After 9 rounds, Topalov and Anand still continue to lead the Corus Super Tournament by a full point. They are clearly the two best active players in the world. Mickey Adams rebounded from his disastrous World Championship showing in San Luis and match against Hydra to occupy third place with Boris Gelfand. Even though Karjakin lost to Topalov today, he still shows that he is definitely not out of class in group A. This has been a very exciting tournament!
1- 2. 6.5 GM Viswanathan Anand (India 2792), GM Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria 2801)
3- 4. 5.5 GM Michael Adams (England 2707), GM Boris Gelfand (Israel 2723)
5- 6. 5.0 GM Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine 2729), GM Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine 2660)
7- 8. 4.5 GM Levon Aronian (Armenia 2752), 4.5 GM Peter Leko (Hungary 2740)
9-10. 4.0 GM Sergey Tiviakov (Netherlands 2669), GM Loek van Wely (Netherlands 2647)
11. 3.5 GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan 2709)
12-13. 3.0 GM Etienne Bacrot (France 2717), GM Ivan Sokolov (Netherlands 2689)
14. 2.5 GM Gata Kamsky (USA 2686) 
Thank you Susan for the updates on the Corus Super GM tournament. I noticed Topalov is over 2800 and Anand is very close to 2800 also, and of course Kasparov was over 2800. I’d like you’re opinion on this question. If Bobby Fischer played chess today in 2006 what would his lifetime 2785 rating be, especially with ratings inflation. I have heard Kaspy comment in the past that Bobby had weaker opponents but that argument doesnt hold water. Fischer faced World Champions Petrosian, Spassy, Smyslov, Tal, and even played a 68 move draw vs the great Botvinnik! All of these players we study their games today, no weak players here. Plus he played Reshevsky, Keres, Bronstein, Geller, Gligoric, and Victor Korchnoi who has been called the strongest player never to have been World Champion. So what do you think? Susan?
The above was my Fischer question Susan as I forgot to sign my handle LOL.
TFK
It is hard to say but the difference between Fischer’s rating and other players of his era is big. Therefore, I have to say that it has to rank near Kasparov 21-22 years reign at #1.
I would vote for Garry as the best ever and Fischer a close second.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Susan, So far my predications about Anand,veslin are on track , but for Ivanchuk ,whom I have predicted 3rd.
Kasparov Yes he is forever #1
Whats your take on Magnus C playing in GM-B in current Corus tourney ?
Garry benefited a lot from the use of computers which really helped him tremendously apart from his already huge natural memory bank for at least half his era. Besides that he had lots of books & theoreticians helping him out. So GK was a mean human chess machine in his own right. All this made him probably the greatest ever.
Fischer had no computers, used only books, usually worked alone & was yet dominant & way ahead of the rest during his short era.
We cant really compare the eras. Just like Formula 1 – In the past its purely driver ability & a competitive car. Now its a WHOLE team, a complete machinary if you like which is competing. & that’s what chess has become now. GK & the current batch of GM’s have it. The past masters were basically individuals compared to the Soviets.
If we base on level & quality of play (now is higher than before & naturally so cos of computers)& how those 2 dominated, Kasparov wins hands down as greatest. But as far as natural genius or natural ablity is concerned I would say Fischer…..Wait! Morphy can lay claim to that too!
well the next round 10 is over for Gata Kamsky and he lost again. this time to Bacrot who had a 1/2 point better than him and now has 1 1/2 points more.
I just can not believe that Gata Kamsky can play so terrible.
In Round 9 he was in big trouble as white by move 10. come on now. he has white and is in big trouble by move 10.
Something big time is wrong.
Gata Kamsky owes it to his fans to work his butt off to have a better performance. People are laughing at me now for supporting Kamsky. and I deserve better than that.
some one says that Gata said that he has not looked at a chess book in years. Well that is not supporting his fans. that is just being lazy and ego centered. this is world class chess at the top. everyone does their best. except I guess Gata who wants a free ride.
I hope gata makes a statement to his fans and gets to serious work each and every day. really serious work. no more fooling around.
TFK
Jeff Sonas has answered your question about Fischer. He has done the mathematics to bring it all together.
Fischer was at the top and you should read Jeff’s take on the situation.
http://www.chessmetrics.com/
is jeff’s site. he also did some write ups with Mig in his columns.
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=562
I am sure a google search will bring up much more. jeff did a comparison of all the great players. it was in Migs column for sure.
Don’t be so tough on Kamsky. He “retired” from chess for 8-9 years. In this day and age regarding theory that’s a lifetime; Kamsky should be one of the last players to have his work ethic criticized. He had no reason to study chess, he was pursuing a study in medicine and ended up obtaining a degree in law.
Now that he has decided to return to chess, (probably would have never left if it hadn’t been for a certain relative.) he does have a a lot work to do and I’m certain he’s more aware of that than anyone. He’s an enormous talent and what he is trying to accomplish is going to be extremely difficult.
I wish him the best and will continue to support his comeback no matter what the results. As far as people laughing at me for that, I wouldn’t give a rodent’s rump.
I do not believe in this ‘rating inflation’ idea. I believe that players at all levels know much more about chess that matching levels 20-30 years ago. So your 2500 GM today is not a weaker player than a 2500 of the past. Jeff Sonas calculations are comparing ‘relative dominance’ rather than chess strength. Morphy was no 2700 compared to players of today.
instead of arguing about KAsparov vs. Fischer, can we please have a long match for the world title between Anand and Topalov … For once at least let us have the top two players go head to head! I wonder if some Indian or Bulgarian company would be willing to pony up the money.
eli
How can America not do better in chess? What should we be doing differently?
Bonjour Susan pour l’instant la logique est respectée en tête du tournoi avec Anand et Topalov mais je pense que c’est une grosse déception de voir Bacrot et Kata aux derniéres places !!!
@ bientôt Alain.
Computers do not make any player smarter or more genuis. In fact they make it much easier for a gifted player to become better faster. That would explain why kids in their early teens have obtained GM status. Todays players only know more sharper lines because of computers. I would think that would make Paul Morphy who was in chess’s relative infancy more talented with little or no theory to copy, just sheer genuis! Plus Bobby Fischer studied thousands of magazines, and books, ten to twelve hours a day! Such dedication had a young Bobby actually making corrections to some lines in the books he was studying! Proving Bobby’s genuis! Fischer actually learned Russian so he could study their chess books. 30 years ago larry Christiansen has said most theory was 15 moves deep now it goes 30 moves deep and more, explaining Kramniks short draws. Also this long theory memorization has young Masters instead of studying the board in tourny’s actually leaning back and gazing at the ceiling recalling theory they memorized from computer programs. To me that doesnt make a 2700 better or smarter just more informed. Morphy, Alekhine, Tal, and Fischer had insight and artistic creativity from chessic brilliancy’s not from man made computer chips!
TFK