Douglas Griffin
@dgriffinchess.bsky.social
Former chessplayer (1979-1995).
From Scotland.
Writer on Soviet chess history; translator of Russian-language chess literature. Previously published by Chess Informant & Quality Chess.
Website: https://dgriffinchess.wordpress.com/
From Scotland.
Writer on Soviet chess history; translator of Russian-language chess literature. Previously published by Chess Informant & Quality Chess.
Website: https://dgriffinchess.wordpress.com/
Pinned
Hello everyone, and thanks to all who have followed me!
To those who don’t know me from Twitter/X, on this account you may expect to see:
- photos from past chess events
- short threads related to chess history
- links to new & past posts from my blog.
Plus very occasional random stuff.
To those who don’t know me from Twitter/X, on this account you may expect to see:
- photos from past chess events
- short threads related to chess history
- links to new & past posts from my blog.
Plus very occasional random stuff.
Well, I went to Wijk aan Zee in January because I thought I had to be present at this tournament at least once in my life.
But I had so much fun that I'm going back next year as well - for the final 3 rounds, like this year.
But I had so much fun that I'm going back next year as well - for the final 3 rounds, like this year.
October 11, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Well, I went to Wijk aan Zee in January because I thought I had to be present at this tournament at least once in my life.
But I had so much fun that I'm going back next year as well - for the final 3 rounds, like this year.
But I had so much fun that I'm going back next year as well - for the final 3 rounds, like this year.
Gold: from the BBC Archives - the 1972 documentary 'Bobby Fischer - This Little Thing with Me and Spassky'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzlO...
Apart from Fischer interviews, the film features archive footage from the 1959 Candidates, plus footage of the Teesside International of spring 1972.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzlO...
Apart from Fischer interviews, the film features archive footage from the 1959 Candidates, plus footage of the Teesside International of spring 1972.
1972: BOBBY FISCHER - This Little Thing with Me and Spassky | Classic BBC Documentary | BBC Archive
YouTube video by BBC Archive
www.youtube.com
May 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Gold: from the BBC Archives - the 1972 documentary 'Bobby Fischer - This Little Thing with Me and Spassky'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzlO...
Apart from Fischer interviews, the film features archive footage from the 1959 Candidates, plus footage of the Teesside International of spring 1972.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzlO...
Apart from Fischer interviews, the film features archive footage from the 1959 Candidates, plus footage of the Teesside International of spring 1972.
Petition for the clocks to go forward at 4pm on a Friday afternoon instead of in the middle of Saturday night...
March 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Petition for the clocks to go forward at 4pm on a Friday afternoon instead of in the middle of Saturday night...
Three World Champions.
Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky, pictured at the 41st USSR Championship final in Moscow, October 1973. With his back to the camera - Mikhail Tal.
(📷: V. Savostianov, TASS.) #chess
Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky, pictured at the 41st USSR Championship final in Moscow, October 1973. With his back to the camera - Mikhail Tal.
(📷: V. Savostianov, TASS.) #chess
March 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Three World Champions.
Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky, pictured at the 41st USSR Championship final in Moscow, October 1973. With his back to the camera - Mikhail Tal.
(📷: V. Savostianov, TASS.) #chess
Tigran Petrosian and Boris Spassky, pictured at the 41st USSR Championship final in Moscow, October 1973. With his back to the camera - Mikhail Tal.
(📷: V. Savostianov, TASS.) #chess
Beinn Tulaichean (left; 946m), seen from near the summit of Cruach Àrdrain (1046m).
Southern Highlands of Scotland.
We climbed both mountains today. Some much-needed time away from the computer screen.
Southern Highlands of Scotland.
We climbed both mountains today. Some much-needed time away from the computer screen.
March 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Beinn Tulaichean (left; 946m), seen from near the summit of Cruach Àrdrain (1046m).
Southern Highlands of Scotland.
We climbed both mountains today. Some much-needed time away from the computer screen.
Southern Highlands of Scotland.
We climbed both mountains today. Some much-needed time away from the computer screen.
'The Master Game'.
Robert Byrne (USA) v. Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland)
Top-class grandmasters on the BBC, and a classic game by Korchnoi.
This episode was broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday, 27th February 1980. #chess
Robert Byrne (USA) v. Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland)
Top-class grandmasters on the BBC, and a classic game by Korchnoi.
This episode was broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday, 27th February 1980. #chess
March 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
'The Master Game'.
Robert Byrne (USA) v. Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland)
Top-class grandmasters on the BBC, and a classic game by Korchnoi.
This episode was broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday, 27th February 1980. #chess
Robert Byrne (USA) v. Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland)
Top-class grandmasters on the BBC, and a classic game by Korchnoi.
This episode was broadcast on BBC2 on Wednesday, 27th February 1980. #chess
Some photos of Boris Spassky’s memorial service in Moscow are available via the link below.
The tenth World Champion was buried in the Troyekurovo cemetery earlier today. 🕯️
ruchess.ru/news/all/v_m...
