtochessdiscouragedwildtacticsanddubiouscombinations.Assuch,Petrosian
developedarepertoireofsolidpositionalopenings,suchastheCaroKannDefence.[8]Aftertrainingatthe
PalaceofPioneersforjustoneyear,hedefeatedvisitingSovietgrandmasterSaloFlohratasimultaneous
exhibition.[7][10]
By1946,PetrosianhadearnedthetitleofCandidateMaster.Inthatyearalone,hedrewagainst
GrandmasterPaulKeresattheGeorgianChessChampionship,thenmovedtoYerevanwherehewonthe
ArmenianChessChampionshipandtheUSSRJuniorChessChampionship.Petrosianearnedthetitleof
Masterduringthe1947USSRChessChampionship,thoughhefailedtoqualifyforthefinals.[10]Heset
abouttoimprovehisgamebystudyingNimzowitsch'sMySystemandbymovingtoMoscowtoseek
greatercompetition.[7]

GrandmasterinMoscow
AftermovingtoMoscowin1949,Petrosian'scareerasachessplayeradvancedrapidlyandhisresultsin
Sovieteventssteadilyimproved.Heplacedsecondinthe1951SovietChampionship,therebyearningthe
titleofinternationalmaster.ItwasinthistournamentthatPetrosianfacedworldchampionBotvinnikfor
thefirsttime.PlayingWhite,afterobtainingaslightlyinferiorpositionfromtheopening,hedefended

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throughtwoadjournmentsandeleventotalhoursofplaytoobtainadraw.[11]Petrosian'sresultinthisevent
qualifiedhimfortheInterzonalthefollowingyearinStockholm.HeearnedthetitleofGrandmasterby
cominginsecondintheStockholmtournament,andqualifiedforthe1953CandidatesTournament.[12]
Petrosianplacedfifthinthe1953CandidatesTournament,aresultwhichmarkedthebeginningofa
somewhatstagnantperiodinhiscareer.Heseemed
contentdrawingagainstweakerplayersand
maintaininghistitleofGrandmasterratherthan
improvinghischessormakinganattemptatbecoming
WorldChampion.Thisattitudewasillustratedbyhis
resultinthe1955USSRChampionship:outof19
gamesplayed,Petrosianwasundefeated,butwononly
fourgamesanddrewtherest,witheachofthedraws
lastingtwentymovesorless.Althoughhisconsistent
playingensureddecenttournamentresults,itwas
lookeddownuponbythepublicandbySovietchess
mediaandauthorities.[12]Neartheendoftheevent,
Petrosian(standingonright,withjacket)atthe
journalistVasilyPanovwrotethefollowingcomment
1961EuropeanChessTeamChampionship.Seated,
aboutthetournamentcontenders:"Realchancesof
facingright,isMikhailTal,thenworldchampion.
victory,besidesBotvinnikandSmyslov,uptoround
15,areheldbyGeller,SpasskyandTaimanov.I
deliberatelyexcludePetrosianfromthegroup,sincefromtheveryfirstroundsthelatterhasmadeitclear
thatheisplayingforaneasier,butalsohonourableconquestaplaceintheinterzonalquartet."[13]
Thisperiodofcomplacencyendedwiththe1957USSRChampionship,whereoutof21gamesplayed,
Petrosianwonseven,lostfour,anddrewtheremaining10.Althoughthisresultwasonlygoodenoughfor
seventhplaceinafieldof22competitors,hismoreambitiousapproachtotournamentplaywasmetwith
greatappreciationfromtheSovietchesscommunity.HewentontowinhisfirstUSSRChampionshipin
1959,andlaterthatyearintheCandidatesTournamenthedefeatedPaulKereswithadisplayofhisoften
overlookedtacticalabilities.PetrosianwasawardedthetitleofMasterofSportoftheUSSRin1960,and
wonasecondSoviettitlein1961.[14]Hisexcellentplayingcontinuedthrough1962whenhequalifiedfor
theCandidatesTournamentforwhatwouldbehisfirstWorldChampionshipmatch.[12]

