{"id":3964,"date":"2024-07-23T22:38:25","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T22:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/?p=3964"},"modified":"2024-07-23T22:45:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T22:45:18","slug":"the-life-and-games-of-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume-2-by-georg-mohr-and-ana-velimirovic-zorica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/the-life-and-games-of-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume-2-by-georg-mohr-and-ana-velimirovic-zorica\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life and Games of Dragoljub Velimirovic (Volume 2)\u00a0by Georg Mohr and Ana Velimirovic-Zorica"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The latest book in the Forgotten Genius series by Thinkers Publishing,<em>&nbsp;The Life and Games of Dragoljub Velimirovic (Volume 2)<\/em>&nbsp;by Georg Mohr and Ana Velimirovic-Zorica, is now available on Forward Chess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Picking up immediately after the end of the first volume, this time we have games, stories and photographs all the way from 1976 to 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is good to be able to read and enjoy many anecdotes from those who knew the player who, despite his extremely impressive attacking flair, never quite managed to push his way up to the highest levels of chess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Vlastimil Hort, Velimirovic was known to him and his Czechoslovakian teammates \u2013 in the chess Olympiads of old \u2013 as the \u2018Yugoslavian Tal\u2019. In their team meetings, it was spelled out that whoever had to face him in the team matches \u2018was forbidden to play the Sicilian Defence\u2019 due, of course, to Velimirovic\u2019s habitual devastating attacks after 1 e4 c5.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"722\" height=\"914\" src=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/p4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3971\" style=\"width:368px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Drasko, 1976.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Even Garry Kasparov \u2013 on his way to the (eventually) winning the World Chess Championship, a route paved with several ferocious Sicilian battles against Anatoly Karpov, avoided the issue in the 1982 Interzonal Tournament, when he played the Caro-Kann Defense against Velimirovic instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:29% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume-2-1709842702.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3969 size-full\"\/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\">The Life and Games of Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirovic: Volume 2<\/a><br><br><strong>Authors:<\/strong> Georg Mohr and Ana Velimirovic &#8211; Zorica<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\">Buy Now<\/a> <strong>|<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/sample\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\"><strong>View Sample<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To whet the appetite, here are some snippets to show how aggressive and creative Velimirovic was over the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-4\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboard rpbchessboard-diagramAlignment-center\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-4\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderFEN($(selector), {\"position\":\"r1bqk2r\\\/pp3ppp\\\/4pn2\\\/2b1P3\\\/3N4\\\/1PN1B3\\\/1PP3PP\\\/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 12\",\"squareSize\":32,\"coordinateVisible\":true,\"turnVisible\":true,\"colorset\":\"original\",\"pieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Velimirovic \u2013 Adorjan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Interzonal, Szirak, 1987<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-1\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgame\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-1\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {\"pgn\":\"[Event \\\"Interzonal, Szirak, 1987\\\"]\\n[Site \\\"?\\\"]\\n[Round \\\"?\\\"]\\n[White \\\"Velimirovic\\\"]\\n[Black \\\"Adorjan\\\"]\\n[Result \\\"1-0\\\"]\\n[SetUp \\\"1\\\"]\\n[FEN \\\"r1bqk2r\\\/pp3ppp\\\/4pn2\\\/2b1P3\\\/3N4\\\/1PN1B3\\\/1PP3PP\\\/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 12\\\"]\\n[PlyCount \\\"4\\\"]\\n\\n{White has just played Be3, setting a trap, which Adorjan failed to spot.} 12... Nd5 {A natural looking move!} 13. Nxe6 {Velimirovic pounced with 13 Nxe6!} Bxe6 14. Bxc5 {kept his advantage into the endgame (1-0, 34). Perhaps Black is not OK, after all\\u2026!?} 1-0\\n\\n\",\"pieceSymbols\":\"native\",\"navigationBoard\":\"scrollLeft\",\"withFlipButton\":true,\"withDownloadButton\":true,\"nboSquareSize\":32,\"nboCoordinateVisible\":true,\"nboTurnVisible\":true,\"nboColorset\":\"original\",\"nboPieceset\":\"cburnett\",\"nboAnimated\":true,\"nboMoveArrowVisible\":true,\"nboMoveArrowColor\":\"r\",\"idoSquareSize\":32,\"idoCoordinateVisible\":true,\"idoTurnVisible\":true,\"idoColorset\":\"original\",\"idoPieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next snippet shows Velimirovic remaining true to his style against the<em>\u00a0real<\/em> Tal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-5\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboard rpbchessboard-diagramAlignment-center\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-5\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderFEN($(selector), {\"position\":\"1r3rk1\\\/5p1p\\\/3p1qp1\\\/2pPb3\\\/R1Q2nB1\\\/1P3P2\\\/2PB1P1P\\\/4R1K1 b - - 0 27\",\"squareSize\":32,\"coordinateVisible\":true,\"turnVisible\":true,\"colorset\":\"original\",\"pieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tal \u2013 Velimirovic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USSR vs. Yugoslavia, 1979<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pawn structure makes it clear that Velimirovic has played his favourite Benoni Defense, despite the quality of the opposition. This was, perhaps, both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. No doubt he could have taken more points from the elite platers by dialling back the aggression on occasion, but that simply was not his style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, his completely uncompromising approach did bring notable victories, such as this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-2\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgame\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-2\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {\"pgn\":\"[Event \\\"USSR vs. Yugoslavia, 1979\\\"]\\n[Site \\\"?