Author: gerold daniels
Date: 10:46:22 10/05/05
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On October 05, 2005 at 13:01:15, Fernando Villegas wrote: >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. Thanks Fernando and Steve. Nice photos. Gerold.
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