Simultaneous Displays

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Andrew Smith
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Simultaneous Displays

Post by Andrew Smith » Wed Apr 28, 2021 4:13 pm

In putting together my games collection, I thought about how many times I have participated in a Simultaneous Display, and who I have played. I think I have only played 9 in my my lifetime, but quite an interesting collection of players. The one's I can recall are 1. Bent Larsen 2. Evgeni Vasiukov 3. David Bronstein (Twice) 4. Tony Miles 5 Sergey Karjakin 6. Viktor Korchnoi 7. Viktorija Cmilyte 8. Nigel Short (who did a clock Simul, which, for me, wasn't so enjoyable to play in). Lennard Barden used to arrange Simultaneous Displays for juniors and invited me to play against Bronstein once, Vasiukov and Miles. I played Larsen at Charlton Chess Club in the early/mid 1970's, and I have retained an impression of him being by far the most courteous of the 'performers'. In accepting my resignation, he paused for a chat about the game, and as a young teenager, I was a trifle over-awed. Out of the 9 I played, only 2 of them took alternate colours ( Larsen and Bronstein when I played him a 2nd time in later life at Lewisham Chess club) I think its quite impressive for them to expose themselves to greater risk of defeat by taking the black pieces in 50% of the games. I missed a win against Korchnoi in the early middlegame, still thought I was better in the endgame only to allow him to turn the tables with a clever trick. His wife was there and told him to return to my board to shake hands ! ( Picture of me and Korchnoi at Simul in my book taken by John Saunders). For me,one of the most memorable articles in BCM was done about Mikhail Tal, when he visited the UK for a simul tour of the North of England. I think it was John Ripley who wrote the article, with spectacular snapshots of Tal's games. A great article and great games, I think from the 1970's. Has anyone on this forum ever played Tal or Kasparov in a simul ? What was it like ? I seem to recall that Karpov visited and amonst others, Nigel Short as a junior, beat him.

Paul Habershon
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Paul Habershon » Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:08 pm

Agree about Larsen. Close to midnight he sat down to finish off the last surviving player, then spent some time analysing with him.

Impressed also by Petrosian. I thought he would be slow and stodgy but he whipped round the room against the cream of Herts. and Beds. (don't laugh). +23 =2 -0 in two and a half hours.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Nick Ivell » Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:26 pm

I never enjoyed simuls; I found it impossible to take them seriously.

As a junior I played against Karpov, Petrosian, Smyslov, Korchnoi, Hort, Vaganian, Adorjan and Szabo.

My only decent result was a draw against Karpov. No wins.

I also gave a simul to inaugurate the first Blackpool congress. Never again; I found it exhausting.

Simon Brown
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Simon Brown » Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:53 pm

Hi Andrew

I played in that simul at Charlton and agree Larsen was a true gentleman. After I resigned he even showed me a decent line in the game, I was White (alternating) with a 3..Nge7 Lopez which aged about 14 I had never seen. I was lucky enough to play in several of Leonard's and there was always one each year at CentYMCA, so I played quite a few, with reasonable results.

Andrew Smith
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Andrew Smith » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:10 pm

Hi Paul, Nick and Simon,
When you think of it, we have been privileged to have had the opportunity to have played such legends of the game. The list of players that Nick reeled out looks awesome.....
I was only ever on the fringe of Leonard's junior squads, so I wouldn't have played as many as you Simon.
I have always enjoyed them, but they are nerve wracking whilst you wait for the GM to complete his circuit and you haven't a clue what you are going to play! It was probably extra special to play the Russians in those days when we were juniors because of the 'cold war' /Iron Curtain scenario.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:26 pm

When I played Larsen, he actually gave choice of colour and opening. I gave him white after 1.e4 c5, 2.Nf3 e6, 3.d4 cxd4, 4.Nxd4 Bc5. He was great, doing a commentary and making cheerful comments throughout. My reward for getting a draw (apart from a "bravo" when I avoided a repetition) was a prize of Tal's best games. "Now he wants to play like Tal!", said Larsen.

