Dylan Loeb McClain of the NY Times has a nice profile/interview with Magnus Carlsen. In the IHT here. Congrats to McClain for being the first interview of a teen prodigy in a hundred years not to ask about girls. (Or at least for not printing that part.)
He said that his son, from a young age, exhibited an ability to focus single-mindedly. One day, the father recalled, when Magnus was 4, he spent six hours building a train out of plastic Legos blocks. A half-hour after he went to bed, Carlsen found him in the dark "wide awake and staring into space, and I thought, 'O.K., this is too much."'
Magnus's parents have not had their son tested for developmental disorders because he has adjusted well socially.
"Magnus seems to be fortunate enough to have the right characteristics to be considered normal despite the fact that he has some traits that might lead others to call him abnormal," his father said. "Most people like him."
That includes his rivals, particularly Anand. Earlier this year, at a tournament in Mexico, Magnus and his father went to dinner with Anand and his wife, Aruna. At the table, according to chessbase.com, a chess news site, Magnus and Anand did a verbatim recitation of a Monty Python skit in which the pope, played by John Cleese, chastises Michelangelo for embellishing his painting of the Last Supper.
Pope: That's the problem.
Michelangelo: What is?
Pope: The disciples.
Michelangelo: Are they too Jewish? I made Judas the most Jewish.
Pope: No, it's just that there are twenty-eight of them.
Michelangelo: Oh, well, another one will never matter, I'll make the kangaroo into another one.
Now THAT'S the social aspects of the Gentlemen's Game in its most grand form! What an example. Let the world learn from it...hopefully.
"Magnus seems to be fortunate enough to have the right characteristics to be considered normal despite the fact that he has some traits that might lead others to call him abnormal," his father said. "Most people like him."
Am I the only one that finds this statement weird? The question begs though: can you be a top level chess grandmaster and still possess reasonable and appropriate socialization skills?
Recitation of film or tv scripts is never an acceptable substitute for good conversation. God I'm glad I wasn't at that dinner table.
Shane, you sound like a real bore!
haha,hilarious - Shane - you could write a book - "Guide to proper conducting of conversational topics" ..
I've seen the Monty Python skit quoted elsewhere, and I also saw it on You Tube and on the Chessbase site. The astonishing thing is that I have never seen anyone pointing out the (pretty known) fact that the Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci (for the Duke of Milan, in Milan) and not by Michelangelo, whose most famous work is the Sistine Chapel (for Pope Julius II, in Rome). In my opinion, this gross inaccuracy spoils a bit the whole skit.
"..can you be a top level chess grandmaster and still possess reasonable and appropriate socialization skills?"
Of course. For every Fischer there are many Tals, Euwes,Capablancas,Kasparovs,and Shorts.
"Of course. For every Fischer there are many Tals, Euwes,Capablancas,Kasparovs,and Shorts."
We must have different definitions of the term "socialization".
"Of course. For every Fischer there are many Tals, Euwes,Capablancas,Kasparovs,and Shorts."
Euwe yes, but the others? Keres and Anand probably deserves to be on the list too.
I have yet to meet a journalist who doesn't pick the weird thing out of balanced collection of episodes which Mr. Carlsen probably supplied for him :)
Seriously,
I have spoken to Carlsen on several occations, and he is just a bit shy, like many teenagers are. The difference is that he is a huge chess talent as well as being a teenager, and that have outsiders thinking 'Ficher' not 'teenager'.
Massimiliano: Leonardo's painting only has a paltry 12 disciples. The skit clearly revolves about some other painting, of a much grander conception ...
I've seen chess games played elsewhere, and I also saw it on You Tube and on the Chessbase site. The astonishing thing is that I have never seen anyone pointing out the (pretty known) fact that 1.d4 d5 2.c4 hangs a pawn. In my opinion, this gross inaccuracy spoils a bit the whole game.
Congrats to McClain, also, for taking off the time from his busy campaign schedule to interview chess prodigies. Senile old coot indeed!
How can Magnus lose like that to Topalov? This gross inaccuracy spoils a bit the whole Aronian game. I admire Magnus's creativity and fearlessness (b4), but I really want him to win this tournament, not cede 3 points to Topa. (I can't even believe that I'm calling a win 3 points. What's up with that? If they're so against draws, then they should give 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss, and zero for a draw.)
Maybe Magnus feels like Topa is his "customer" and does not take the Bulgarian seriously enough?
Maybe Magnus feels like Topa is his "customer" and does not take the Bulgarian seriously enough?
-- Posted by: r at September 4, 2008 15:34
In the famous words of Chief Inspector Clouseau:
"Not any mir".
"Maybe Magnus feels like Topa is his "customer" and does not take the Bulgarian seriously enough?"
Chessbase says that Carlsen was under the weather - so perhaps not.
"Keres and Anand probably deserve to be on the list too..."