The tenth World Champion was buried in the Troyekurovo cemetery earlier today. 🕯️
ruchess.ru/news/all/v_m...
В Москве прошла церемония прощания с Борисом Спасским
Церемония прощания с 10-м чемпионом мира по шахматам Борисом Васильевичем Спасским (1937-2025) прошла в Москве в Преображенской церкви, которая входит в комплекс Храма Христа Спасителя. Проститься со ...
ruchess.ru
March 4, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Some photos of Boris Spassky’s memorial service in Moscow are available via the link below.
The tenth World Champion was buried in the Troyekurovo cemetery earlier today. 🕯️
ruchess.ru/news/all/v_m...
The tenth World Champion was buried in the Troyekurovo cemetery earlier today. 🕯️
ruchess.ru/news/all/v_m...
Pictured, according to the archive, in 1986 - grandmaster & Women's World Champion* Maia Chiburdanidze (b. Kutaisi, USSR, 1961).
*She held the title from 1978-1991.
(📷: B. Kaufman, Novosti Press.) #chess
*She held the title from 1978-1991.
(📷: B. Kaufman, Novosti Press.) #chess
March 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Pictured, according to the archive, in 1986 - grandmaster & Women's World Champion* Maia Chiburdanidze (b. Kutaisi, USSR, 1961).
*She held the title from 1978-1991.
(📷: B. Kaufman, Novosti Press.) #chess
*She held the title from 1978-1991.
(📷: B. Kaufman, Novosti Press.) #chess
Iraida Spasskaya - sister of Boris - also passed away this year, on 23rd January.
A 4-time Soviet champion at Russian draughts (shashki), she was born in wartime evacuation in Sverdlovsk (modern Yekaterinburg) on 6th November 1944.
Pictured here (right) in 1965.
(📷: M. Berger, Novosti Press.)
A 4-time Soviet champion at Russian draughts (shashki), she was born in wartime evacuation in Sverdlovsk (modern Yekaterinburg) on 6th November 1944.
Pictured here (right) in 1965.
(📷: M. Berger, Novosti Press.)
February 28, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Iraida Spasskaya - sister of Boris - also passed away this year, on 23rd January.
A 4-time Soviet champion at Russian draughts (shashki), she was born in wartime evacuation in Sverdlovsk (modern Yekaterinburg) on 6th November 1944.
Pictured here (right) in 1965.
(📷: M. Berger, Novosti Press.)
A 4-time Soviet champion at Russian draughts (shashki), she was born in wartime evacuation in Sverdlovsk (modern Yekaterinburg) on 6th November 1944.
Pictured here (right) in 1965.
(📷: M. Berger, Novosti Press.)
Very sad news. Boris Spassky 1937-2025.
RIP.
RIP.
February 27, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Very sad news. Boris Spassky 1937-2025.
RIP.
RIP.
Hans Ree ('My Chess', 2013) again - on the level of chess content that at one time used to be printed by the national press (at least, in the Netherlands).
February 20, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Hans Ree ('My Chess', 2013) again - on the level of chess content that at one time used to be printed by the national press (at least, in the Netherlands).
A journalist who once saw [Kasparov & Karpov] chatting together amiably enough asked one of the two - I forget which one - how he should square this with the reports about their supposed enmity. The answer he got was: "Who else can I talk about chess with?"
- Hans Ree, ‘My Chess’ (2013).
- Hans Ree, ‘My Chess’ (2013).
February 19, 2025 at 4:37 PM
A journalist who once saw [Kasparov & Karpov] chatting together amiably enough asked one of the two - I forget which one - how he should square this with the reports about their supposed enmity. The answer he got was: "Who else can I talk about chess with?"
- Hans Ree, ‘My Chess’ (2013).
- Hans Ree, ‘My Chess’ (2013).
I don't know if the fictional detective 'Morse' is well known outside the U.K. but the novels by Colin Dexter & especially the TV series, with John Thaw starring in the title role, were extremely popular here.
Morse was a lover of crosswords.
Morse was a lover of crosswords.
February 18, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I don't know if the fictional detective 'Morse' is well known outside the U.K. but the novels by Colin Dexter & especially the TV series, with John Thaw starring in the title role, were extremely popular here.
Morse was a lover of crosswords.
Morse was a lover of crosswords.
Half a century ago today: the 1st round of the biennial international tournament in Tallinn.
Among the pairings: Keres v. Marović. Spassky can be seen passing in the background.
(📷: D. Prants, O. Vihandi, via muis.ee, meediateek.ee.) #chess
Among the pairings: Keres v. Marović. Spassky can be seen passing in the background.
(📷: D. Prants, O. Vihandi, via muis.ee, meediateek.ee.) #chess
February 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Half a century ago today: the 1st round of the biennial international tournament in Tallinn.
Among the pairings: Keres v. Marović. Spassky can be seen passing in the background.
