Let's not be hasty. There is a big difference between being in the KGB and responding pliably to pressures brought against you by a totalitarian police state, whether for career or personal reasons. Also, what exactly is it that these players did? Meet with the political bigwigs? Pledge their loyalty to the state? Big deal. Active cheating is something else, but even then, if the KGB comes to you and says "we planted a bug and discovered what your opponent plans, and we want to make sure you are aware of this and plan for it", that is not the same thing as hiring someone yourself to plant the bug. (Much deeper investigation would be necessary to see if someone "sinned in their heart" by hoping for such aid, or instead despised it and reluctantly gave in to pressure and to knowledge it's difficult to avoid being given.)
More or less agree with Schach Attack here. Being in the KGB and being compelled to work for them are not the same.
And that's if these accusations even hold water, which is hard to say without a historian looking at the book and its sources.
It would be a shame if this book stoked the rumor mill about some of chess's greats, and its claims hadn't been carefully double-checked.
However, if the KGB accusations are true, I wouldn't exactly be stunned.
Someone should write Brian Dunning and try and get this turned into a Skeptoid episode. 😉
Petrosian's chess career was nothing more than a cover for his true profession, that of the most effective assassin ever produced by the Komitet.
There was an old legend in the KGB about Petrosian doing field work with a young brash agent. When the two saw their target, the young agent aimed his weapon and fired, determined to take the mark out before the Armenian. But the gun didn't go off.
Petrosian slowly aimed his gun at the target, winked at the brash upstart and said, "safety first!" as he fired.
Originally posted by ThabtosNow that's entertainment!
Petrosian's chess career was nothing more than a cover for his true profession, that of the most effective assassin ever produced by the Komitet.
There was an old legend in the KGB about Petrosian doing field work with a young brash agent. When the two saw their target, the young agent aimed his weapon and fired, determined to take the mark out before the ...[text shortened]... ed his gun at the target, winked at the brash upstart and said, "safety first!" as he fired.
Originally posted by ThabtosRec'd 🙂
Petrosian's chess career was nothing more than a cover for his true profession, that of the most effective assassin ever produced by the Komitet.
There was an old legend in the KGB about Petrosian doing field work with a young brash agent. When the two saw their target, the young agent aimed his weapon and fired, determined to take the mark out before the ...[text shortened]... ed his gun at the target, winked at the brash upstart and said, "safety first!" as he fired.
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Originally posted by EinZweiDreiI am somewhat sceptical. Let's see... Karpov and Petrosian. Not the most attacking, and therefore not the most personally popular players around. And, surprise, who was Korchnoi's nemesis? Right. And Samaranch, and Campomanes... we all know how well-beloved they were. I wouldn't be at all surprised if some Soviet chess players were press-ganged by, or even fully on the side of, the KGB, but the list would be a bit more believable if there were a few people's favourites on them, like Tal or Kasparov.
More or less agree with Schach Attack here. Being in the KGB and being compelled to work for them are not the same.
And that's if these accusations even hold water, which is hard to say without a historian looking at the book and its sources.
Richard