1963WorldChampionship
Mainarticle:WorldChessChampionship1963
Afterplayinginthe1962InterzonalinStockholm,PetrosianqualifiedfortheCandidatesTournamentin
CuraaoalongwithPalBenko,MiroslavFilip,BobbyFischer,EfimGeller,PaulKeres,ViktorKorchnoi,
andMikhailTal.Petrosian,representingtheSovietUnion,wonthetournamentwithafinalscoreof17
points,followedbyfellowSovietsGellerandKereseachwith17pointsandtheAmericanFischerwith
14.[15]FischerlateraccusedtheSovietplayersofarrangingdrawsandhaving"gangedup"onhimto
preventhimfromwinningthetournament.[16]Asevidenceforthisclaim,henotedthatall12gamesplayed
betweenPetrosian,Geller,andKeresweredraws.Statisticianspointedoutthatwhenplayingagainsteach

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other,theseSovietcompetitorsaveraged19movespergame,asopposedto39.5moveswhenplaying
againstothercompetitors.AlthoughresponsestoFischer'sallegationsweremixed,FIDElateradjustedthe
rulesandformattotrytopreventfuturecollusionintheCandidatesmatches.[15]
HavingwontheCandidatesTournament,PetrosianearnedtherighttochallengeMikhailBotvinnikforthe
titleofWorldChessChampionina24gamematch.Inadditiontopracticinghischess,Petrosianalso
preparedforthematchbyskiingforseveralhourseachday.Hebelievedthatinsuchalongmatch,physical
fitnesscouldbecomeafactorinthelatergames.ThisadvantagewasincreasedbyBotvinnikbeingmuch
olderthanPetrosian.[15]Whereasamultitudeofdrawsintournamentplaycouldpreventaplayerfrom
takingfirstplace,drawsdidnotaffecttheoutcomeofaoneononematch.Inthisregard,Petrosian's
cautiousplayingstylewaswellsuitedformatchplay,ashecouldsimplywaitforhisopponenttomake
mistakesandthencapitalizeonthem.[17]PetrosianwonthematchagainstBotvinnikwithafinalscoreof5
to2with15draws,securingthetitleofWorldChampion.[18]

ReigningWorldChampion
UponbecomingWorldChampion,Petrosiancampaignedforthepublicationofachessnewspaperforthe
entireSovietUnionratherthanjustMoscow.Thisnewspaperbecameknownas64.[19]Petrosianstudiedfor
adegreeofMasterofPhilosophicalScienceatYerevanStateUniversityhisthesis,dated1968,wastitled
"ChessLogic,SomeProblemsoftheLogicofChessThought".[14]
ThreeyearsafterPetrosianhadearnedthetitleofWorldChessChampion,hewaschallengedbyBoris
Spassky.Petrosiansuccessfullydefendedhistitle,afeatthathadnotbeenaccomplishedsinceAlexander
AlekhinedefeatedEfimBogoljubovinthe1934WorldChampionship.[20]However,Spasskywoulddefeat
EfimGeller,BentLarsenandViktorKorchnoiinthenextcandidatescycleearningarematchwith
Petrosian,atMoscow1969.Spasskywonthematchby1210.

Latercareer
AlongwithanumberofotherSovietchesschampions,hesigneda
petitioncondemningtheactionsofthedefectorViktorKorchnoiin
1976.Itwasthecontinuationofabitterfeudbetweenthetwo,
datingbackatleasttotheir1974Candidatessemifinalmatchin
whichPetrosianwithdrewafterfivegameswhiletrailing31
(+31=1).HismatchwithKorchnoiin1977sawthetwoformer
colleaguesrefusetoshakehandsorspeaktoeachother.Theyeven
demandedseparateeatingandtoiletfacilities.Petrosianwentonto
losethematchandwassubsequentlyfiredaseditorofRussia's
largestchessmagazine,64.Hisdetractorscondemnedhisreluctance
toattackandsomeputitdowntoalackofcourage.Atthispoint
however,Botvinnikspokeoutonhisbehalf,statingthatheonly
attackedwhenhefeltsecureandhisgreateststrengthwasindefence.[21]

Tocommemoratethe75th
anniversaryofhisbirth,theRepublic
ofArmeniaissuedthis220dram
stamponFebruary25,2005.