\\\"]\\n[Round \\\"?\\\"]\\n[White \\\"Tal\\\"]\\n[Black \\\"Velimirovic\\\"]\\n[Result \\\"0-1\\\"]\\n[SetUp \\\"1\\\"]\\n[FEN \\\"1r3rk1\\\/5p1p\\\/3p1qp1\\\/2pPb3\\\/R1Q2nB1\\\/1P3P2\\\/2PB1P1P\\\/4R1K1 b - - 0 27\\\"]\\n[PlyCount \\\"4\\\"]\\n\\n27... Rb4 {Instead, he risked everything with 27\\u2026Rb4? and even went on to win (0-1, 42).} (27... Ra8 {Black should play 27\\u2026Ra8, with good compensation for the sacrificed pawn.}) 28. Rxb4 {However, Tal had clearly \\u2018decided not to take on the devil\\u2019 by accepting the sacrifice and he exchanged rooks instead with 28 Rxb4.} (28. Bxb4 {In the cold light of day, it seems that accepting the sacrifice would have been correct as after 28 Bxb4! cxb4, both players missed that 29 Re4! would have helped White \\u2018to ward off virtually all threats.\\u2019}) 28... cxb4 29. Re4 0-1\\n\\n\",\"pieceSymbols\":\"native\",\"navigationBoard\":\"scrollLeft\",\"withFlipButton\":true,\"withDownloadButton\":true,\"nboSquareSize\":32,\"nboCoordinateVisible\":true,\"nboTurnVisible\":true,\"nboColorset\":\"original\",\"nboPieceset\":\"cburnett\",\"nboAnimated\":true,\"nboMoveArrowVisible\":true,\"nboMoveArrowColor\":\"r\",\"idoSquareSize\":32,\"idoCoordinateVisible\":true,\"idoTurnVisible\":true,\"idoColorset\":\"original\",\"idoPieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem was that more often than not, the elite players would have seen through the tricks and exploited them as errors. Additionally, top players would switch their openings to keep Velimirovic quiet. For example, Efim Geller, a great theoretician, played as White against him six times and on each occasion started with 1 Nf3!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/blog-creatives-34.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3976\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The last game in the book \u2013 against Viktorya Cmilyte \u2013 will no doubt bring a smile to the face of chess fans; Velimirovic, true to his style until the end, played a very wild Four Pawns Attack against Alekhine\u2019s Defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-6\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboard rpbchessboard-diagramAlignment-center\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-6\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessboardAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderFEN($(selector), {\"position\":\"r2qk2r\\\/ppp1bppp\\\/1nn1p3\\\/3PPb2\\\/2P5\\\/2N1BN2\\\/PP4PP\\\/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 10\",\"squareSize\":32,\"coordinateVisible\":true,\"turnVisible\":true,\"colorset\":\"original\",\"pieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Velimirovic \u2013 Cmilyte<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marianske Lazne, 2010<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerBefore\"><\/p>\n\n<div id=\"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-3\" class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgame\">\n    <noscript>\n        <div class=\"rpbchessboard-javascriptWarning\">\n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        <\/div>\n    <\/noscript>\n    <div class=\"rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor\"><\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        jQuery(document).ready(function($) {\n            var selector = '#' + \"rpbchessboard-6adf67ed6e501-3\" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor';\n            RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {\"pgn\":\"[Event \\\"Marianske Lazne, 2010\\\"]\\n[Site \\\"?\\\"]\\n[Round \\\"?\\\"]\\n[White \\\"Velimirovic\\\"]\\n[Black \\\"Cmilyte\\\"]\\n[Result \\\"1-0\\\"]\\n[SetUp \\\"1\\\"]\\n[FEN \\\"r2qk2r\\\/ppp1bppp\\\/1nn1p3\\\/3PPb2\\\/2P5\\\/2N1BN2\\\/PP4PP\\\/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 10\\\"]\\n[PlyCount \\\"8\\\"]\\n\\n10... exd5 {Here, after 10\\u2026exd5, Velimirovic eschewed the standard 11 cxd5 in favour of 11 Bxb6!?} 11. Bxb6 axb6 12. cxd5 Nb4 13. Nd4 Bg6 {Then, after the text move, he continued to go his own way with the startling move\\u00a014 d6!?} 14. d6 $5 {\\u2026and managed to win, after many adventures (1-0, 40).} 1-0\\n\\n\",\"pieceSymbols\":\"native\",\"navigationBoard\":\"scrollLeft\",\"withFlipButton\":true,\"withDownloadButton\":true,\"nboSquareSize\":32,\"nboCoordinateVisible\":true,\"nboTurnVisible\":true,\"nboColorset\":\"original\",\"nboPieceset\":\"cburnett\",\"nboAnimated\":true,\"nboMoveArrowVisible\":true,\"nboMoveArrowColor\":\"r\",\"idoSquareSize\":32,\"idoCoordinateVisible\":true,\"idoTurnVisible\":true,\"idoColorset\":\"original\",\"idoPieceset\":\"cburnett\"});\n        });\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"rpbchessboard-spacerAfter\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:29% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume-2-1709842702.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3969 size-full\"\/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\">The Life and Games of Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirovic: Volume 2<\/a><br><br><strong>Authors:<\/strong> Georg Mohr and Ana Velimirovic &#8211; Zorica<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/product\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\">Buy Now<\/a> <strong>|<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/sample\/the-life-and-games-of-grandmaster-dragoljub-velimirovic-volume2\"><strong>View Sample<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> <br>This book \u2013 just like the first volume &#8211; is highly recommended to those who like to see swashbuckling chess in action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sean Marsh<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The latest book in the Forgotten Genius series by Thinkers Publishing,&nbsp;The Life and Games of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3964"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3964"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3984,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3964\/revisions\/3984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}