Carlsen nearing 8th straight chess title

[MuggsyB]

The guy is ridiculous/the goat, period.  And he's only 31.  I'm not arguing chess is a sport but it you're talking pure dominance in an art/game?  He's way up there.  The Russian dude looks like he was hit with a sledgehammer and totally overmatched.

[Galway Eagle]

Talk to me when he wins the Chess Boxing title.

[MuggsyB]

Talk to me when he wins the Chess Boxing title.

Ha!  He doesn't appear to be much of a Boxer. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

The guy is ridiculous/the goat, period.  And he's only 31.  I'm not arguing chess is a sport but it you're talking pure dominance in an art/game?  He's way up there.  The Russian dude looks like he was hit with a sledgehammer and totally overmatched.

Is this more of a small anecdote or are we trying to break down the world championship. Cause if we wanna really get in depth about chess here I'm happy to do so...

It was pretty evenly matched for the first five matches, even then I would say Carlsen was playing from behind quite a bit.

However, after Carlsen won match 6 (The longest world championship chess match ever) Nepomnianchtci completely fell apart making blunder after serious blunder.

Especially in match 8, he made such a massive mistake going two pawns down, a situation that only two people have ever come back to, to win the match. For those not super familiar, pawns are the most important pieces on the board at the highest level.

Long story short, Carlsen has played fine but not out of this world. Its been huge mistakes from Nepomnianchtci that have essentially gifted Carlsen the title.

Carlsen is an undeniable genius and forsure top-3 but I don't think he's quite passed Kasparov and Fischer yet.

Fischer is so tough to rank in these has such a brilliant chess mind, but obviously also had his own mental health/personal issues. When he was focused and attentive, nobody could touch him.

[lawdog77]

The guy is ridiculous/the goat, period.  And he's only 31.  I'm not arguing chess is a sport but it you're talking pure dominance in an art/game?  He's way up there.  The Russian dude looks like he was hit with a sledgehammer and totally overmatched.

You can't compare GOAT's across different eras in sports. Those chess pieces have really changed in the past 40 years.

[JWags85]

Where do we rate Benny Watts in super talented but enigmatic grandmasters?

[Hards Alumni]

The guy is ridiculous/the goat, period.  And he's only 31.  I'm not arguing chess is a sport but it you're talking pure dominance in an art/game?  He's way up there.  The Russian dude looks like he was hit with a sledgehammer and totally overmatched.

lmao, he isn't the goat homie.

[MuggsyB]

Is this more of a small anecdote or are we trying to break down the world championship. Cause if we wanna really get in depth about chess here I'm happy to do so...

It was pretty evenly matched for the first five matches, even then I would say Carlsen was playing from behind quite a bit.

However, after Carlsen won match 6 (The longest world championship chess match ever) Nepomnianchtci completely fell apart making blunder after serious blunder.

Especially in match 8, he made such a massive mistake going two pawns down, a situation that only two people have ever come back to, to win the match. For those not super familiar, pawns are the most important pieces on the board at the highest level.

Long story short, Carlsen has played fine but not out of this world. Its been huge mistakes from Nepomnianchtci that have essentially gifted Carlsen the title.

Carlsen is an undeniable genius and forsure top-3 but I don't think he's quite passed Kasparov and Fischer yet.

Fischer is so tough to rank in these has such a brilliant chess mind, but obviously also had his own mental health/personal issues. When he was focused and attentive, nobody could touch him.

You're 100% correct but mental stamina is a part of his excellence.   And by most accounts he hasn't played near his top form from a few years ago, but he still will win his 8th in a row. 

Because of the ability to play more games in this time-period with the internet it's hard to compare eras.  Kasparov was certainly as dominant in his era.  But, and I'm no expert, the overall depth and competitiveness of chess is off the charts.  At least that's what I've been told by one friend who plays In tournaments.  He's not a grandmaster but has some knowledge of the overall field of players. 