SomeofhislatesuccessesincludedvictoriesatLonePine1976andinthe1979PaulKeresMemorial
tournamentinTallinn(12/16withoutaloss,aheadofTal,Bronsteinandothers),sharedfirstplace(with
PortischandHbner)intheRiodeJaneiroInterzonalthesameyear,andsecondplaceinTilburgin1981,
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halfapointbehindthewinnerBeliavsky.Itwasherethatheplayedhislastfamousvictory,amiraculous
escapeagainsttheyoungGarryKasparov.[22]

Deathandlegacy
Petrosiandiedofstomachcancerin1984inMoscowandisburied
intheMoscowArmenianCemetery.In1987,WorldChess
ChampionGarryKasparovunveiledamemorialatPetrosian'sgrave
whichdepictsthelaurelwreathofWorldChampionandanimage
containedwithinacrownofthesunshiningabovethetwinpeaksof
MountAraratthenationalsymbolofPetrosian'sArmenian
homeland.On7July2006,amonumenthonoringPetrosianwas
openedintheDavtashendistrictofYerevan,inthestreetnamed
afterPetrosian.[23]

Olympiadsandteamchampionships
PetrosianwasnotselectedfortheSovietOlympiadsideuntil1958
hehadalreadybeenaCandidatetwicebythattime.Buthethen
madetenstraightSovietOlympiadteamsfrom1958to1978,won
nineteamgoldmedals,oneteamsilvermedal,andsixindividual
Petrosian'sstatueneartheYerevan
goldmedals.
ChessHouse
HisoverallperformanceinOlympiadplayisimpressive:+781
=50(onlyonegamelost,toRobertHbner,outof129played),for
79.8percent,thethirdalltimebestperformanceafterMikhailTalandAnatolyKarpov.[24]HisOlympiad
resultsfollow.
Munich1958,2ndreserve,10/13(+80=5),boardandteamgoldmedals
Leipzig1960,2ndreserve,12/13(+110=2),boardandteamgoldmedals
Varna1962,board2,10/12(+80=4),boardandteamgoldmedals
TelAviv1964,board1,9/13(+60=7),teamgoldmedal
Havana1966,board1,11/13(+100=3),boardandteamgoldmedals
Lugano1968,board1,10/12(+90=3),boardandteamgoldmedals
Siegen1970,board2,10/14(+60=8),teamgoldmedal
Skopje1972,board1,10/16(+61=9),teamgoldmedal
Nice1974,board4,12/14(+110=3),boardandteamgoldmedals
BuenosAires1978,board2,6/9(+30=6),teamsilvermedal
PetrosianalsomadetheSovietteamforthefirsteightEuropeanTeamChampionships(from1957to1983).
Hewoneightteamgoldmedals,andfourboardgoldmedals.HistotalsinEuroteamsplay,accordingto
olimpbase.org,are(+150=37),for64.4percent.[24]HisEuroteamsresultsfollow.
Vienna1957,board6,4/5(+30=2),boardandteamgoldmedals
Oberhausen1961,board4,6/8(+40=4),boardandteamgoldmedals
Hamburg1965,board1,6/10(+20=8),boardandteamgoldmedals
Kapfenberg1970,board1,3/6(+10=5),teamgoldmedal
Bath,Somerset1973,board2,4/7(+20=5),boardandteamgoldmedals
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Moscow1977,board2,3/6(+10=5),teamgoldmedal
Skara1980,board3,2/5(+00=5),teamgoldmedal
Plovdiv1983,board3,3/5(+20=3),teamgoldmedal

