It’s Saturday Open Forum!
The big event in Mainz is about to conclude. Aronian shows that he will be a force in Mexico City. Anand once shows his superiority in Rapid. Kamsky shows that he is back.
Speaking of Mexico City, it is less than 25 days left before the start of the 2007 World Championship. Is Kramnik the favorite or will it be Anand or Aronian?
It is Saturday Open Forum. The forum is yours!
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Good to see Gata doing well.
Go Gata!
Excuse me Susan
The diagram you posted from the Staunton memorial does not appear. I think there is a problem.
Also the picture that should appear in the post “Anand leads Rapid in Mainz” does not appear. Other posts are fine.
They appear fine on my screen. Can you refresh your page and see if they come up?
Thanks!
Susan Polgar
Susan Hi,
I think it’s absolutely incorrect to estimate the chances of a player to win the Mexico WCH by his rating. When we talk about 2700+ level – the rating means almost nothig, especially in a tournament (whereas in a match it may be a little more meaningful).
So it’s ridiculous to state that Anand and Kramnik are the clear favoutites.
By the way, does anyone know how long before they will arrive to Mexico?
YEVLEV.
Of course they are fine on your screen, because you have the files locally
Yevlev, I agree. This will be a tough event for anyone to win. No one expected Topalov to win in San Luis either.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Are you saying you can’t see it? I see it fine and I’m about 5000 miles away from Susan 🙂
They are fine now
I’m sorry guys, but Gata was eliminated.:(
I will be surprised if it is not Anand or Aronian winning in Mexico.
Susan:
What is your take on bughouse scholarships in scholastic national events?
Susan,
A small admin request – will you consider retiring more of the older stories to the archive (still to be reached through a link), since the site takes long to load for those of us unfortunate to have broadband?
Thanks,
Chris Els
What has happened with the so called Public Trial of Fide about Topalov. It was suppose to start on July 28. I have no word on it at all. If it was public, I would expect some word.
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2007/07/public-trial-to-begin-july-28-in-athens.html#links
susan will judit b playing n e more tournamentrs this yr or perhasps corus
I must disagree with Susan when she says that no one expected Topalov to win in San Luis.
Gary Kasparov said that only Anand, Leko or Topalov could win it. Topalov was 2nd Favourite behind Anand in most peoples eyes. I also seem to remember he was 2nd favourite to win with betson.com.
Chessbase published an article by a statistician using all sorts of numerical evidence to make Topalov 2nd favourite.
So I am curious as to where the idea that he was an outsider comes from?
Susan – congrads on your move – hope its the best youve ever made –
whatever happened to the idea of online lessons ?
Did Judit Polgar ever win any World or Women’s World Chess Championships?
Is she going for the Women’s World Chess Championship now? She’s the best female player, isn’t she?
Who, of those awarded Chess Scholarships via the ‘SP’ tournaments, are now at the awarding Universities, TTU or Texas A&M?
Have I missed Susan Polgar’s commentary on the votes, issues and debates at the USCF Executive Board meeting, or has there not been one?
I think Kramnik is most likely winner, after him: Anand, Aronian, Leko
Susan, I wish you success on your move! Please announce on your blog and chess center website the dates you are visiting your chess center in Queens, New York City; my cousins live near Union Turnpike and I would like to drop by next time you have a lecture, etc.
From the USCF Issues Forum:
Now that the election is over, I can say what I really think and not care if I alienate half the voters.
Chess is a great gym for the mind. It develops the young, keeps the old in shape, makes friends, and is somewhat interesting. But, in America, is it a good profession?
The dark side of chess is its allure. For the extremely talented, there can be both internal and external pressures to become a chess professional. Externally, there is probably no greater entry on a chess teacher’s resume than “I taught grandmaster so-and-so.” The teacher would love for the student to become a grandmaster and may pressure him or her to do so. Internally – and I speak from personal experience – chess can be a comforting refuge. The talented young teenager is just like any other young teenager: insecure, anxious over his or her identity and future, and is probably already viewed as a complete nerd by classmates. But if they truly excel at chess, suddenly the talented teenagers are idols to fellow teenager chessplayers. Adults chessplayers respect and even fear them. And every chessplayer seems to want to be their friend.
I have very great respect for grandmasters and those capable of becoming grandmasters. As a Ph.D. and former visiting member of the Institute for Advanced Study, I have met Nobel Prize winners and Fields Medal winners. Yet if I were to name the top ten most brilliant persons I have ever met, over half of them would be chessplayers.
The point of this thread is that, in America, anyone with all that talent, brilliance, and work ethic can excel at a great many other professions where the pay is ten times more and the respect, other than from chessplayers, is fifty times greater.
Moreover – and I welcome comments from grandmasters on this – there are other drawbacks to being a grandmaster, especially in America. Unless you are the world champion, there is always someone better than you. If you are young, you can delude yourself for a while that you will become world champion, but sooner or later you realize the truth. So ultimately you write books, teach some, and pick up some prize money at tournaments. Worse, as you turn 45 or 50, when your experience, wisdom, and judgment should make you very valuable to society, in chess you are all but over-the-hill. And I will bet that at some stage in your life you question the purpose of all of it. After all, chess is just a game and other things are indeed more important than chess. But, once you acknowledge this to yourself, you are washed-up. Your work ethic can never be the same. I have said about mathematicians and I say about grandmasters, the first time you rush your child to the emergency room is the last time you think that math or chess is all that important.
Again, from experience, I can tell you that it is tough going from an activity or profession where you are highly respected to beginning anew in some other endeavor where you are considered a snot-nosed, ignorant freshman. But if you are ever going to make the shift, the longer you wait, the harder it is.
So my thesis is, chess is a excellent game. It is good for the young and adults, but before anyone is encouraged to become a professional chessplayer in America, they should be carefully advised of the consequences and alternatives.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know where the title of this thread comes from? (Excluding Harry, who I am sure knows.)
Stephen Jones
Creative brain of Aronian is ready to beat Kramnik, Anand, Topalov, …
Just wait a little and enjoy brilliant games of KING – ARONIAN !!!
It’s not a RAPID, it’s a CLASSIC, where Aronian will show how FANTASTIC he has prepared in ARMENIA!