Fischer may have been the most talented but he lost his mind and his reign was ephemeral.  It's a real shame Kasparov stopped playing.   I'll concede that most experts can't quite label Carlsen the goat yet.

[MuggsyB]

lmao, he isn't the goat homie.

Kasparov then? 

Nepo admitted he had a complete meltdown after the marathon game.  Poor guy. 

[Jay Bee]

Hey dudes, gonna get amped on some Mountain Dew & play Dungeons & Dragons all weekend??

[MU82]

Yeah, but how would he do against Anya Taylor-Joy?

[MuggsyB]

Yeah, but how would he do against Anya Taylor-Joy?

Did you know MU82  that 45% of the highest ranked chess players in history were/are Jewish?  That's mindboggling.  I think the world population is like 2%? 

Or if wiki is right .19%.  Wow.  WTH?  How is that possible?

[MU82]

Did you know MU82  that 45% of the highest ranked chess players in history were/are Jewish?  That's mindboggling.  I think the world population is like 2%? 

Or if wiki is right .19%.  Wow.  WTH?  How is that possible?

We all got 8 chessboards every Hanukkah.

[MuggsyB]

We all got 8 chessboards every Hanukkah.

LOL.

[Hards Alumni]

Kasparov then? 

Nepo admitted he had a complete meltdown after the marathon game.  Poor guy.

Kasparov, Karpov, Fisher, Carlsen...  Probably the 4 best, in any order.  Would have been cool for them all to play each other at their peaks.

[MuggsyB]

I think COVID and the QG has dignificantly increased the popularity of chess.  If people are interested I think the interview Kasparov did with Polgar a few years back was worth seeing. 

[Lennys Tap]

Put Kasparov and Carlsen in a blender....

[MuggsyB]

Kyler Murray probably could have been a grandmaster if he stuck with chess.  I suppose he has a few other skills. 

[JWags85]

Kyler Murray probably could have been a grandmaster if he stuck with chess.  I suppose he has a few other skills. 

He scored a 20 on the Wonderlic.  Don't get caught up in puff pieces about top draft picks;)

[Mutaman]

Bobby Fisher attended the same High School as George Thompson -Erasmus hall in Brooklyn. George was a few years younger. Fisher dropped out and never graduated. Fisher  subsequently taught himself several foreign languages so he could read foreign chess periodicals.
Attending Erasmus at the same time as Fisher were Barbra Streisand and Neal Diamond.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Bobby Fisher attended the same High School as George Thompson -Erasmus hall in Brooklyn. George was a few years younger. Fisher dropped out and never graduated. Fisher  subsequently taught himself several foreign languages so he could read foreign chess periodicals.
Attending Erasmus at the same time as Fisher were Barbra Streisand and Neal Diamond.

The closest thing my high school has to a celebrity is an MLB player from the 50s & 60s named Bill Fischer.

Coincidentally, there was also a Bill Fischer in my HS class.  And his younger brother was named Bobby.  Let's just say that Bobby Fischer wasn't much of a chess player.

At least his brother, Bill, started varsity baseball.

I always thought it was kinda cool that the brothers each had a highly successful namesake.

[MuggsyB]

Bobby Fisher attended the same High School as George Thompson -Erasmus hall in Brooklyn. George was a few years younger. Fisher dropped out and never graduated. Fisher  subsequently taught himself several foreign languages so he could read foreign chess periodicals.
Attending Erasmus at the same time as Fisher were Barbra Streisand and Neal Diamond.

Nice.  But the real question is was Fisher as erudite as Erasmus?

[pbiflyer]

Anyone else have this song playing in their head watching the matches?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgc_LRjlbTU

[tower912]

(Beavis and Butthead voice)  Uhhuhuhuhuh.    He said Bangkok.

[MuggsyB]

Anyone else have this song playing in their head watching the matches?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgc_LRjlbTU

Great song.  Well ahead of its time.