Playingstyle
Petrosianwasaconservative,cautious,andhighlydefensivechessplayerwhowasstronglyinfluencedby
AronNimzowitsch'sideaofprophylaxis.Hemademoreefforttopreventhisopponent'soffensive
capabilitiesthanhedidtomakeuseofhisown.Heveryrarelywent
ontheoffensiveunlesshefelthispositionwascompletelysecure.[6]
Heusuallywonbyplayingconsistentlyuntilhisaggressive
opponentmadeamistake,securingthewinbycapitalizinguponthis
mistakewithoutrevealinganyweaknessesofhisown.Thisstyleof
playoftenledtodraws,especiallyagainstotherplayerswho
preferredtocounterattack.Nonetheless,hispatienceandmasteryof
defencemadehimextremelydifficulttobeat.Hewasundefeatedat
the1952and1955Interzonals,andin1962hedidnotloseasingle
tournamentgame.Petrosian'sconsistentabilitytoavoiddefeat
earnedhimthenickname"IronTigran".[25]
Petrosianpreferredtoplayclosedopeningsthatdidnotcommithis
piecestoanyparticularplan.Asblack,Petrosianenjoyedplaying
theSicilianDefence,NajdorfVariation[26]andtheFrenchDefence.
Aswhite,heoftenplayedtheEnglishOpening.[27]Petrosianwould
oftenmovethesamepiecemultipletimesinafewmoves,confusing
TigranPetrosian'sGrave
hisopponentsintheopeningandthreateningdrawsbythreefold
repetitionintheendgame.InagameagainstMarkTaimanovduring
the1955USSRChessChampionship,Petrosianmovedthesamerook6timesina24movegame,with4of
thosemovesoccurringonconsecutiveturns.[28][29]Hehadastrongaffinityforknightsratherthanbishops,
acharacteristicthatisattributedtotheinfluenceofAronNimzowitsch.[30]
AnumberofillustrativemetaphorshavebeenusedtodescribePetrosian'sstyleofplay.HaroldC.
Schonbergsaidthat"playinghimwasliketryingtoputhandcuffsonaneel.Therewasnothingtogrip."[25]
Hehasbeendescribedasacentipedelurkinginthedark,[25]atigerlookingfortheopportunitytopounce,a
pythonwhoslowlysqueezeshisvictimstodeath,[6]andasacrocodilewhowaitsforhourstomakea
decisivestrike.[31]BorisSpassky,whowouldsucceedPetrosianasWorldChessChampion,describedhis
styleofplayassuch:"Petrosianremindsmeofahedgehog.Justwhenyouthinkyouhavecaughthim,he
putsouthisquills."[6]
Petrosian'sstyleofplay,althoughhighlysuccessfulforavoidingdefeats,wascriticizedasbeingdull.Chess
enthusiastssawhis"ultraconservative"styleasanunwelcomecontrasttothepopularimageofSovietchess
as"daring"and"indomitable".[32]His1971CandidatesTournamentmatchwithViktorKorchnoifeatured
somanymonotonousdrawsthattheRussianpressbegantocomplain.However,SvetozarGligori
describedPetrosianasbeing"veryimpressiveinhisincomparableabilitytoforeseedangerontheboard

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andtoavoidanyriskofdefeat."[25]Petrosianrespondedtohiscriticismsbysaying"Theysaymygames
shouldbemore'interesting'.Icouldbemore'interesting'andalsolose."[6]Petrosianwas,inthewordsof
futureWorldChampionVladimirKramnik,"thefirstdefenderwithacapitalD".[33]

Thepositionalexchangesacrifice
Petrosianwasknownforhisuseofthe"positionalexchange
sacrifice",whereonesidesacrificesarookfortheopponent's
bishoporknight.KasparovdiscussedPetrosian'suseofthis
motif:

Petrosianintroducedtheexchangesacrificefor
thesakeof'qualityofposition',wherethetime
factor,whichissoimportantintheplayof
AlekhineandTal,playshardlyanyrole.Even
today,veryfewplayerscanoperateconfidently
attheboardwithsuchabstractconcepts.Before
Petrosiannoonehadstudiedthis.Bysacrificing
theexchange'justlikethat',forcertainlongterm
advantages,inpositionswithdisruptedmaterial
balance,hediscoveredlatentresourcesthatfew
werecapableofseeingandproperly
evaluating.[34]

Reshevskyvs.Petrosian,1953
a

1
a

Positionafter25.Rfe1

OneofPetrosian'smostfamousexamplesofthepositionalexchangesacrificeisfromhisgameagainst
SamuelReshevskyinZurich1953.[35]Reshevsky,playingwhite,appearstohaveanadvantageduetohis
strongpawncenter,whichmaybecomemobileafterBf3andd4d5.Petrosianrealizedhewasinadifficult
positionbecauseofthepassiveplacementofhispieces,relegatedtodefensiveroles.Hefurtherunderstood
thatWhitemightalsoadvanceonthekingsidewithh2h4h5,provokingweaknessesthatwouldmakeit
moredifficulttodefendlateron.Facedwiththesethreats,Petrosiandevisedaplantomaneuverhisknight
tothesquared5,whereitwouldbeprominentlyplacedinthecenter,andblockadetheadvanceofWhite's
pawns.
25...Re6!
Withtherookvacatedfrome7,theblackknightisfreetomovetod5,whereitwillbeattackingthepawn
onc3,andhelpsupportaneventualadvanceofhisqueensidepawnmajoritywithb5b4.
26.a4Ne727.Bxe6fxe628.Qf1Nd529.Rf3Bd330.Rxd3cxd3
Thegamewaseventuallydrawnonmove41.[36]

Contributionstoopeningtheory
PetrosianwasanexpertagainsttheKing'sIndianDefence,andheoftenplayedwhatisnowknownasthe
PetrosianSystem:1.d4Nf62.c4g63.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.Nf3006.Be2e57.d5.[37][38]Thisvariationcloses
thecenterearlyinthegame.OneofthetacticalideasforWhiteistoplayBg5,pinningBlack'sknighttohis
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queen.Blackcanrespondbyeithermovinghisqueen(usually
...Qe8)orbyplaying...h6,thoughthelattermoveweakens
Black'skingsidepawnstructure.[39]TwoofBlack'sresponsesto
thePetrosianVariationweredevelopedbygrandmastersPaul
KeresandLeonidStein.TheKeresVariationarisesafter
7...Nbd78.Bg5h69.Bh4g510.Bg3Nh511.h4,andtheStein
Variationbeginsanimmediatequeensideoffensivewith
7...a5.[40]
TheQueen'sIndianDefencealsohasavariationdevelopedby
Petrosian:1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3b64.a3,[41]withtheideaof
preventing...Bb4+.Thissystemreceivedmuchattentionin1980
whenitwasusedbytheyoungGarryKasparovtodefeatseveral
grandmasters.TodaythePetrosianVariationisstillconsidered
themostpressingvariation,withthegreatestscoreinMaster
games.[42]

1
a

King'sIndianDefence,PetrosianSystem

OtherPetrosianvariationscanbefoundintheGrnfeldDefenceafter1.d4Nf62.c4g63.Nc3d54.Nf3Bg7
5.Bg5,[43]andtheFrenchDefenceafter1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.e5Qd7.[44]Someauthoritiesrefertoa
variationoftheCaroKannDefencewithhisname,alongwithformerWorldChampionVassilySmyslov:
thePetrosianSmyslovVariation,1.e4c62.d4d53.Nc3dxe44.Nxe4Nd7.[45]

