1979 proved to be a crucial year in Garry Kasparov's career. From a young man who brings sensations and breaks the established stereotypes, he quickly turned into an extra-class chess player, from whom everyone always expects success! The Baku resident started the year without a title and an international rating, and ended it as a member of the USSR national team.
Just as the Sokolsky Memorial in 1978 changed attitudes towards him in the Soviet Union, so did the tournament in Banja Luka in the West. Before the start, the locals were indignant that the Soviets did not respect them at all - they were sending them some boys. But... after the start of Kasparov - 9 out of 10 -, the tone changed, and everyone began to count and wonder the kind of a rating Garry would reach by the end of the tournament?
Immediately after the end of the 10th round, the well-known Yugoslav journalist Dimitrie Belica ran into the hall, who exclaimed publicly: “Yes, Kasparov is the new Fischer!”
At the same time, the image of Kasparov was formed. And then another witz from Eduard Gufeld. At one of the banquets, talking about Garry's opening repertoire, he said to him: “Garry, how can you hesitate between the Sicilian and the Caro-Kann? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? You are a true mafioso. Sicilian only!"
He tore everyone apart with his hurricane attacks, went forward, and his pieces overcame any obstacles, crushed any rivals. And yet...
At the 1979 USSR Championship, he started with three victories, and finished the tournament with the same "+3", which allowed him to cling to the "bronze". He could well have taken the gold medal, if not for an inexplicable failure in the second half, when he almost lost four games in a row. Without failures, there are no victories, - at that moment, Garry understood that clearly.
Not surprisingly, immediately after the USSR Championship in Minsk, he (as second reserve, as it is) was included in the Union team for the 1980 European Championship. "Why only second?" Kasparov asked Baturinsky, not without a smile...
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