Supergrandmaster

I'm running two fine victories by Gligoric over two of the better U.S. international masters — Bernard Zuckerman and Norman Weinstein. In both it’s easy to see why a supergrandmaster can beat international masters on most occasions.

But only, of course, away from the board. There, nothing tells except talent. Chess is, I believe, unique in that it has no element of chance or luck at all; he who plays the better move wins, every time. Incidentally, I say ‘he’, because although there are some formidably powerful women players today, particularly from Georgia, for some inexplicable reason, none has yet established herself among the supergrandmasters.

Hungarian supergrandmaster Lajos Portisch once gave a recital of songs on Hungarian radio; and at the Wijk aan Zee 1990 tournament sang Schubert’s ‘Winterreise’, accompanied by IM Bouwmeester.