I thought we weren't going to talk about this sorta thing again?

  -Mark

You knew Abe? Don't tell me a lawyer could be telling a fib. I heard there was way to tell when you lawyers were lying. Can anyone clue me in?

Hikaru as a Navajo!? Now that is a TN to this discussion!

lets see here Hikaru looks like a Navajo Indian to me.  So I guess that would make him, geneticly, a lot more American than a good ol boy from south carolina 

I knew Abe Lincoln as a young man, and you're no Abe. So yes I agree, you probably should just tip your king in a lost match. 

Alaskadog,

I am not going to debate this any further. The definition of nationality I prefer is simple and given in the dictionaries but will point out lawyers like to take the position they expect to generate the most income.

Abraham Lincoln was famous for asking the question, if I say a dog's tail is a leg, how many legs does a dog have? Some yes man (maybe a lawyer?) replies 5 and Abe says, 4. Calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg!!

Sorry, you're wrong on the question of what nationality means, BMcC. It's not simplistically where you were born that determines nationality, as you say. So if a visiting student from Ghana gave birth in England, is the nationality of the child English? No. England passed a law in the 1980s that denied anyone born there automatic nationality and citizenship there; the foreigner has to contact their consulate. If an illegal were born in the US, is that child an American national?Some would argue yes, others no. People born in the south of Italy of German extract are still considered Austrian nationals today. Other nations like India and China use the term nationality to mean ethnicity or race. And in other cases nationality means the same thing as citzenship like in Poland.

I taught a course on this subject two semesters ago. Unless you do more research, you can't get a passing grade on this topic, BMcC. My law and social studies students would have had a lot of fun deconstructing your proclamations. Why don't you join us, at least for the entertainment factor?

Thanks OBO, the 10th time was the charm. BTW, I did receive my new in chess with this article. I haven't read the whole thing but how it came together is interesting. It was certainly not because Garik loves US chess but rather the benefactor of the ST Louis Chess club, millionaire Rex Sinquefield, opening his wallet. I wonder what Kaspy's rate is. Probably a little more than the 33 bucks an hr I charge.  

Forrie: hmm it recalls me that New Zelandians are supposed to be All Blacks!

Yup, you got that right (at last!).  Let's get back to the subject of chess, not politics, nationality, citizenship, blah blah, ad nauseum. 

CHESS!

Some people can't accept a moderator's request despite the fact they have gotten away with many more insults than 90% of internet sites would allow. At least it is funny to see people laughing at his trolling. Since my name has been bought up, with my views misrepresented again, it is only fair to state the simple fact, imo.

As I said many times, the citizenship issue was meant to be a side point. A person's nationality is determined by where they are born. You can choose your citizenship. I never said Nakamura was not a US citizen. Citizenship is not the same as nationality. It does not take a lawyer or any kind of expert. Nakamura is Japanese because he was born there and given the America bashing that was going on here, it was a very on-topic point.

I cited 2 different web sites with a review of the law, claiming otherwise is a lie and hardly the 1st one told by mariah.

What is irrational is pretending a leopard can change his spots by filling out some paperwork with a lawyer.

Let's hope this finally ends this topic.

South Africans are probably green like aliens!

Ha!....looks can be deceiving.....

....so he is american?

Just what is going on here!?  I came to this page to read about a possibly historic event of a powerful chess partnership, and all I can see is indignant griping of a political nature.

All you so-called chess enthusiasts, stop bitching and biting and let's see what becomes of this alliance between Kasparov and Nakamura. It can only be for the good of chess!

As another immigration lawyer (though not exclusively), I have to say, if I'd known the direction this thread was going to take, I'd have checked back on it sooner!  I can't believe I missed all that.  lol

anyway, who likes Nakamura?

Ok, I have made my points more than once. It is your thread if you want to kill the discussion, fine by me. I don't think anyone was forced to read it. I don't know how many hits were generated by it, but it will certainly be more hits than after this discussion ends.

Okay, I get the point, fellow members that some people are getting annoyed by this long discussion. I was going to raise a few more points regarding BMcC's arguments, but I will no longer do so. I just want to say that this long discussion would never have happened if someone had not negatively reacted to my post that Hikaru Nakamura can be considered to be a natural born American grandmaster in the top ten of FIDE. I think that was such a harmless comment related to chess, since I want all nations as much as talent will allow to be represented in the top FIDE list. But it struck a negative chord in some. I will no longer read nor post comments on this article and I apologize to the other members for this overly long discussion. 

 @ ChessMarkstheSpot: Amen!

   Guys, this is about *chess* NOT politics. Discuss Obama and nationality and all this political stuff somewhere else please. Thanks.

   -Mark