Deafness
Petrosianwaspartiallydeaf[46]andworeahearingaidduringhismatches,whichsometimesledtostrange
situations.OnoneoccasionheofferedadrawtoSvetozarGligori,whichGligoriinitiallyrefusedin
surprise,butthenchangedhismindinafewsecondsandreofferedthedraw.However,Petrosiandidnot
evenrespond,insteadwentaheadandwonthegame.Asitlaterturnedout,heswitchedoffhishearingaid,
anddidnothearwhenGligorireofferedthedraw.[47]In1971,heplayedacandidatesmatchagainst
RobertHbnerinanoisyareainSeville,whichdidnotdisturbhim,butfrustratedHbnersomuchthathe
finallywithdrewfromthematch.[48]

Quotations
"Inthoseyears,itwaseasiertowintheSovietChampionshipthanagameagainst'IronTigran'."
LevPolugaevsky[49]
"ItistoPetrosian'sadvantagethathisopponentsneverknowwhenheissuddenlygoingtoplaylike
MikhailTal."BorisSpassky[50]
"He[Petrosian]hasanincredibletacticalview,andawonderfulsenseofthedanger...Nomatterhow
muchyouthinkdeep...Hewill'smell'anykindofdanger20movesbefore!"BobbyFischer
"Chessisagamebyitsform,anartbyitscontentandasciencebythedifficultyofgainingmastery
init.Chesscanconveyasmuchhappinessasagoodbookorworkofmusiccan.However,itis
necessarytolearntoplaywellandonlyafterwardswilloneexperiencerealdelight."Tigran
Petrosian
"I'mabsolutelyconvincedthatinchessalthoughitremainsagamethereisnothingaccidental.
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Andthisismycredo.Ilikeonlythosechessgames,inwhichIhaveplayedinaccordancewiththe
positionrequirements...Ibelieveonlyinlogicalandrightgame."TigranPetrosian[51]

