The Greatest
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Most people would say Michael Jordan has been the greatest basketball player of all time but I would say that's debateable (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and others deserve consideration).
True. Though I prefer M.J.
Greatest chess player ever, Bobby Fischer take a real close look at his games, there is a difference between what Fischer saw at the chess board and anyone else. Just my opinion.
DUH!!
I think for me it comes down to Fischer and Kasparov, though I find it interesting that Tal is rarely given more consideration. It seems many people view Tal as more of a novelty than a World Champion. He did indeed lose his rematch with Botvinnik which to many casts a shadow on his World Championship. But Tal was much more than a great combinationalist.
I have tried to find it again... and perhaps somebody can either confirm or prove otherwise... but I read once where Tal had the longest unbeaten streak of any World Champion. Not only that, but this article had listed the top ten unbeaten streaks, and I think Tal was on there twice. Again, I can't find the article now, so this is unsubstantiated.
Regardless, Tal was much more than someone who played smokescreens and mirrors on the chessboard. He was a player of profound understanding, and immense talent. In a recent interview at the Tal Memorial Kramnik said this about the celebrated World Champion:
"We played two rapid games. It was in 1991, the year before he died. Of course, at that time, Mikhail Nekhemyevich was not the man he had once been, but such was his unique charm that I fell under his spell even in such a short acquaintance. Tal was an exceptionally well-rounded chessplayer. The usual picture of him, as constantly playing adventurously, always sacrificing pieces, does not do justice to the real genius of the man. A few years ago, I looked through a collection of his best games, and realised that he played a great many games in really excellent positional style. In his youth, yes, he used to create these combinational tornados on the board, but in his later years, he simply outplayed his opponents by virtue of his deeper understanding. It is wonderful that the Russian Chess Federation is running a tournament in his honour. Tal is probably the most colourful of all the world champions."
I may have to change the order
1. Bobby Fischer
2. Garry Kasparov
3. Paul Morphy
4. Mikhal Tal
5. Capablanca
6. Alexander Alekhine
7.Victor Korchnoi ( thats right i said it, look at how long the man has played chess at tha top level he is still strong at his age and would have won the title from Karpov if it were not for the fact that the Russian chess powers could not stay out of it. Heaven forbid some one that did not fit their ideas of the perfect chess player and had the nerve to speak his mind should defeat Karpov the golden boy. That wouldnt look very good now would it.
the greatest boxers of all time 1. middleweight/ welterweight- sugar ray robinson, damn he was good!2. heavyweight- a toss up , ali or rocky marciano, different styles different era's. ali was truly great in his early yrs, great speed n power very smooth! marciano was like a machine for the whole of his career, devastating power in his right and a chin like granite! as for hockey players ill take gordie howe as the greatest. if you ask wayne gretzky who the greatest is he'll tell you flat out its gordie
I would consider Fischer, Kasparov and Capablanca for the title of greatest. Fischer for his amazing results throughout his career, Kasparov for how he was still by far the best in this modern age (where I believe it's harder to be World Champion than earlier), and Capablanca for also being by far the best and being ahead of his time in chess.
I guess I would choose Kasparov, but I can't really choose objectively, since I didn't experience the times when Fischer, Capablanca or others were reigning.
How can you say its harder to become world champion now? All you have to do is win a knockout tourn. its not like it used to be when you had to go through a couple of tough matches just to get a shot and then play a long tough match with the reigning World Champion and win that. Now we are just like boxing, everybody has a title.
Giovanni_ wrote:
1.Bobby Fischer
2.Garry Kasparov
3.Alekhine
4.Casaplanca
5.Karpov
6.Tal
7.Kramnik
8. Paul Morphy
9.Anand
Did you mean 4. Capablanca ?
1.Bobby Fischer
2.Garry Kasparov
3.Alekhine
4.Capablanca
5.Botvinnik
6.Tal
7.Bronstein
Sorry, I'm American-but I think the Russian chess player Garry KAsparov is better than American player Boby Fischer.
Would it not be CRAZY to see Fischer play Kasparov today! I'd pay major cashage to see that!
FACTS: They're both in trouble with a government, they're both a bit out of practice...wow.
Capablanca may be a great chess player, but Casablanca is a really great movie.
lol
hmmmm the greatest movie ever, now theres a raging debate, casablanca is a great movie, seen it many times and some do consider it the greatest. its definately worth considering
Curly Sue is the greatest movie ever. Just kidding.
lol, personally id pick the maltese falcon as my favorite bogart flick
The Greatest
Frequently, in competitive sports, one player stands out as "The Greatest." In boxing most people would pick Muhammad Ali; in hockey it would be Wayne Gretzy; and in chess you would have to choose Garry Kasparov. In 1985, at the age of 22, he became the youngest ever World Chess Champion by beating the reigning champion, Anatoly Karpov. However in 2000, he was finally defeated by his protege Vladimir Kramnik.