Bent Larsen
"The Great Dane"
Biography
Bent Larsen was born on March 4, 1935, in Thisted, Denmark. He became the strongest Scandinavian player in history and one of the most creative and original grandmasters of the 20th century.
Larsen learned chess at age 7 and became a strong junior player. He won the Danish Championship five times between 1954 and 1964.
His international breakthrough came at the 1956 Amsterdam Olympiad, where he won the gold medal on board 1 with an outstanding score, ahead of many established stars. This performance announced him as a world-class player.
Larsen was a four-time Candidates qualifier, reaching the Candidates quarterfinals or better on multiple occasions. In 1968, he defeated Oscar Panno and Viktor Korchnoi in Candidates matches before losing to Boris Spassky.
What set Larsen apart was his creativity. In an era when most elite players followed well-trodden theoretical paths, Larsen constantly innovated. He played 1.b3 (the Larsen Opening or Nimzowitsch-Larsen), 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 (the Larsen variation), and other unusual systems. He believed that originality was a weapon in itself.
He was the first Western player to seriously challenge Soviet dominance in the 1960s and 1970s. His famous quote: 'I would rather lose an interesting game than win a boring one.'
Larsen's career had a painful setback at the 1971 Candidates quarterfinal against Bobby Fischer, where he lost 0-6. But he continued playing at a high level for decades.
He moved to Argentina in the 1970s and lived there for the rest of his life. He died on September 9, 2010, in Buenos Aires, at age 75.
Playing Style
Larsen was the most creative top-level player of his generation. He constantly sought original positions and unusual plans, believing that unfamiliarity was a weapon. He was willing to play openings that were considered dubious simply because they would take opponents out of their preparation. His tactical ability was sharp enough to justify his adventurous approach.
Legacy
Larsen proved that a Western player could compete with the Soviet chess machine through creativity and originality. The Larsen Opening (1.b3) remains popular at all levels. His four Candidates appearances established him as one of the strongest players never to challenge for the World Championship.
Key Results
- ♦Candidates quarterfinalist or better, four times
- ♦Won Monaco 1966 (ahead of elite field)
- ♦Won Havana 1967
- ♦Gold medal, board 1, 1956 Amsterdam Olympiad
- ♦Five-time Danish Champion
- ♦Lost 0-6 to Fischer in 1971 Candidates match
- ♦First Western player to consistently challenge Soviet dominance