Любопытное совпадение.

Очень похожая история произошла и со мной — я об этом писал на сайте два года назад поздравляя Зиновия Иссаковича с 80-летием. Хочу воспользоваться случаем и пожелать многих и плодотворных лет юбиляру.

Jake Kacher, Los Angeles, USA

As usual during a tournament, several of the checker players got together in someone’s hotel room to tiredly play some «easy» games to unwind after a gruesome tournament day. Mr. Zirik never played (he liked to watch and comment) but was kind of dozing on his elbow while monitoring several games at the same time.

Suddenly he jumped up and started shouting «I found it! I found it! Oh my God! Oh my God!»

We of course stopped playing to ask what was the matter?

«In fourteen moves this game will come to the position» Zirik said excitingly, pointing to my game, «that is a mirror image of the idea I worked on some 20 years ago on a 8×8 board — but it did not work there — the board was too small. But it works here on 10×10!».

And lo and behold he made the 14 moves for us, and from there demonstrated the most incredible endgame we could ever imagine, with dozens of variations, continuations, star moves, paradoxical endings, often lasting over 20 moves each!

As you notice I use the epithet «incredible» a lot when describing Zirik — what would you use to describe someone who could do that?

As great as a player Zirik was, he was even greater as a coach. He gave of himself with abundance, and not only to his students but to all. Zirik wrote many articles, books, comments, etc. — but the most incredible thing that he did were his public lectures.

Imagine hundreds of people at the tournament watching Zirik giving a lecture. At first only kids listen attentively while the older «adult» distinguished masters just nod with a smirk «we know that» and continue with what they are doing.

But after a while they too are drawn in — the incredible (yes «incredible» again) analyses go on to levels no one has ever seen or imagined; the questions answered with details that could only be thought right there, on a spot; the ideas born and developed in front of your own eyes — and with your participation for Mr. Zirik had the incredible ear to hear and to involve his audience.

Personal snobbery forgotten even grandmasters jump in arguing this point or that — all smitten away by the genius who addresses each player by his child’s name — for he knew them all from that age and to him a world champion remained a «Bobby» or a «Sasha».

All this was done with such enthusiasm for the game, with such depth of creativity, with such emotion — that one just knew he was present at the «happening» of checkers brilliancy, at the one of those memorable moments in your life one cherishes forever.

Зачем же ссылку когда я поставил сам техт?
Прошу прощения что не перевожу — для меня тяжело а кому то будет даже удовольствие почитать на английском.