If you have to make a choice to live the life of any of the  World Chess Champion who would you like to be? What  changes will you make?

My favorite player is Botvinnik. But if i have to live the life of a World Champion I will choose that of Boris Spassky. He was my  sentimental favorite when i was a kid during his match with Fischer.

Boris Spassky is a gentleman and a "casanova" at heart.  He has a good sense of humor. He  takes life and even chess not too seriously. He just wanted to enjoy chess and  life at the same time. --Yet he became a World  champion.-- He beat Petrosian in their World Championship match- when Petrosian was the toughest player to beat. Hes invincible when he uses the King Gambit. At his prime Spassky was the best player in the world and continued to play chess at high level after he lost the crown.

What changes would i make?  Perhaps If I am Spassky I would not give in to many of Fischer's demand during their 1972 WCC match. I am sure Fischer would default the match and Spassky will retain the title. Playing Fischer in 1972 is risky. Bobby is on the rampage. 

A year or 2 will settle things down. It will take out the pressure and give Spassky to prepare psychologically for their next title match. I am sure Bobby Fischer will be back and he will never stop playing chess until he captured the crown. And It would be excting to see that on the next candidate matches Fischer will be pitted against Karpov.Whoever wins I Spassky will be ready then.   :)

I would be Tal. He was a very exciting player, and very creative.

I would change his drug (i think), and smoking problems.

I would be bobby fischer

I would get help for his schizophrenia problem and not become hated by the U.S.

 I also very like Tal. He was a brilliant person, but what drug problem do you mean ?

I would be Kasparov. I would not leave chess and not entered to Russian Politics.

Paul Morphy, of course! Though I would watch out for myself to live long and I would also transport myself to the chess-versatile 21st century. Also Lasker was, and Spassky is, pretty much normal.

i like to be Anand...then i will apply for Philippine citizenship...

Bobby, except instead of becoming a nutjob I would come home in 1972 open a chess school and retire to teach chess and sell my boys to a bank for 1000 a shot.

i think you dont unless you want to play chess for two years then go crazy and he was not an official world champion( but he was sort of)

Capablanca.  The guy was a great player, had a life besides chess, was suave, a ladies man, and a professional chess ambassador for his country.  The only thing is...I'd have to put up with summers in Havana (eek).

+1 for Capablanca!

I would be myself :P. Why would I want to be someone else?

I'm no where near a Chess Champion, but If I also have the chance to make changes, then I would make myself one.

Whose life would i like to have among the greats?

Alekhine- I dont like.  He died alone. He run away a lot from Capablanca.

Fischer- I dont like too. He got lost somewhere. Out of touch with reality. He's a great player but i dont like his attitude.

Kasparov --  hmm... too proud.

Botvinnik-  hmm...too snob.

Karpov-  Ok ... yes but i think he played too much chess.

Capablanca - hes ok. A natural genius. hansome, dashing, and very much honored in Cuba.

Spassky- He's ok too. After losing to Fischer he seemed to be abandoned by his friends and  country, but overcame the challenges with a smile.

Lasker- I cant tell dont know him too much.

Tal-  He is dashing too...but didnt care too much about his health. Perhaps if I was Tal ill do something about my health first.

i would be jose raul capablanca!!

I would be János Flesch.He is best known for claiming a world record

blindfold exhibition when he played 52 opponents in Budapest in 1960. But I wouldn't  want to be died in a car crash:)

Boguljabov--obviously

although i'm not sure he was ever a world champion.

Morphy was rad too.

Balance.  Boris Spassky.

A brilliant gentleman, who was also a major playa.

Upon further reflection, I think I would like to be Susan Polgar.

I am thinking of making a thread to take up a collection for my "transference."

Umm...Kasparov, definetly.