"Carlsen's secrets: How does he do it? (1)"


jts

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In case anyone doesn't know, Magnus Carlsen is world chess champion and has the highest Elo rating of all time and is the best chess player in history according to chess engine Houdini (lowest average deviation from what Houdini thinks is the best move).

An article from chessbase:

Carlsen's secrets: How does he do it? (1)

by Frederic Friedel

http://en.chessbase.com/post/carlsen-s-secrets-how-does-he-do-it-1

This article contains this video:

An informal fast time control game with a bit of trash talk, "too weak, too slow".

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Better than Bobby Fischer?

I believe probably yes.

Bobby Fischer probably was the greatest chess player up to and including his time in history. In 1971 he won 12 games in a row, no losses, no draws, against a grandmaster strength opponent, and a strong grandmaster at that. That can't be done. But he dunnit. People probably were wondering if he was human.

The history of chess can be divided into 2 parts, before Fischer and after Fischer. Fischer made chess into a profession. Before Fischer, chess was not a profession, at least not a very good money making one. After Fischer, chess was a serious money making profession. Fischer took the USA title at 14 and quit school at 16. He didn't see what school had to do with his chess career.

Modern chess players have advantages beyond what Fischer had and therefore can rise to higher heights. Each generation of chess players knows more about chess openings and other aspects of chess than the previous generation. We have computer databases that Fischer didn't have. Modern chess engines play stronger than any human and make excellent sparring partners no matter how strong you are. Chess can be played on the internet, the modern version of postal chess. With chess being a profession for some people, they can devote themselves to chess full time.

It is difficult to compare chess players of different times but computer analysis seems to be a way to do it. Take a superstrong engine that plays stronger than any human, what is the grandmaster's average deviation from what the engine thinks is the best move. This method is not perfect for several reasons but it is probably not bad. Some time ago before Magnus came on the scene, Rybka said Fischer is the best of all time. Now Magnus according to Houdini. Next maybe a more powerful engine will come up with a different conclusion.

See the Thoresen Chess Engines Competition.

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