Seealso
ChessinArmenia

References
1. Vasiliev1974,p.27.
2. Kasparov2004,pp.7,16,62,80.
3. Parkinson,Joe(3December2012)."WinningMove:ChessReignsasKinglyPursuitinArmenia"
(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324020804578147393825457694.html).TheWallStreet
Journal.Retrieved24August2013.
4. "InArmeniachessiskingandgrandmastersarestars"
(https://web.archive.org/web/20140915235449/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/inarmenia
chessiskingandgrandmastersarestars1972407.html).TheIndependent.13May2010.Archivedfromthe
original(http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/inarmeniachessiskingandgrandmastersarestars
1972407.html)on15September2014.
5. Edmonds&Eidinow2004,p.48.
6. Saidy1972,pp.10204.
7. Sunnucks1970,pp.35354.
8. Vasiliev1974,pp.1522.
9. Chelminski1969,p.42.
10. Clarke1964,pp.1112.
11. Vasiliev1974,p.43.
12. Winter1981,pp.10304.
13. Vasiliev1974,p.60.
14. Vasiliev1974,p.7.
15. Schonberg1973,pp.24647.
16. Evans,Larry(9July1972)."FischeronRussianCheating"(http://news.google.com/newspapers?
nid=1310&dat=19720709&id=B0ISAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4004,2035865).TheRegister
Guard.
17. Vasiliev1974,pp.1113.
18. Schonberg1973,p.248.
19. Vasiliev1974,pp.15586.
20. Inthe1951and1954WorldChampionshipmatches,BotvinnikretainedhistitlebecausehedrewwithDavid
BronsteinandwithVasilySmyslovrespectively.AllotherWorldChampionshipmatchesbetween1934and1966
werewonbythechallengers.
21. CHESSMagazineSeptember1984
22. Kasparovvs.Petrosian,Tilburg1981(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1069975)at
Chessgames.com
23. "MonumentTigranPetrosian"(http://www.atb.am/en/armenia/sights/monuments/TigranPetrosian/).Armenian
TravelBureau.Retrieved20100624.
24. Petrosian,Tigran(http://www.olimpbase.org/players/ikkqkgyh.html)teamchessrecordsatolimpbase.org
25. Schonberg1973,p.245.
26. Saidy1972,pp.10406.
27. TigranVartanovichPetrosian(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=16149)onChessGames.com
28. Saidy1972,pp.10608.
29. TigranVartanovichPetrosianvsMarkTaimanov(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106293)on
ChessGames.com
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30. Clarke1964,p.6.
31. Lawson,Dominic(May2009)."ArmenianArtist"(http://standpointmag.com/node/1639/full).Standpoint.
Retrieved12April2010.
32. Schonberg1973,p.243.
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(http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=61).Kramnik.com.Retrieved8April2010.
34. Kasparov2004,p.12.
35. Reshevskyvs.Petrosian,1953(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106248)
36. Petrosian1990,pp.6869.
37. King'sIndian,PetrosianSystem(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessopening?eco=E93)onChessGames.com
38. King'sIndianDefense,PetrosianVariation
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Chess.com
39. Gufeld&Schiller2000,p.140.
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42. [1](http://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=7&n=21&ms=d4.Nf6.c4.e6.Nf3.b6&ns=7.14.11.33.21.21)on
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Chess.com
44. FrenchDefense:WinawerVariation,PetrosianVariation
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Bibliography
Aagaard,Jacob(2002).Queen'sIndianDefence.EverymanChess.ISBN1857443004.
Chelminski,Rudolph(1969)."Closeup:TigranPetrosian"(http://books.google.com/?
id=mE8EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA41&dq=life%20magazine%20petrosian%201969&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q=life
%20magazine%20petrosian%201969).TimeMagazine66(4):4146.
Chernev,Irving(1995).TwelveGreatChessPlayersandTheirBestGames.NewYork:Dover.pp.92108.
ISBN0486286746.
Clarke,P.H.(1964).TigranPetrosianMasterofDefence:Petrosian'sBestGames194663.B.T.Batsford.
ISBN0713469005.
Edmonds,DavidEidinow,John(2004).BobbyFischerGoestoWar.HarperCollins.ISBN9780060510244.
Gufeld,EduardSchiller,Eric(2000).SecretsoftheKing'sIndian.Cardoza.ISBN1580420176.
Karpov,AnatolyBeliavsky,Alexander(1994).TheCaroKann!InBlackandWhite.R&DPublishing.
ISBN9781883358167.
Kasparov,Garry(2007).HowLifeImitatesChess.Bloomsbury.ISBN9781596913875.
Kasparov,Garry(2004).MyGreatPredecessors,PartIII.EverymanChess.ISBN9781857443714.
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Petrosian,Tigran(1990).Petrosian'sLegacy.EditionsErebouni.
Petrosian,TigranSehtman,E.(1989).Petroszjantant(inHungarian).SportLapsKnyvkiad.ISBN963
2538277.
Saidy,Anthony(1972).TheBattleofChessideas.B.T.Batsford.ISBN9780890580189.
Schonberg,HaroldC.(1973).GrandmastersofChess.J.B.Lippincott&Co.ISBN0397010044.
Sunnucks,Anne,ed.(1970)."Petrosian,Tigran".TheEncyclopediaofChess.St.Martin'sPress.
Vasiliev,Viktor(1974).TigranPetrosian:HisLifeandGames.B.T.Batsford.ISBN4871878139.
Winter,EdwardG.,ed.(1981).WorldChessChampions.ISBN0080240941.

Externallinks
TigranPetrosian
(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=16149)
playerprofileandgamesatChessgames.com
GrandmasterGamesDatabaseTigranPetrosian
(http://www.redhotpawn.com/chess/grandmaster
games/index.php?
player=Tigran_V_Petrosian&masterplayerid=21190)
OlimpBase
(http://www.olimpbase.org/players/ikkqkgyh.html)
Biography(http://www.timthompson.com/petrosian.html)

Wikiquotehasquotations
relatedto:TigranPetrosian
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Petrosian.

Awards
Precededby
MikhailBotvinnik

WorldChessChampion
196369

Succeededby
BorisSpassky

Achievements
Precededby
DavidBronstein

Youngestchessgrandmasterever
19521955

Succeededby
BorisSpassky

Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tigran_Petrosian&oldid=677120105"
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