Fantastic Interview

Pointed out to me from another site.

The 14th World Champion, VLADIMIR KRAMNIK, talks to VLADIMIR BARSKY,
sharing his views on thirteen chess kings...

(and in depth view of all the World Champs from Steinitz to Kasparov).

A very enlightening and an enjoyable read.
(go an make a cup of tea/coffee first, it's quite a read.)

He mention something I never considered in the Fischer v Karpov specualtion.
(who would have won?)
I've always gone for Fischer because Kaprov was not match hardened
(he picked that up from the Korchnoi match) also Karpov was not quite
the great Karpov we came to know and Fischer was Fischer.

Kramnik mentions Karpov had a trump card. Geller!

(By coincidence last night I was looking at Geller's Trap in the KID - he caught
two players with it in the same tournament. Of course I searched the DB and
see a lad here too has sprung it - the next blog is sorted).

Geller.
He had a plus v Fischer and he could have tooled up Karpov in opening prep.
Karpov would have listened.

Geller was one of Spassky's second in '72 but Boris was wee bitty lazy in his prep.
When advised to look at some Queens Gambit lines by his team Boris said;

"Fischer would never play that." (oops) and went off to play tennis.

The Geller angle is something I never considered.

" As for level of play Fischer would have been superior to Karpov. However,
if Karpov could have gained a real edge in the opening, the match would have
seen an even contest." Kramnik.

Anyway....

Superb article/interview and free! Something I would have paid for.

http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=61

I heartily endorse the previous post in this thread.

"He is truth in chess"



Yep.

great stuff. still on my first cup. coffee goes well with that interview, anyone has experience with tea?

Originally posted by tharkesh
great stuff. still on my first cup. coffee goes well with that interview, anyone has experience with tea?

Earl Grey works.

Amazing!! finally someone who appreciates Smyslov's appropriately!

Would it really be a surprise that Kramnik likes Smyslov's play? His comments on Lasker were the most interesting to me I suppose.

Originally posted by nimzo5
Would it really be a surprise that Kramnik likes Smyslov's play? His comments on Lasker were the most interesting to me I suppose.

i like Capa, international playboy and natural chess genius, reminds me of myself, also
his appraisal of Tal, who played for fun, awesome interview.

I thought his comments about Petrosian were interesting. Not many people think of Petrosian as a tactician.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
The 14th World Champion, VLADIMIR KRAMNIK, talks to VLADIMIR BARSKY, sharing his views on thirteen chess kings...

http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=61

Finally, someone (and what a someone!) who agrees with me that my two greatest chess heroes, Lasker and Euwe, are underestimated by the chess "establishment"! Any article which mentions that cannot be bad.

And the rest is very good as well.

Richard