...Is OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!! Why oh why isn't he a professional chess player?? Fighting it out with the absolute BEST players in the World and in joint first! Is he British no.1? It's certainly looking like it atm! 😲🙄😲🙄😲
How many have heard about Jonathan Penrose? Another prodigy, well beyond a prodigy, who never became professional.
Indeed, the brother of Roger Penrose ( the world renowned and probably of Britain's greatest physicists ), Jonathan Penrose won the British championship a current record of ten times in the 60s and early 70s and was Britains number 1 an equal amount times in those years. He beat Mikhail Tal when Tal was at his best in 1960, and captained various Olympiad victories for the Britisn team.
A complete sin, if you ask me, that Jonathan never became professional; but he wanted to concentrate on his studies and Doctorate.
I'm sure Luke will become professional soon enough.
Luke did, and maybe still does, work for Goldman Sachs. I know he did in 2007-08 after completing his Masters degree. Not sure he survived the fall-out from the Crash. But you can be sure he'll not put chess ahead of investment banking, not while he needs to put bread on the table
Originally posted by atticus2 Luke did, and maybe still does, work for Goldman Sachs. I know he did in 2007-08 after completing his Masters degree. Not sure he survived the fall-out from the Crash. But you can be sure he'll not put chess ahead of investment banking, not while he needs to put bread on the table
I can understand the desire to make a good living, but the way he's played in the last three LCC's suggests to me that he could probably break into the World elite if he wanted. His play has been really strong! Beating all of the British players. Out of the three leaders, he has possibly the 'easiest' last two games. If he won the tournament, he'd have out performed the four strongest players in the World!
Originally posted by mikelom How many have heard about Jonathan Penrose?
Not forgetting Oliver Penrose who plays in the Edinburgh Chess.
(we have crossed swords twice - one loss and one draw.)
in 2009 aged 80 Oliver won the Lothian Championship seeing off a few
top Scottih players.
He must hold the record for a gap between playing someone again.
I simply cannot recal his opponent but Oliver played him in 1950 and
the next time they met was in a Scottish tounrment 50+ years later.
Originally posted by Marinkatomb I can understand the desire to make a good living, but the way he's played in the last three LCC's suggests to me that he could probably break into the World elite if he wanted. His play has been really strong! Beating [b]all of the British players. Out of the three leaders, he has possibly the 'easiest' last two games. If he won the tournament, he'd have out performed the four strongest players in the World![/b]
It's very hard for a Western player, with a Western standard of living, to make professional chess pay. The very elite (top 10 or so) do OK; the rest struggle. Both Anand (in Spain) & Kramnik (in France) live to Western economic standards; some lesser elites (eg Shirov) also. But it's hard, short-lived, and insecure employment
Originally posted by atticus2 It's [b]very hard for a Western player, with a Western standard of living, to make professional chess pay. The very elite (top 10 or so) do OK; the rest struggle. Both Anand (in Spain) & Kramnik (in France) live to Western economic standards; some lesser elites (eg Shirov) also. But it's hard, short-lived, and insecure employment[/b]
Was he doing IB for Goldman? An odd choice, as usually you see the talented juniors go into prop trading. Wouldn't surprise me if his return to chess last year was related to cutbacks at GS. I thought he qualified for Wijk but it appears that he isn't playing so maybe he has a new job somewhere and his London apearance is a swan song.
Originally posted by nimzo5 Was he doing IB for Goldman? An odd choice, as usually you see the talented juniors go into prop trading. Wouldn't surprise me if his return to chess last year was related to cutbacks at GS. I thought he qualified for Wijk but it appears that he isn't playing so maybe he has a new job somewhere and his London apearance is a swan song.
I'm sure he was victim of the cutbacks. And yes, it looks likely he has a new job.
Incidentally, after the latest LCC, Luke (2691) has overtaken Nigel Short (2689) on 'live ratings' to become the 2nd ranked Brit behind Adams (2711). At 2691, that's a new 'top' for Luke too
I think that McShane has the perfect existence. He gets to make millions during the year, and when Winter comes around, he beats the hell out of the world chess elite.
He was never a victim of cutbacks. He took a sabbatical from GS to play more chess, but he went back.
Originally posted by mikelom How many have heard about Jonathan Penrose? Another prodigy, well beyond a prodigy, who never became professional.
Indeed, the brother of Roger Penrose ( the world renowned and probably of Britain's greatest physicists ), Jonathan Penrose won the British championship a current record of ten times in the 60s and early 70s and was Britains number 1 an equal ...[text shortened]... te on his studies and Doctorate.
I'm sure Luke will become professional soon enough.
-m.
I have read some great articles on Jonathan in the british magazine "Chess" He played some amazing games
Originally posted by Thabtos I think that McShane has the perfect existence. He gets to make millions during the year, and when Winter comes around, he beats the hell out of the world chess elite.
He was never a victim of cutbacks. He took a sabbatical from GS to play more chess, but he went back.
Ha- I think you need to familiarize yourself with how Goldman works. He would have to be a star in IB and have put 10+ years in before he ever started seeing real money. Most never make it that far as they get chewed up by the hours and the backstabbing. An exceptional group of people nonetheless.
Then again a junior IB at Goldman will make more money in a couple of years than a lifetime for a pro chess player who isn't a world contender.
Originally posted by nimzo5 Ha- I think you need to familiarize yourself with how Goldman works. He would have to be a star in IB and have put 10+ years in before he ever started seeing real money. Most never make it that far as they get chewed up by the hours and the backstabbing. An exceptional group of people nonetheless.
Then again a junior IB at Goldman will make more money in a couple of years than a lifetime for a pro chess player who isn't a world contender.
What is "real money?" Annual bonuses for all are substantial at GS even in "bad" years.
11 Dec '11 12:25
Luke Mcshane
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