Magnus Now Number One in the World
As many of you probably know by now, Morozevich was world number one for ONE DAY about two weeks ago, through the now increasingly popular Live Ratings Website. This same table is conveniently viewed through the ChessVibes.com website. Experienced or news current readers among you already are aware of this, and this is only to inform those of you who love chess who might not have time or inclination to view these sites.
So many times in the past--hundreds, in fact--I have wanted to post some smaller factoid, but stopped myself for needing to be more extensive in blogging, as was my practice, but herein I am allowing myself to include shorter items. My goal is not to regurgitate news but rather, to spread the word in help further broaden horizons more quickly where appropriate.
More than news, when I post here outside my own chess about the world of chess at large, hopefully it won't be like the commonplace Susan Polgaresque inane creation of news about news, but rather to share some of the tools, resources, and discoveries I have found or realized.
Also, I will now have shorter subjects about chess and, as usual, still have bits and pieces about me. In the weeks ahead, I will be writing about the ascension of the Kramnik of Asia--Wang Yue of China, notes about the benefit of using ChessBase Lite for newer serious students, how to organize and structure ChessBase files as work in progress, sources for some notable chess blog videos that I have found and enjoyed, and much else. Stay tuned!
Without further ado, in beating Radjabov today in the FIDE Grand Slam Final at Biblao in the Basque Region of Spain, Magnus Carlsen is now provisionally rated Top in the world in this real time calculation, that is to say, if it were today, he would occupy that role [1].
Carlsen-Radjabov, Grand Slam Final 2008
Both Magnus and Radjabov have been resusitating the Sicilian Dragon of late, and needless to say with extensive preparation. But today, Carlsen was ready on the White side when the two highest ranking proponents of this resurgence meet in a topical line.
Here are the ratings. What an accomplishment for this once boy wonder, and now young man [2]:
'Live rating list - updated September 5, 2008
Rank Name Rating Change Games
01 Carlsen 2791,3 +16,3 25
02 Anand 2790,9 -7,1 4
03 Morozevich 2787,0 -1 9
04 Topalov 2786,2 +9,2 4
05 Ivanchuk 2781,8 +0,8 44
06 Kramnik 2771,9 -16,1 16
07 Aronian 2754,1 +17,1 17
08 Radjabov 2749,5 +5,5 17
09 Leko 2746,6 +5,6 16
10 Wang Yue 2735,5 +31,5 23
Daily updates of top 10 ratings provided by Hans Arild Runde
See chess.liverating.org for details and complete list'
[1] Change does not occur in a vacume or in isolation. Change occurs always in relation to something else. Kant in his Critique of Pure Reason outlined four categories: Quantity, Quality, mode, and Relation. For Carlsen went up while Anand went down. Helping Carlsen for sure, mighty Topolov today obliterated Anand in twenty five moves, as indicated here. As discussed at the link in the ChessBase article, this is a relatively rare phenomenon [3]
[2] Finally, here is a very nice article with more about him, mentioning for example, his dinner with Anand and his wife Aruna, where they did the Monty Python skit. :)
[3] Here in Microsoft country in Seattle, it is well known that not only was Bill Gates ruthless, brilliant, had good parents including a lawyer for a father, but in addition to great timing in seizing a new idea, he had GOOD STARS. In short, he had preturnatural good fortune, aka good luck. So here, Carlsen had to have good luck on top of hard work, boundless talent, enjoyment of the game, and the strongest connection to the royal game.
My check now, of my megabase, indicates that this has happened only four times in his career, since 1995, twice by Kasparov and once, of course, by nemesis Kramnik. Just think about that.
posted by transformation at 1:53 PM
7 Comments:
I watched today online that game, was happy for him. I became his big fan after reading a book "Wonderboy ..." about him. He plays better and better, the question for me is not if he will be the world champion, but when it will happen. I like his aggressive style and his endgame technique is amazing, especially for 17-year old boy.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
I am in Canada. I added a link to you.
Yep, Magnus is a wonderboy. Now lets hope all of his tournament results will be in the new Fide ratinglist and not like last time when their were finished tournaments not included in the rating list.
Sorry I haven't had much time to catch up or even post comments lately.
I hope his genious doesn't make him go the way of other historic figures.
I am half way through Hastings and my next time machines will be some where in 1924 ( with Nimzo, Reti, Capa at the least in the same tournament) and then Zurich 1953... all these building up to the 1970's and to finally modern day.
I am studying the evolution of chess one classic event at a time. I hope to be able to understand the world of chess as it happens today.
"I am just a caveman, and quite frankly your world frightens me!"
--SNL R. Hartman as Caveman Lawyer
@rolling pawns: thank you for your visit.
@chessTiger: in the likely event that this is a not only a legitimate but also long lasting raise in Carlsen's ratings past super GM to near the highest echelon of GM's, then it wont matter what is published when, or how, but will occur like a force of nature, like wind or water.
@blunderprone: yes, i actually read your very wonderful post, before knowing you had commented here. thank you for comming by.
madness? hardly. magnus has a well adjusted family, likes soccor and cross country sking, and does monty python skits, and likes orange juice and surely once he disovers girls in a big way, with nice looks in addition to his natural brilliance balanced by an obvious humility, and not least of all balanced by a down to earth nordic father who of his own, has his own business to handle back in Norway, and several nice sisters, he is most likely destined to stay decent.
not all great player are offbeat, think of Tal and Spassky, who managed to stay socialized to the end in the prior (despite heavy drink) and the latter to this day, the well known prince of chess gentleman.
warmest, dk
Your posts are always interesting.
Either the long ones I have to read several times to find out what they are all about or this short ones that are still worth reading several times since the many possibillities they offer.
Thank you!
What some of us would give to be the best in the world for even one day? Heck, I'd die happy with a single IM norm.
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