Igor Ivanov serait très malade

[Réjean Tremblay]

Bonjour, voici un texte de Robert Hamilton sur Chesstalk Anglais. Igor Ivanov aurait un très sérieux cancer du foie.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Robert Hamilton on April 7, 2005, 23:50:14
User logged in as: Robert Hamilton

I was informed by Yasser Seirawan a couple of day ago that Igor Ivanov has been diagnosed as having very serious liver cancer.

I have since written to Igor offering my sympathies and thanking him for being a friend and inspiration in chess.

Igor informed me that the cancer is not cirrhosis. It spread from another part of his body.

He'd like to make it to Canada this summer for one last visit but doesn't know if his health will permit. I'm hoping he is able to visit.

For those who don't know, Igor may have been the strongest Canadian chess player in history and certianly was a dominant force in the 1980's not in Canada, but internationally. His best games are completely amazing and I urge all readers to check out databases and look at the calibre of his play in the events such as the 82' Interzonal.

Igor was instrumental in helping Kevin reach a higher level. He raised the bar in Canadian chess and was a fearsome opponent to be paired against in those years.

I'll share a couple of stories.

At the heigth of his powers, Igor beat the unbeatable Karpov in 1979. In 1980 on route to the Soviet Union from an event in Cuba, his plane stopped in Gander, Newfoundland. He decided to make his move than and jumped the plane and fled the KGB at his heels to successfully defect. Igor thought the plane was in New York.

He made it away from the KGB. Completely stressed by the episode he thought he's buy a beer. His english was very limited but he saw the beer option on a machine...and inserted change. Turns out...Root Beer! The story of his escape was later re-told in New York and became the inspiration of the movie "Moscow on the Hudson".

Igor found the hospitality of the Newfoundlanders so enticing that he made it his home for 6 months.

He then re-located to Montreal. In the summer of 81', he completely killed the field at the Canadian Closed.

That summer I was on my way to Mexico for the World Junior. I stopped by the dimly lit Cafe En Passant en-route. Igor still had to complete the tournament...but had it wrapped up on the crosstable and was out enjoying himself. There was a big crowd admiring his play as he disspatched one player after another.

Someone recognized me when I entered and said it's Robert Hamilton of New Brunswick..play him. Igor..who was drinking spiked coffee said "un partie". I beat him. Igor said "revenge"...I beat him again. But he sobered a little and buckled down and beat me in about and 8 game match. That was the best luck I'd ever have against him...he became my worst nemisis.

I recall at the 1984 Grand Manan International (the first norm tournament in Canada since 1967) taking Igor to see how high the cliffs were on the south end of the island.

Igor decided to go down the cliffs to the ocean. Those cliffs hadn't been scaled since 1956 when a fisherman was forced to do so because his sailing vessel blew ashore.

Moreover...he did it with a gin in his hand. He made it to the bottom..went for a 15 minute swim in the icy October waters of the Bay of Fundy before venturing back up.

When he made it to the top I said "your crazy"..."not crazy, refreshing" Igor replied.

Throughout the 80's he visited me in New Bruswisk many times...we played in many Canadian Closed events which normally he won..or Kevin.

At the Canadian Championship this year he approached me with a few rounds to go and asked that I make sure and spend the last night going out with him...which I did and enjoyed as always.

I last spoke to Igor at the Labour Day tournament in Toronto. His powers were considerably reduced or I wouldn't have won the tournament.

We sat on a park bench in Toronto...reminisced a bit and even talked about whether we'd see each other again.

Igor was/is a magnificent chess player. He's also a very accomplished pianist who still gets paid for doing recitals in concert halls.

Gonna miss him.

Regards,

Robert
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Réjean Tremblay

[John Bleau]

Igor est resté chez moi lors d'un Tournoi du Carnaval, et nous avons tenu un party le samedi soir. En effet, à notre demande il nous a raconté la formidable histoire de sa défection.

Avant son arrivée chez moi, un ami m'a suggéré d'acheter de la bière. Je lui ai répondu: "d'la bière... pour lui??? ce serait comme de l'eau". Une chance que l'on avait le vermouth de Gaétan Campbell... Et j'avais raison: que disait Igor de la bière ? "Horse piss!"

Si le symbole russe est l'ours, Igor en est vraiment l'incarnation humaine ! Un chaleureux personnage qui nous fourni une soirée mémorable dans mon expérience échiquéenne, et celle de plusieurs de mes amis.

Bonne chance, Igor.