From: mmt@centurion.ksu.ksu.edu (Jason Derek Olson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Exploding "Exploding the Myth"
Date: 21 Nov 1992 21:56:36 -0600
Organization: Kansas State University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: centurion.ksu.ksu.edu
Keywords: Fischer/Kasparov


why can't you and people like you seperate bobby's chess from his personal life??
What does one's ability at chess have to do with one's personal preferences off
the board?? You are so quick to condemn Fischer and his anti-semetic remarks and
somehow forget some of the stuff that your World Champion has said in the past.
For example: In an interview approximately one year ago in the best chess
magazine in the U.S., Inside Chess, Kasparov said something to the effect of
"women are inferior to men in all fields of life, and chess is no different." He
went on to say that a woman would never be world champion of chess, ever. Now, do
you agree with these comments?? If you do, you wouldn't admit it and if you don't
then why aren't you reeming Kasparov for these comments. Not only you, but no
chess writer I have ever heard of has denounced Kasparov for his chauvanistic
comments. He also has made some questionable decisions in the chess arena. For
example: Campaigning for the brilliancy prize at a recent tournament, when it was
obvious that his game, although of high quality was NOT the most "brilliant" game
played at the tourney. I believe a player named Milos sacrificed a knight, bishop
and queen for mate!! And you have to ask yourself, why does the supposed World
Champion have to campaign for a brilliancy prize?? Apparently he felt his play
wasn't enough of a statement. What kind of character does Mr. Kasparov possess??
The one word that comes to mind is egotistical. Under your formula of judging a
players chess AND personal characteristics, how can I accept Kasparov as the
World Champion?? Apparently you believe his off-the-board comments aren't severe
enough to denounce or condemn him in anyway and thus accept what may be the
lesser of two evils, that is Kasparov over Fischer. When Fischer condemns Jews
and Russians he is condemning a relatively small segment of the world, whereas
when Kasparov denounces and condemns women in chess and elsewhere, he is speaking
about at least 2.7 billion people!! Interesting that you should whine about
Fischer's comments and seem content with Kasparov's. In addition, Fischer,
although he demands what appear to be excessive conditions before he will push a
pawn, has cleaned up the chessworld almost singlehandedly. He irradicated the
Pro-Soviet Candidates system of the past, and ensured that in any tournament he
participated there would be the most conducive conditions for the best possible
chess for all concerned. If we look at Kasparov and what he has done for chess we
see a drastically different picture. Kasparov has singlehandedly split  the chess
world, betrayed his followers (GMA) and left the chessworld in the lurch, in that
he says he wants to make chess popular everywhere, but makes statements that kill
any chance of this before even getting started. I am not condoning what Fischer
has said, but I am asking who are you comparing him to?? Let`s face facts: All
chessplayers ( at least a huge majority) hold some reprehensible ideals. You are
just jumping on the bandwagon, Fischer bashing. How can I blame you?? You have
just started a chess magazine and don't want to make waves by agreeing with
anything Fischer says or does. OK fine, you don't agree with his off the board
rantings, but in the same breath you condemn his play, citing errors, and
demonstrating exactly how Fischer does not have a ghost of a chance at defending
his championship against Kasparov. You are condemning Fischer's chances at
beating Kasparov or Karpov from just 30 games, let alone these are the first
public games he has played in the last twenty years. Again you choose to see what
you want, neglecting that Fischer has uncorked at least two theoretical novelties
and a number of innovations on known lines. If Kasparov is such a great player
why hasn't he found any novelties lately. Sure he plays a few innovations in the
"World Championship" matches, but I suspect his analysts found a majority of
these. You say in your article that Spassky made Fischer great by losing to him.
What kind of statement is this Joel? Are you implying that Fischer wasn't great
until he beat Spassky?? I think not. Judging Fischer's acomplishments against his
equals of his time, he makes Kasparov look weak. I don't see Kasparov beating his
fellow GM's by a margin of 6-0, twice no less!! The competition may be stronger
today but that shouldn't stop Kasparov in his greatness from destroying them.
Kasparov is always talking about his original play, what do you call some of the
games/moves Fischer has played recently. In game 30 he finds a novelty on move 9
in Kasparovs favorite defense!! Interesting don't you think?? In a match with
Kasparov or Karpov we will continue to see these novelties, for I'm sure he is
armed to the teeth with such moves. Granted, Fischer's technique has fallen off,
along with some of his well known accuracy, as well as his endgame prowess. But
lets look at these deficiencies in there context. Fischer hasn't played ( at
least publicly) for the past 20 years!! What do you expect, he is human. I do
believe with a number of warm up matches against increasingly strong players
Bobby will be back to par, an will begin to improve, after all the man has an
I.Q. of 187. Given genius, almost anything is possible. What seems insurmountable
is possible for such an intellect. It is the lesser intelligent that place the
boundaries of genius. This is exactly what I believe you are doing, when you say
Fischer is incapable of competing seriously with the super K's. This remains
to be seen, but if Fischer challenges Kasparov and Gary uses the lame excuse that
Bobby must admit he is World Champion first, we will be seeing a scared "World
Champion". It is all up to Bobby, what he will do no one knows, so there is no
use in attempting to predict it in the first place. I hope you at least consider
my remarks, and try to understand exactly what I'm trying to say.


                                                              Jason Olson




























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