The list was not meant to be exhaustive. The point is that for every social inept or garret-starving GM there are dozens who go to parties, get married and have kids and/or fight over those rare creatures, the actress/model/WGM.
Massimiliano, the truth is that Michelangelo has been ordered "The Last Supper", but the pope didn't like it, for the reason it didn't comply the Biblical description. The picture appeared bearing a different name.
Absolutely no reason to congratulate McClain for that "interview".
What a poor effort. Yet again a piece of chess fluff proving that the only writings on chess worth reading today are in Russian.
"The astonishing thing is that I have never seen anyone pointing out the (pretty known) fact that the Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci (for the Duke of Milan, in Milan) and not by Michelangelo, whose most famous work is the Sistine Chapel (for Pope Julius II, in Rome). In my opinion, this gross inaccuracy spoils a bit the whole skit"
Well - thats the point! Da vinci repainted it because the pope didnt like Michis version...
Magnus turns from dragon-player to dragon-slayer! Woo-hoo!
Why did Anad resign? Because when Q moves then Ng5 h5 Nxf7?
r:
Qh6 before Ng5 is even stronger.
Ugh, no it's not (...Ne6). You're right.
But Qh6 is thematic, anyway. =)
Carlsen is the new No. 1 on the virtual list. Congrats.
Anand certainly seems to be playing with a handicap of not showing his WC preparation.
This offers adequate explanation of Anand's quick loss. He has obviously lost his head.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22053231@N05/2831207522/
Anand's play perhaps had little to do with him "not showing" soemthing given his relatively poor performance against the Marshall and Sveshnikov getting a lost position in the former and allowing a rapid draw in the latter. Although Kramnik used to play the Sveshnikov I dont think he has ever played the Marshall in a classical game - he is a bit averse to giving up pawns. Today perhaps Anand held back from the Slav but QID has long been in his repertoire and he was caught in Topalovs preperation. Maybe general tension as the match draws near is distracting him?
Knallo, that's a beauty.
Thanks,
Mohit
if chessgeek is correct, that is fkn AMAZING!
a 17 year old no1!!!!! seriously amazing!!
On the carlsen game: Ka1! and Rb1! seems to cut off all significant counterplay, especially after the Bg7 was exchanged (I think Radjabov had to sac the exchange there).
Topalov's game really showed the deep ideas behind the pawn sac in this variation. White's development advantage was too great, and Anand was reduced to thrashing around like a fish.
Latest hearsay on Magnus is that he is 'doing a Kramnik' and is going to be Anand's second for the WC-match, together with Kazimdzhanov and Heine Nielsen.
"Latest hearsay on Magnus is that he is 'doing a Kramnik' and is going to be Anand's second for the WC-match, together with Kazimdzhanov and Heine Nielsen."
It is probably more than hearsay and pretty old news that Anand's team for the Bonn match would be likely to include at least these people. It seems natural, looking at their shared club team.
For the entertainment value of the match, I hope that Anand has more up his sleeves, otherwise he will fail at his last realistic attempt at becoming something resembling a WC.
The Anand-Carlsen connection catalysed by Heine, must be a little worrying for the greying top dogs dreaming of the title in the not so distant future. Carlsen assisted by the Tiger has to become a tough hurdle for even the Artist & Co.
CARLSEN NO 1 IN LIVE LIST!!!!! Hooray for Magnus!
Magnus Carlsen is #1 and the only question is: Will this last for the rest of his active chess career? I'm pretty close to believe so.
hardliner, if you mean by that "Will he retire as #1?", I think the answer is no.
It's striking how Carlsen's ascent has been essentially drama-free. No geopolitical maneuvering (unlike Kasparov or Fischer). No grand narratives. No outrageous interviews. No posturing. Just a teen player rapidly becoming better than the opposition.
See your point Knallo, allthough this was not what I meant.
Anyway I think Carlsen could be a person to retire at 30, having won it all and wanting to do something else in the adult half of his life.
thanks for your blog, funny pics, we have also nice chess pages, in czech language on www.63plus1.cz, my pages are www.bepk.webnode.cz, see you , bye, plukovnÃkBepk
From the Carlsen blog:
"The live-rating #1 and #2 together with commentator Leonxto Garcia after the game.
Leontxo also asked the players if they would confirm rumours originating from Kramnik that Magnus would serve as Anand's second during the World Championship Match. Magnus refrained from commenting upon this rumour."
Why would Henrik repeat the question if there were no substance to the rumor?
However, based on Carlsen's current schedule, it seems unlikely that he will be doing a "full Kramnik."
10/14 WCh Game 1
10/15 WCh Game 2
Carlsen is scheduled to play in the European Club Cup, Greece, Oct.16 - Oct.24, WCh games 3-8 will be played during this period.
Carlsen is then scheduled to play in the Cap d'Agde Rapid, Oct.25 - Nov.2. WCh games 9-12 will be played through 10/31, and the tiebreak is scheduled for 11/2.
