Author: Walter Koroljow
Date: 08:52:32 03/16/00
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On March 16, 2000 at 07:03:19, Terry Godat wrote: >On March 15, 2000 at 12:57:36, Pete R. wrote: > >>On March 15, 2000 at 11:42:27, Graham Laight wrote: >> >>>The club Kasparov coverage of DJ v XieJun seems to have been pulled - there's no >>>longer any link to it at the web site. >>> >>>Thought I'd try the other game on live coverage - Boris Becker V Gary Kasparov. >>> >>>That seems to be stuck on move 2. :-( >>> >>>1. e4 e5 >>>2. Qh5 ?? >>> >>>-g >> >>My God I would have loved to see this live on CNN to see the look on Kasparov's >>face when he played Qh5. They claimed Becker was a "serious chess aficionado". >> That's too funny!! I think it's more accurate to say that Becker likes chess >>and knows how the little horsey moves! :)) Serious indeed. > >I don't think Kasparov would have been too surprised by White's second move. >Actor Woody Harrelson, a terrible chess player, but perhaps a bit stronger than >Becker, also chose 2. Qh5. The move actually has quite a following among bad >players. But I've never seen anyone play Becker's third move novelty (after >2...Nc6)Qf3?? The game quickly went downhill after 3...Nd4, 4. Qc3, Nf6 5. f3? >and, although Kasparov played a few sub-optimal moves, he managed to mate Becker >on move 18. > Someone on the CCC suggested that, to be fair, Kasparov ought to play some >tennis with Becker. I don't think it could possibly be as one-sided as their >silly "game." I would estimate Becker's playing strength at maybe 500 or >600--not even a good beginner. Unless Kasparov is the most unathletic person in the world, he couldn't possibly be that bad in tennis. I suspect Kasparov would look just as bad or worse at tennis. I reason by analogy to my slight table tennis experience decades ago... I was one of the best players at my college and thought I was pretty good (the foolishness of youth!). A few years later I played a little at the club in Phila. after a national rating system was instituted. I could hold my own against a 900-player. Against 1600 players I generally lost 21-0. State-class players were rated about 2000-2200. I then saw a 2500-player play and I will never forget it. Of course, world class players were rated much higher... I strongly suspect I looked as if I was playing 2.Qh5 or worse! Cheers, Walter
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