Photo of GM Vlastimil Hort in 2005 via Wikimedia Commons
Czech grandmaster Vlastimil Hort was among the world's best players in the 1960s, '70s, and into the mid-'80s. Born in Czechoslovka, the five-time national Czech champion emigrated to West Germany in 1985 and was subsequently the 3 time West German national champ. GM Hort has played against most World Champions of the modern era, and has memorable stories about Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky, Paul Keres, and countless others. GM Hort is also the co-author of the classic instructional book, The Best Move, and his latest book, My Chess Stories, 64 Stories From My Life Near the Top in Chess has recently been translated to English. GM Hort reflects on a few of the standout stories in our interview, including how a bribe at a chess tournament in Tunis helped him escape Czechoslovakia in 1985. He also gives us the details of his less-than-pleasant interactions with GM Mikhail Botvinnik. So many fun stories below, and such an honor to speak with GM Hort. Please read on for timestamps and more details.
In addition to listening via audio, a transcript is available of this podcast thanks to the efforts of Dr. Stephen Sparks. You can read the interview transcript here.
Click here to download the episode.
0:00- We launch in by GM Hort sharing his memories of attending Hastings 1967, a tournament for which he had no money to attend, so he ended up sleeping in a park en route to the facilities. Chess has come a long way!
Mentioned: Hastings 1967-1968
7:30- Why did GM Hort decide to emigrate from the Czechoslovakia to Germany? He tells the amazing story of bribing passport control after theTunis Interzonal in 1985.
Mentioned: Wilfried Hilgert, Tunis Interzonal 1985, GM Mikhai Suba, GM Evgenij Ermenkov
14:00- Hort tells a story involving his fellow Czech native who recently passed away, GM Lubomir Kavalek.
Mentioned: GM Anatoly Karpov, Leonid Brezhnev
16:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Get Chessable’s IOS app if you haven’t already, and you can check out their latest offerings here:
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17:30- GM Hort did not have the best relationship with former World Champion, GM Mikail Botvinnik. What events led to this bit of discontent?
Mentioned: GM Bent Larsen, GM Paul Keres
24:00- GM Hort had a famously tough loss against GM Boris Spassky in 1977 during the Candidates cycle. How does he look back on that match? And how is GM Boris Spassky doing today?
Mentioned: GM Vladimir Kramnik, GM William Lombardy. GM Lajos Portisch, GM Pal Benko, GM Bent Larsen, GM Viktor Korchnoi
30:00- GM Hort answers a Patreon mailbag question: how did it feel to compete against Soviet players when one had to worry about the possibility of collusion?
Mentioned: GM Karpov, GM Lajos Portisch, GM Bent Larsen, Wolfram Hartmann,
34:00- It has been alleged that GM Milan Matulovic accepted a bribe to throw the Candidates match against Taimanov in the FIDE Candidates in 1970? Does GM Hort find this story credible?
36:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com!
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37:30- Was there a test given to Czech youth to assess chess talent? What constitutes chess talent?
Mentioned: Lubomir Ljubovic, GM Tony Miles, GM Lajos Portisch
42:00- How did GM Hort study middlegames?
Mentioned: GM Hans Kmoch, Rubinstein Chess Masterpieces
44:00- Another Patreon question: How did the idea for the classic book, The Best Move, come about?
Mentioned: GM Boris Gelfand, GM Jacob Aagaard
46:30- Patreon question: Who was the most intimidating player to play against? This leads to GM Hort sharing some recollections of the famed Match of the Century in 1970.
Mentioned: GM Lev Polugaevsky
50:00- How was GM Hort’s relationship with Bobby Fischer?
Mentioned: GM Svetozar Gligoric, GM Eugenio Torre
55:00- What does GM Hort think of modern chess and the increased importance of computers? He also mentions the name of the player who, in his opinion, is the best player that ever was.
Mentioned: GM Firouzja, GM Jorden van Forrest, GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Anish Giri, Bobby Fischer
58:00- Patreon question: What keeps GM Hort loving chess after all of those years?
1:02:00- How does GM Hort keep up with modern chess?
1:03:00- What are GM Hort’s favorite activities outside of modern chess?
1:06:00- Thanks so much to GM Hort for joining us and sharing some amazing stories! His book is available here:
https://chess.co.uk/products/vlastimil-hort-my-chess-stories
Thanks to Michael Busse of the Schachgeflüster Podcast.
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