Strongest ever player

Originally posted by Shinidoki
I should imagine, If there ever was this magical tournament where all these historical GMs game back to life and played at their peaks, I'm confident the modern players would come out on top.

simply because - with the age of computers, and huge advances in opening theory, they would be better prepared....


EDIT: - as for the best player ever, I would place money on it being an obscure unknown player, perhaps short-lived....etc.

I dont think preparation would matter, in the case of capablanca, he never readed a chess book, he was the best natural player, but all GMs have this natural talent.

So if it comes to preparation on studying modern and advanced opening theory, how was capablanca able to play the way he did.

PS:I have a friend who belives he was a reincarnation of another GM.

Bobby Fischer's last published USCF rating was 2810. His FIDE rating was 2785

http://www.chess-poster.com/great_players/fischer.htm

I think your rating depends on the ability of your contemporaries and those you play against simply because against stronger players you are bound to play better.

Also modern resources enable players to study past theory that wasn't possible in previous times and computers can assist with the calculation of complex tactical lines.

As in other aspects of life each generation seems to improve on the one before. It is not simply that you are currently the fastest that makes you the best ever but how you perform against your contempories that matters. Bannisters breaking of the 4 minute mile was an amazing feat at the time but it is now routine. Given modern resources how fast could he have run?

Similarly given modern resources how much better would Fisher or Capablanca play. I think both had an inherent ability that was greater than Kasparov and given Fishers total domination of his contemporaries my vote must go to him as the greatest ever player.

hulk hogan?

Given that Hydra and every other engine tend to lose to correspondence GMs I dont think that any engine is in the running for strongest player ever.

Originally posted by Bedlam
Given that Hydra and every other engine tend to lose to correspondence GMs I dont think that any engine is in the running for strongest player ever.

I believe Hydra lost to a centaur (human-engine combination).

Originally posted by dottewell
I believe Hydra lost to a centaur (human-engine combination).

Well that wouldnt surprise me. Although I cant find any documentation to say that it was freestyle or that Nickel had computer assistance. Although he has played freestyle against Hydra (and lost due to lack of time from a won position) I believe he has also played it solo.

Originally posted by Bedlam
Well that wouldnt surprise me. Although I cant find any documentation to say that it was freestyle or that Nickel had computer assistance. Although he has played freestyle against Hydra (and lost due to lack of time from a won position) I believe he has also played it solo.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2462

His answer to the first question is pretty clear:

"Well of course, correspondence chess and over-the-board chess are nowadays two extremely different disciplines, more so than ever, because correspondence players in contrast to o-t-b players have full access to computer engines and databases. Nevertheless my test games against Hydra (I think, we should call them this way) show some aspects of the potential of Hydra's chess abilities as the successor to Deep Blue."

Note to newbies: chess engines are NOT allowed at RHP. Databases are.

Originally posted by TheDarkKnight
i agree that fischer was the overall best chess player when world champ, but thought i should mention that i heard geller in his games with fischer has a plus score against him.

Yes, Geller is the only person in chess history with a plus score against Fischer - not "Fisher" as some of you are spelling it. Good grief!

Originally posted by dottewell
I believe Hydra lost to a centaur (human-engine combination).

I read in CHess Life that a dude - in a correspondence chess game versus Hydra - defeated Hydra and his rating wasn't even beyond a 2600 correspondence rating. The thing is... If GM Michael Adams - the world class player who lose to Hydra in a set match - would have played Hydra in a correspondence situation, he would have easily one. Hydra beat Adams only because it thinks quicker and calculates farther. With more time to examine variations, I'm sure Adams would have easily won - just like that under 2600 guy did against Hydra in a Correspondence Game.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
True, but Lasker wasn't exactly an active champion. I think Kasparov's tenure as Champion was more impressive.

Statistically, Kasparov is the greatest chess player who has lived - that is taking into account all areas of the game. With that said, Fischer was the greatest MATCH PLAYER of all time. Scoring 6-0 against GM Mark Taimanov is no laughing matter. Fischer clearly destroyed Taimanov's spirit with that crusher.

Originally posted by powershaker
Yes, Geller is the only person in chess history with a plus score against Fischer - not "Fisher" as some of you are spelling it. Good grief!

I may be wrong, but I thought several people had a plus score against Fischer:

Efim Geller (W5 L3 D2)
Anthony Santasiere (W1 L0 D1)
Max Pavey (W1 L0 D1)
Abe Turner (W2 L0 D0)
Dr. Joseph Platz (W2 L0 D0)
Dragoljub Janosevic (W1 L0 D2)

Originally posted by dottewell
I believe Hydra lost to a centaur (human-engine combination).

I won a game against Hydra, but I lost it.

Originally posted by dottewell
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2462

His answer to the first question is pretty clear:

"Well of course, correspondence chess and over-the-board chess are nowadays two extremely different disciplines, more so than ever, because [b]correspondence players in contrast to o-t-b players have full access to computer engines and databases. ...[text shortened]... essor to Deep Blue."

Note to newbies: chess engines are NOT allowed at RHP. Databases are.[/b]

Im not amazed. Iv heard that competitive correspondence players can use engines designed to check blunders but have no positional understanding at all.

I wonder if he ever said which engine he used.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I may be wrong, but I thought several people had a plus score against Fischer:

Efim Geller (W5 L3 D2)
Anthony Santasiere (W1 L0 D1)
Max Pavey (W1 L0 D1)
Abe Turner (W2 L0 D0)
Dr. Joseph Platz (W2 L0 D0)
Dragoljub Janosevic (W1 L0 D2)

And Abe Turner ( W2 D1 L2 )


According to The Games of Robert J Fischer published in 1972 there were quite a few of them. Admittedly it's the 1972 version and may have been updated.