Anatoli Karpov was by far the most successful pro-chess player the world has yet seen winning or taking joint first place in more top rated tournaments than any player in history. Over a period of almost 4 decades his consistency of play to the highest standard was well in excess of any other player living or dead and over a period of a total of seventeen years as a world champion on 2 ocassions proved beyond doubt that , over his 40 plus year career nobody was capable of equaling his chess accomplishments. In those terms,Anatoli Karpov is without question,the greatest chess player of all time.
Originally posted by WulebgrI thought everyone knew that old chestnut about Staunton's "cowardice" in ducking a match with Morphy was the result of a manipulative schemer named Edge who stirred it up for publicity. Staunton was considered the leading european player in the mid 1840's, but was 10 years past his prime and out of practice when Morphy came along. Morphy would have undoubtedly won, Staunton knew it and politely declined, as he was a busy man with a lot of professional responsiblities.
Staunton was a great player, but ducked a match with Morphy. Such cowardice, as with Fischer's fear of Karpov, serves as automatic disqualification from the list of greatest ever.
Had Pillsbury lived longer, he would have shortened Lasker's reign at the top.
Hence:
1. Kasparov
2. Korchnoi
3. Lasker
4. Pillsbury
5. Lucena
All the hoopla was Edge's evil and self-serving influence. Anderssen was considered top dog at the time, and after Morphy bested him, playing Staunton was a moot point.
Staunton got done wrong.
Originally posted by Sam The ShamHere's a blurb from a Staunton biography:
I thought everyone knew that old chestnut about Staunton's "cowardice" in ducking a match with Morphy was the result of a manipulative schemer named Edge who stirred it up for publicity. Staunton was considered the leading european player in the mid 1840's, but was 10 years past his prime and out of practice when Morphy came along. Morphy would have und nd after Morphy bested him, playing Staunton was a moot point.
Staunton got done wrong.
"In 1858 Staunton was challenged to a match by Morphy, but Staunton was working on a tight schedule to publish his works on Shakespeare. His publishers would accept no breach of contract.
In 1860 he published Chess Praxis, which includes 168 pages devoted to Morphy's games. "
Writing a book paying homage to Morphy's greatness hardly seems cowardly. Give the man his due. Bobby Fischer did, when he said of Staunton:
"Playing over his games", Fischer said, "I find they are completely modern." So Staunton was actually well ahead of his time, playing in a style which would become known as the Hypermodern in the 1920s.
Originally posted by RECUVICIt's actually a tragedy for Karpov that he was never able to meet Fischer for the World Championship. In recently reading a book about the Fischer - Spassky match, it was rumored (and tacitly confirmed by Karpov) that Karpov convincingly won a secret training match with Spassky prior to Spassky's WC match with Fischer.
Anatoli Karpov was by far the most successful pro-chess player the world has yet seen winning or taking joint first place in more top rated tournaments than any player in history. Over a period of almost 4 decades his consistency of play to the highest standard was well in excess of any other player living or dead and over a period of a total of seventeen ye ...[text shortened]... hments. In those terms,Anatoli Karpov is without question,the greatest chess player of all time.
Beating Fischer in a WC match would probably have cemented Karpov's rep as an all-time great player. Much as I love Fischer's game, I often wonder if he really would have handled Karpov as easily as most US chess fans seem to think. Without that match, we were left with Karpov beating up mostly on his older, past their prime, countrymen. That makes it hard to get a good read on his strength.
I think the other thing that works against Karpov's rep is that his style is so dry and clinical. People want Evergreen Games and Games of the Century. When all you do is consistently beat or draw eveyone who sits down across from you for decades without fireworks, it works against your image.
This was of course Karpovs only flaw,his ability to play as brilliantly as any player living or dead but by doing so in such a cold technically correct manner with some ,but few obvious fireworks he failed to give the total impression of an entertainer as well as great champion and player!Great champions are now expected not only to be great players but also great performers on and off the stage!Karpovs personality prevented such a showmanship attitude,not his correct play! However none of this changes the fact that as the most successful player of all time he can more than anyone justly claim to have been the best player in the history of chess,based entirely on his unrivaled results,unmatched by anyone at anytime.[perhaps appearing to be dry and boring to some people],but such people did not actually really know Karpov or understand the sheer brilliance of his play.-------------------------
Originally posted by RECUVICCrazy when Kasparov beat him so often. Kasparov was way off his peak when he beat Karpov for the first time.
Anatoli Karpov was by far the most successful pro-chess player the world has yet seen winning or taking joint first place in more top rated tournaments than any player in history. Over a period of almost 4 decades his consistency of play to the highest standard was well in excess of any other player living or dead and over a period of a total of seventeen ye ...[text shortened]... hments. In those terms,Anatoli Karpov is without question,the greatest chess player of all time.
Capablanca lost far less than Karpov and did not have the mighty Soviet machine helping him. At his peak he was far better than his peers.
Karpov had a lazier openings work than even Capa and was lucky to have the best support ever given to a GM relative to his opposition.
When Karpov was Champ their was a real drop in standards. Thats why Tal and Korchnoi did so well even though they were old.
Originally posted by Restless Soulyeah... but like Fischer used to say: "The best move to make, is not the one who's just the best, but the one who is the best and looks like a bad one."
I disagree, he is a chess player, not someone running for a beauty contest. If it wasn't for him you wouldn't have players like Kramnik, who used to keep a collection of Karpov's games next to his bed.
Karpov always made the first, the one the chessbook would suggest; while Kasparov always tried to find out the second: that's why he won most of their matches, and that's why I'd pick Garry as the undisputed greatest player of our times.
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The best player is Daemon Sin. His crazy skills made a 3000+ rated player resign before the first move😲 Game 2513262 and Game 2512839 😵😛
I admire Botvinnik the most. I like going over his games. I think he would have beat Alekhine if not for WW2. I read during the rematch with Tal, Botvinnik would write "Fight" in his notebook after every move logged. The Chess version of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, it wasnt a game to Botvinnik it was war. I dont think he was the greatest, just my favorite.