Author: Fernando Villegas
Date: 10:01:15 10/05/05
The talk with Anatoly, whom I met some years ago in a glamorous simul of him against gov. authorities, chilean fide masters, writers like me and so on, was celebrated in the middle of a cocktail after the end of the half a dozen boring discourses pronnounced with ocassion of the official launching, in Chile, of a Chess Foundation sponsored by a man of fortune, Daniel Yarur, himself a strong player and a very generous, kind man, around whom orbits dozens of petitioners of every caliber. He and his lovely daughter -one of the pretties 20 years old ladies I have ever seen; yesterday I felt older than ever- are the main CEO's of this new organization that pretends to give a new push to a somewhat languishing chess. Here in my country, as I guess happens elsewhere, chess players more and more prefer to play trought Internet and less and less to share the social and communal aspect of chess as it is experienced in clubs. Well, discourses over and some drinks already swallowed to clear the throath, I found Karpov, as ever he seem to be, sheerful, smiling, with a drink in his hand and opened to any sort of demands, photos, talk, etc. BTW, Karpov does not speak spanish, but can understand a good shunk of it, so he laughed a lot when, during the discourses openning, IM Rene Letelier, a 90 years old man still capable of kicking butts any day, talked about some funny anecdotes of his long career as chess player. This was the only interesting part of the discourse phase of the game. Letelier is a very talented man with an uncredible sense of humor, probably the best and most fine part of his sharp intelligence. As I listened his words from the podium and later, talking privately with him -we are acquatainces since long: for a time I was a chess student with him, but in that he failed miserably- I had the moving and deep, sure impression, that it was going to be the last time to see him alive. Now, lets us return to Karpov and his words. First, to say it straight, Karpov has a somewhat disdainful vision of the "computer chess" world. He does not know a bit and he care less about the who is who of it. He does not know nothing about Fruit or Zappa or any of the other current new, strong programs. He said to me, always smiling: - All that is a realm of toys. Yes, those things play strong in blitz, but that's all... I have not too much relation with such things even if my son is very engaged in programming, as you know.... -But Mr Karpov -I replied- some of those toys can win long games to seasoned masters and even GM's.. -Yeah -he said- , some can do it here and there, but not on a regular base. Besides I will tell you something that it is never said: It is very difficult for a GM to play seriously with those contrivances, even if money is on the stake. You can try, but to not avail. Your deeper mind say to you that you are facing a toy and then you cannot put all of yourself in front of the board. -Nevertheless, Mr karpov, you can put your strenght when playing simuls with weaks human player, weaker players than any current program. -Well, no. And that's the problem...When you play amateurs, you again cannot force yourself to play really serious, but at the same time those players cannot take advantage of your shallow attitude. They, most of them, are defeated before the game begins. They play below his already low levels because they are facing a GM. And in any case you are helped by your experience. Your hands play for you. But a computer or a program is not impressed at all and, even if it is weak from the point of view of a GM, it still will play at his best, it will squeeze the best of his paltry understanding of the game and then it can happens that it can win you, the master, on the ground of sheer tactics. It happens all the time. - Some friends of mine in CCC want to know if you want to be a champion again... -(Smiling) Well, as you know after listening what I said before here, IF you listened to me, I am now engaged in another endeavours. I am working with many organizations and even goverments to bring the game to the schools -in Chile it will be part of the curriculum of every school, perhaps soon- , push young people to the board and in doing so I have no time and probably no energy left for the hard path that a would-be champion must run. I have been champion for 18 years, that's enough to fulfill the life of several players, so I am satisfied with that and now my business is this, to promote, to support, to be part of organizations like this -he is part of the Directory of the Fundation- and so, no, no, I have no in mind, at least not in this very moment, the idea to fight again for the championship. -Another friend want to know what do you think of master Torres, about his style. -Oh, yes, I remember him very well, An imaginative player, one of his kind. Chess could not be such an interesting afair as it is without this class of players that goes beyond technicalities and theory. -Last question, Anatoly. Why you said to me "If I have listened to you"? -Ah, because I saw you just looking this girl Maria José, at my left, the daughter of Daniel. I myself was hardly tempted to do the same all the time... And he laughed.... Fernando (Note: by express demand of Mr. Karpov assistant, this material, specifically his opinions, CANNOT be used, published, edited, cited or whatever out of this place) If you want to see photos of Karpov with your truly and with old, loved IM Rene Letelier, then go to: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/album?.dir=b709&.src=ph &store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net /my_photos Photos get larger if clicking them Courtesy of Mr Steve Blincoe.
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