Who is the most colorful World Champion ever?
– Fischer
– Kasparov
– Spassky
– Another choice?
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Bobby Fischer because he had genuis ability and you never knew what to expect on what he would play over the board in the course of a game. Also his eccentric personality lends credence to his flashy personna.
Bobby. I don’t quite know if I can explain what makes him colorful to me. Fischer was a legend when I was a child and they told us that The Russians are creating WCs very systematically (like in a factory). And that Fischer had to pave his way alone like a self made man. I know I am not talking truth but it is the myth and the myth has so much power on me ( I am a product of the cold war) and on others. So even if it may be a lie Fischer in my mind remains a symbol for child-like innocence and beauty. the most colorful – the flower. The prince from the fairy tales.
Petrosian dared to be different. The others are superficial personalities by comparison.
Fischer was the least colorful World Champion ever. He spent his entire two year reign completely out of the public eye.
Probably Capablanca was the most colorful with his playboy, Latin lover image. Or maybe Tal, just because of his style.
“So even if it may be a lie Fischer in my mind remains a symbol for child-like innocence and beauty. the most colorful – the flower. The prince from the fairy tales.”
That’s kind of touching, but also a bit sad. Even in those days, before Fischer became a Nazi, it was known that he was kind of a jerk. I’ve never had much use for communism either, but even in the 70’s, the whole Fischer-Spassky experience was kind of soured for me just because Spassky was so much more gracious and well-mannered than Fischer was. I didn’t just want to beat the Commies on the chessboard, I wanted to beat them in the humanities too, and in that area Fischer came up far short. Kind of like an embodiment of the so-called “Ugly American”.
Morphy is more deserving of the kind of honor you’re giving. He took on, not the Commies, but the Old World, pretty much single-handedly, and beat them with grace and style.
I would agree that Capablanca was the most colorful World Champion — suave, sophisticated, a womanizer, a credentialed diplomat and reputation for infallibility at the chess board.
T A L ! ! !
T A L ! ! ! !
Alekhine. A complex and strange man but never dull.
Capablanca because he was a movie star.
You are Susan!! And Paul is quite colorful too, but not a WC!!!
Lasker competes here with Talj.
TOP10- Kasparov;Fischer;Karpov;Tal;Capablanca;Lasker;Botwinik;Kranmik;Anand;Topalov
hugo
TOP10(2/2)
8.Kranmik;9. Anand;10. Topalov
Hugo
“You are Susan!! And Paul is quite colorful too, but not a WC!!!”
“TOP10(2/2)
8.Kranmik;9. Anand;10. Topalov”
Typical of these threads. We always get some people who ignore the question completely in order to kiss up to Susan, and others who ignore it and just plug their favorite players. (Kramnik colorful?? LOL. Never heard him called that before.)
Capablanca was a great chessplayer and a latin lover or whatever but nobody knew what chess was before Bobby put the chess on the map! I mean if you say Tal, Alekhine, or Capablanca the non chess world wouldnt even know who they are! Champions are not nice guys, which leads to the old addage nice guys finish last! You have to have a take no prisoners, I am the best attitude with a fierce competitive nature which Garry Kasparov often exhibited after a loss. Petrosian was a bore on the chess board and even more so in real life. You guys are missing the point. niceness doesnt creat legend or charisma. Jim Morrison of The rock ban The Doors was far from likeable with his rebellious and alcoholic personality. Chess ability alone does not make a charismatic colorful chess star! You can say 1 name Bobby and the world knows who you are talking about! Try the others and watch the head scratching!
Colourful: Fischer and Capablanca.
Even non chessplayers knew about both of these World Champions.
Capablanca because of his good looks was more popular than Rudolfo Valentino the movie star in his prime! He had charisma and was a charmer with the ladies. Many stories abound on his exploits during a tournament including when his mistress and wife both arrived at the tournament hall!
Fischer took on the entire Soviet chess machine singlehandledly and beat them. He learned from the Soviet chess School better than any of Botvinnik’s pupil’s!
I also think Morphy was colourful for taking on the Old Chess World and defeating them all! His bravado was without challenge. He did it in the manner of a southern gentleman but make no mistake the huge impact he had on Europe and the future of chess play. Steinitz and through extension Lasker were his legacy.
Tal was colourful also but not to those outside of chess.
“nobody knew what chess was before Bobby put the chess on the map!”
Nonsense. That’s what the Fischer worshippers like to believe, but Capablanca was quite famous in his day, as was Morphy. Chess was of course quite famous in the Soviet Union already (remember the bit about Fischer beating the Russians at their own game?), so saying Fischer put chess on the map is like saying Columbus discovered America, rather than the people he met there.