I've also played Botwinnik, Karjakin, Adams, Short, Miles, Keene, Nunn, Speelman, Barden, Golombek, Paul Littlewood, Hooper, and Hooper + Cafferty. Also, I was part of a small group giving Tiger Hillarp-Persson a few moves' practice for a blindfold simul. (Apologies if I've omitted anyone.) The tandem simul was entertaining, as David put his rook in an aggressive position to sacrifice it against me, then Bernard came round and retreated it. David was not amused...

I've also given simuls (mainly against local schools). The highlight was when a club colleague, who was a teacher at a middle school, said he had got the pupils playing chess.
"Oh good, how many are playing?"
"About 200."
"WHAT? How many pupils are there?"
"Just over 200 - I think I'll get the last few interested as well."

I took on 53 of them one lunchtime (on a replacement basis). Unfortunately, I wasn't told that they operated an adjudication system, so that if one side had an extra rook, they won. So I flamboyantly played Qg8+, to be followed by Nf7 mate after Rxg8, and came round to find a new opponent. I assumed the opponent had resigned, (and well done for spotting the finish albeit late), but he had won as he had an extra queen!

Andrew Smith
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Andrew Smith » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:35 pm

Hi Kevin,
It looks like you have played 'anyone who is anyone' in British Chess!
What was Botwinnik like to play and as a person ?

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Apr 28, 2021 6:49 pm

Apologies to Andrew Martin, simul at Combined Services Tournament, and I should remember that one, as I think I was the sole winner (apart from him of course) ...

Botwinnik happily signed my scorebook beforehand. It was at Ilford in 1967 and players were arranged theoretically in order of strength, and he completely upset the apple cart by starting at board 25 and going clockwise. Organizers were a bit confused at first, but I would have thought you normally go clockwise? He was very professional and just got on with it. He wasn't engaging people in conversation as he went round, but he didn't berate anyone for resigning too late.

It was a valuable lesson for me, as I was the same age Botwinnik was when he beat Capablanca in a simul, so I soon guessed I was not going to be world champion.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by JustinHorton » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:09 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:26 pm
I also gave a simul to inaugurate the first Blackpool congress. Never again; I found it exhausting.
The only time I did, I could barely walk for two days
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Wadih Khoury
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Wadih Khoury » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:21 pm

Do simuls still occur these days in the UK? (Especially for juniors)
There have been a few organised ones online during lockdown, but I am not aware of where to find the OtB ones.

Simon Rogers
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Simon Rogers » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:39 pm

Wadih Khoury wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:21 pm
Do simuls still occur these days in the UK? (Especially for juniors)
There have been a few organised ones online during lockdown, but I am not aware of where to find the OtB ones.
Yes they did pre-pandemic. Especially in the North of England. It's a case of getting in touch with the titled players and asking them if they are willing to do one.
Also a number of Chess clubs tend to advertise them via their local league or Facebook page.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:55 pm

I did one simul where I thought I was having a heart attack, then realized that as the tables were low, that I rested at each board with my left hand on the table as I bent down to analyze and move, so the pins and needles were caused by that...

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:57 pm

Wadih Khoury wrote:
Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:21 pm
Do simuls still occur these days in the UK? (Especially for juniors).
Simuls were a regular feature of the London Chess Classic festival.
I played Speelman (twice) and Nunn. Korchnoi gave a simul in at least one year and I think possibly more than that. Also Short, I’m pretty sure, and others.

They were also - at a much less exalted level - an essential feature of the schools events that took place during the day. The CSC coaches gave simuls against the kids from schools they were looking after each day.

Not that the children could tell the difference. I distinctly remember trying to walk through the lobby and being surrounded by kids demanding my autograph ... as Caruana walked past a few feet away totally ignored.

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:05 pm

Photos of the Korchnoi simul here ...

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... s-xvi.html

... and if you click on the link you can also see a reproduction If The Times front page story of a Karpov simul from the 70s. Imagine that happening now

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: Simultaneous Displays

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:27 pm

I'm very happy to do simuls, or will be once life returns to normal.

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