ELO 2900?
Carlsen is only 10.8 points away to break the ELO 2900 barrier as the first chess player in history. (The top performing computer chess engines are well above the 3000 mark but that’s a different story and the numbers are skewed and don’t allow a direct comparison).
In order to achieve the feat of a 2900+ rating, Carlsen would have to gather 8.5 points out of 10 at the Shamkir 2014 tournament (see "Carlsen Also Beats Nakamura in Shamkir" here). An other way to put it is that Carlsen has to defeat the three highest ranked players after him, which would put him at the 2900 mark (please correct me if my calc is inaccurate). Not an easy task but certainly possible as Carlsen seems unstoppable at the moment.
What are your thoughts: Do you think he will become the first player to breach the 2900 mark? Or will someone stop his meteoric rise in the last moment?
But due to the inflation of ELO ratings, it certainly won’t stop the debate of who the greatest player of all time is and this discussion will surely continue regardless of whether Carlsen breaks through the 2900 mark or not…
Guenther