As far as I understand, and that is not far, Kramnik is not saying Carlsen will be Anand's second during the match, just that they are working together right now helping Vishy preparing.
....well, of course not RIGHT now, but you get the point.
whoohow, that's the forth consecutive game Magnus sacrificed pawns in the opening, and look what a miniature this one went on to be. Poor Levon, trying to survive with his king in the middle of the board..
Carlsen went all Paul Keres on Aronian today. Dang!
On ICC: Smallville(GM) kibitzes: "Carlsen wins only cause people blunder in equal positions"
Some sub 2007 grandmasters are getting jealous.
What happened in Topa-Radja? The Web site's gone whacky on me. Did Topa win?
Topa-Radja is still going, with the equal material seems like a draw Radjabov is trying to get something out of mostly nothing.
Thanks, John. I hope Radja holds the draw.
I mean, Radjabov is slightly better now, he is the one pushing, Topa's attack is gone a long time ago.
Magnus swept Aronian aside in his fearless style, Ivanchuk and Anand played a cooperative draw while Topalov and Radjabov are continuing to shift wood in a position that would normally have been agreed drawn quite a while ago...
I'm really impressed by how Carlsen defeated a solid top class GM like Aronian today.
Feels like Magnus has created a generalized fear among elite chess players and they simply panic when he starts his fearless attacks and unleashes out-of-nowhere sacs.
Magnus's move 24. Bb7 seemed really unusual and creative. Bishops don't normally work like that! Sure, you post a bishop in a spot like that if you have a pawn on a6, but with just the white queen protecting it on f3. . . . And one of the main things it was doing was running interference, blocking the black queen to make Rxb4 possible. Wow.
Guys, I hear Carlsen is going to help Anand! This should send shivers down the Kramnik's camp!
The championship is all Anand's now!! Go Anand Go!!
BTW, Carlsen, thanks very much for accepting to help Anand!
"Magnus's move 24. Bb7 seemed really unusual and creative. Bishops don't normally work like that! Sure, you post a bishop in a spot like that if you have a pawn on a6, but with just the white queen protecting it on f3. . . . And one of the main things it was doing was running interference, blocking the black queen to make Rxb4 possible. Wow."
Carlsen's a phenomenon, but there's no need to get carried away. 24. Bb7 does look odd... and is. It would probably have given away all white's advantage if black had found 24 ..e5 (Re8, allowing the king to get out of the centre, might also have been wise in hindsight).
The position still wasn't lost until the unfortunate ...h4? and the almost criminally careless axb4?? If Aronian ignored the rook and took on d4 he'd still have had chances, but he must have completely missed Ra1 (despite the obvious danger of the position and only needing to look a couple of moves ahead). The post-game interviews might be fun!
http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?165592
Careful Vlad, underestimating Magnus might result in you never having had a proper WC title.
http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?165592
Careful Vlad, underestimating Magnus might result in you never having had a proper WC title.
Yawn - how would beating Anand now be a more "proper" WC title than beating Kasparov in 2000!?
And Kramnik's playing Anand, not Carlsen. The second you really need to worry about at the moment is a good computer technician/programmer who can automate the hunt for novelties.
For those who can't read Russian, Kramnik was asked about Carlsen and said lots of nice things about him, but stated the opinion that Carlsen's still weaker than himself, Topalov and Anand (he has gaps in his openings, lacks experience etc.). Hardly a highly controversial opinion, and presumably Kramnik has a better idea of Carlsen's current strength (after analysing his play) than we do just looking at ratings.
Oh and he also said that Carlsen being a second for Anand would definitely help Carlsen but it wasn't clear how much it would help Anand. Again, not a controversial point.
In the interview there was also a question about Bilbao - apparently Danailov asked Kramnik if he'd like to play in September or December, Kramnik said only December was possible, and Danailov chose September :)
mishanp is right, kramnik didn't insult carlsen, actually he showed lots of respect. and of course anybody has the right to express his personal opinion on actual playing strength.
he also added that he didn't know how long carlsen may stay weaker than him, anand or topalov as carlsen is progressing very fast.
of course, citing the result in mainz as support for his thesis was weak, as you cannot directly compare rapid and classical chess.
Yep, I agree it was a bit weird to mention Anand easily beating Carlsen in Mainz as demonstrating anything!
As of 24.Nd2, Ivanchuk looks better, no?
Not better - completely winning - you cant play like that against the chuck monster you will be spanked. 0-0-0 look suicidal chucky is an absolute master of the opposite castling situations for black he has many model sicilian victories to his credit the magnus attack never got going .....
Wow, that was a crush. It does give one pause, especially in light of Kramnik's comments about Carlsen's inexperience relative to himself, Anand, and Topalov. One doesn't picture those three getting rolled up like Carslen did today.
Oh well, I'm still rooting for the kid to win Bilbao!
Recurring tech problem with this blog - recent posts by Mig disappearing again.
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