Magnus

The greatest chess player of all time?

Yay or nay? If not, who then?

Lasker eh?
He didn’t focus solely on chess eh?
He did math and philosophy and other stuff eh?
He still crushed everyone and was world champion for 27 years?
He didn’t even study and he would send his opponents into a rage when he played his own moves instead of the best move eh?
That was over 100 years ago eh?
If he was here today and focused on chess we would be in awe eh?

@old-indian said
Lasker eh?
He didn’t focus solely on chess eh?
He did math and philosophy and other stuff eh?
He still crushed everyone and was world champion for 27 years?
He didn’t even study and he would send his opponents into a rage when he played his own moves instead of the best move eh?

@whodey said
From what I know about Magnus, he also did not follow a traditional route. His talent is more raw than the average GM that you simply cannot teach.

So I reckon Magnus has a few more years to go to impress you then, eh?

If there is a case to be made for Lasker (there is) then there is a case to be made for Botvinnik.
Botvinnik's reign was not connected like Lasker's but it is believes the Soviets had Botvinnik lose WC matches to allow other Soviets (Tal) to claim title, too

@earl-of-trumps said
If there is a case to be made for Lasker (there is) then there is a case to be made for Botvinnik.
Botvinnik's reign was not connected like Lasker's but it is believes the Soviets had Botvinnik lose WC matches to allow other Soviets (Tal) to claim title, too

@old-indian said
Lasker eh?
He didn’t focus solely on chess eh?
He did math and philosophy and other stuff eh?
He still crushed everyone and was world champion for 27 years?
He didn’t even study and he would send his opponents into a rage when he played his own moves instead of the best move eh?
That was over 100 years ago eh?
If he was here today and focused on chess we would be in awe eh?

@moonbus said
Lasker was still holding his own in major tournaments into his sixties, drawing or defeating champions who succeeded him. His performance in NY 1924, for example, was stupendous.

I second the motion for Lasker.

I think it is kind like comparing the way hockey use to be played and the way it is played today.

-VR

@whodey said
The greatest chess player of all time?

Yay or nay? If not, who then?

@lemondrop said
I think Bobby Fischer was the greatest
most dominate player ever
all other world champions had equal rivals
Fischer had none
I'd give second to Capablanca
the only knock against Fischer is that he was looney as a jay bird

@very-rusty said
Again that was in a different time and era, how would they do against the best in todays world?

-VR

@lemondrop said
I think Bobby Fischer was the greatest
most dominate player ever
all other world champions had equal rivals
Fischer had none
I'd give second to Capablanca
the only knock against Fischer is that he was looney as a jay bird

@old-indian said
and he ran away from Karpov eh?

Morphy deserves a nod