(📷: D. Prants, O. Vihandi, via muis.ee, meediateek.ee.) #chess
Among the pairings: Keres v. Marović. Spassky can be seen passing in the background.
(📷: D. Prants, O. Vihandi, via muis.ee, meediateek.ee.) #chess
65 years old today - German (formerly Soviet) GM Artur Jussupow. World Junior (U-20) Champion in 1977, he was three times a Candidates' semi-finalist.
Seen here in play during his Candidates' Quarter-final match v. Jan Timman in Tilburg, January 1986.
(📷: J. Klok / ANP.) #chess
Seen here in play during his Candidates' Quarter-final match v. Jan Timman in Tilburg, January 1986.
(📷: J. Klok / ANP.) #chess
February 13, 2025 at 9:23 AM
65 years old today - German (formerly Soviet) GM Artur Jussupow. World Junior (U-20) Champion in 1977, he was three times a Candidates' semi-finalist.
Seen here in play during his Candidates' Quarter-final match v. Jan Timman in Tilburg, January 1986.
(📷: J. Klok / ANP.) #chess
Seen here in play during his Candidates' Quarter-final match v. Jan Timman in Tilburg, January 1986.
(📷: J. Klok / ANP.) #chess
Born 75 years ago today in Cheliabinsk, USSR - Evgeny Sveshnikov (1950-2021), without doubt one of the most significant opening theoreticians of the 20th century.
Pictured here at Wijk aan Zee, January 1981.
(📷R. Bogaerts / ANEFO, via nationaalarchief.nl.) #chess
Pictured here at Wijk aan Zee, January 1981.
(📷R. Bogaerts / ANEFO, via nationaalarchief.nl.) #chess
February 11, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Born 75 years ago today in Cheliabinsk, USSR - Evgeny Sveshnikov (1950-2021), without doubt one of the most significant opening theoreticians of the 20th century.
Pictured here at Wijk aan Zee, January 1981.
(📷R. Bogaerts / ANEFO, via nationaalarchief.nl.) #chess
Pictured here at Wijk aan Zee, January 1981.
(📷R. Bogaerts / ANEFO, via nationaalarchief.nl.) #chess
Bobby Fischer, pictured in play v. Yair Kraidman in the 2nd round of the international tournament in Netanya, Israel, 18th June 1968. The Israeli player pushed Fischer all the way but the game ended in a draw in 80 moves.
(📷via jfc.org.il.) #chess
(📷via jfc.org.il.) #chess
February 4, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Bobby Fischer, pictured in play v. Yair Kraidman in the 2nd round of the international tournament in Netanya, Israel, 18th June 1968. The Israeli player pushed Fischer all the way but the game ended in a draw in 80 moves.
(📷via jfc.org.il.) #chess
(📷via jfc.org.il.) #chess
@gmjtis.bsky.social This is the film I was telling you about. Magical.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48r...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48r...
The Love for Wood (chess documentary 1979 - ENG subs)
YouTube video by El Kitch
www.youtube.com
February 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM
@gmjtis.bsky.social This is the film I was telling you about. Magical.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48r...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E48r...
What a final round! Having to miss the playoffs, as I need to catch the plane back to Scotland.
My time in Wijk aan Zee was a total joy. Fantastic atmosphere, new friends made, & it was lovely to meet online acquaintances in person for the first time as well.
#TataSteelChess
My time in Wijk aan Zee was a total joy. Fantastic atmosphere, new friends made, & it was lovely to meet online acquaintances in person for the first time as well.
#TataSteelChess
February 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
What a final round! Having to miss the playoffs, as I need to catch the plane back to Scotland.
My time in Wijk aan Zee was a total joy. Fantastic atmosphere, new friends made, & it was lovely to meet online acquaintances in person for the first time as well.
#TataSteelChess
My time in Wijk aan Zee was a total joy. Fantastic atmosphere, new friends made, & it was lovely to meet online acquaintances in person for the first time as well.
#TataSteelChess
Another glorious morning in Wijk aan Zee!
February 1, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Another glorious morning in Wijk aan Zee!
A packed Café De Zon, with Ivan Sokolov on stage.
January 31, 2025 at 3:51 PM
A packed Café De Zon, with Ivan Sokolov on stage.
Finally made it to Wijk aan Zee. Plane from Aberdeen to Amsterdam early yesterday, visited Rijksmuseum & Max Euwe Centre, then train to Beverwijk, then walked the few remaining kms to the coast.
I really like the place! Already made some friends here. And the weather could hardly be better.
I really like the place! Already made some friends here. And the weather could hardly be better.
January 31, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Finally made it to Wijk aan Zee. Plane from Aberdeen to Amsterdam early yesterday, visited Rijksmuseum & Max Euwe Centre, then train to Beverwijk, then walked the few remaining kms to the coast.
I really like the place! Already made some friends here. And the weather could hardly be better.
I really like the place! Already made some friends here. And the weather could hardly be better.