Larsen's selected games of chess, 1948-69

by Bent Larsen

Bent Larsen is one of the outstanding figures of post-war chess, with top-level tournament victories spanning five decades. His outstanding fighting qualities have made him a great favourite with the chess public and even in the latter stages of his career he remained capable of sweeping victories over world-class opposition. While some other Grandmasters have settled for an easy retirement, Larsen still fires on all cylinders!

Genres: Chess

Hardcover

First published March 1, 1992

Reviews

[notgettingenough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bent Larsen, who died yesterday, changed my life. More than any one else he directed the course of how I played chess. I spent my short career playing 1.b3 - Larsen's opening and the older, but closely related 1.f4. If you were to tempt me to play right now, that too is what I would choose.

Oh. Let me add one confession, which Tal would have enjoyed, though I don't know about Larsen. Occasionally since I formally gave up my chess ambitions I have been forced back to the tournament table. I came upon the idea that both 1.b3 and 1.f4 went with an eventual e3. Now, I was way, way out of my depth playing tournaments years after I'd given up and I needed an edge. What about this for an idea....start with 1.e3 and it would look like I didn't have a clue. Especially if I acted really girly about it. Pick up the e pawn, put it on e4 (as you would), DON'T take your fingers off, uncertainly pop it back a square. Ummm....e4? Or e3. When I finally left it there on e3 I hoped that I looked like a patzer. I mean, even more than I was.

You will be greatly missed, Bent Larsen.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

The games are excellent; however, the ego is rather obnoxious after a while. Even by chessplayer standards, the guy thinks awfully highly of himself...so just try to ignore that and concentrate on the moves on the board.

[Salvador]

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