Author: Albert Silver
Date: 07:59:42 10/04/00
Go up one level in this thread
On October 04, 2000 at 03:16:38, Sune Larsson wrote:
>On October 04, 2000 at 01:45:57, Chessfun wrote:
>
>>On October 04, 2000 at 00:35:34, Timothy J. Frohlick wrote:
>>
>>>On October 03, 2000 at 20:46:43, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>Err.. exactly _what_ program won't kick a GM at blitz? I have seen GNU do it.
>>>>I have seen everybody else do it too...
>>>>
>>>>This is hardly a distinguishing event.
>>>
>>>Dr. Hyatt,
>>>
>>>You are correct. One game does not mean much. Gambit Tiger made it look so
>>>easy though and Mecking made some decent moves. We will see how good this
>>>program is within the next six months.
>>>
>>>The audience that will be buying these type of programs will be most amused by
>>>the style of play of Gambit Tiger. I am certain that you would enjoy it too.
>>>
>>>
>>>Tim Frohlick
>>
>>
>>Sorry, but for me you both miss the point.
>>The game is of interest not because this is a GM,
>>but who this GM is. It would be of interest to me
>>and others I'm sure regardless of the program or the result.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>Sarah.
>
> Nice point Sarah, and a well deserved tribute to Enrique Mecking.
>
> Th....
> Sune
Of course. Being Brazilian, I got so excited when he accepted that I started
trumpeting it in the ICC Portuguese channel. Afterall, Mequinho.... Wow.
After Fischer, he is easily the most sought after, elusive, and kooky chess
genius there is. For those who aren't familiar with some of this prodigy's
feats:
This guy's talent is the stuff of legends.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Henrique Costa Mecking
Born in January 23, 1952, this player first learned chess with his friends at
the age of 6. Two months later, he went to a chess club for the first time and
met with Filiguth, a Brazilian master of the time (was rated 2400 FIDE in 1983 -
only reference I have)). Filiguth couldn't believe that despite the fact that
Mecking could easily calculate some 3 moves ahead, he still didn't know about
castling! Needless to say, a few months later he not only could beat most
everyone in the club, but he played his first simul (!), though having learned
the game only 6 months earlier, and scored 19 wins and 1 draw (to future IM
Antonio Rocha).
When he was 7, he took part in the state championship (all categories) and came
in second. At the age of 12, he won the closed Brazilian Championship ahead of
6-time winner Souza Mendes (though losing their individual game in the last
round when the title was already assured). His talent was so clear, that at the
age of 14, he was invited to participate in the sumptuous Hastings Congress,
where Botvinnik, no less, was playing. Mecking scored 50%, losing to Botvinnik
(who won the event), but coming ahead of current CC God Jonathan Penrose and a
point ahead of GM Raymond Keene. When he was 15 he played in and won his second
and last Brazilian Championship, again a clear first.
On the international circuit, he learned his chess lessons the hard way, playing
against players far more experienced and who had a true learning structure (much
like Fischer, and contrary to the Soviets, Mequinho had to learn everything on
his own), never scoring less than 50% however. His game began to really come
together after 1970, and he began to rack up victory after victory, winning the
Interzonal in 1973 (ahead of Geller, Polougaevsky, Portisch, Smyslov, Bronstein
- though losing to Kortchnoi in the Candidates), and again in 1976 (losing to
Polougaevsky in the Candidates).
In 1977, he already began to fall ill, and in 1978 was diagnosed with the
potentially fatal Miastenia Gravis, and this marked his disappearance from the
world of chess. Despite medical efforts, the disease continued to progress to
such a point that at one point in the beginning of 1979, he was given 2 weeks to
live by his doctors (no kidding). He became feverishly religious shortly
thereafter, attributing his remission to the subject of his adoration, and began
to try to become a priest (I know he did the exams, but I don't think he has
been ordained).
Since then, he has made no less than 3 comeback matches since the beginning of
the last decade, resulting in a narrow loss to Nikolic (3.5-2.5) and another to
Seirawan (don't remember exactly, but I believe the score was also 3.5-2.5). A
couple of months ago, he again lost a 6 game match to GM Vescovi, current
Brazilian Champ, again by the score of 3.5-2.5. Many, including myself, feared
that he would once more withdraw from chess as a result of this setback, so
seeing him pop up in ICC to play a few blitz games was a source of pleasure for
more reasons than one. He was presented with a laptop about a uyear ago, and has
been discovering the wonders of the marriage between computers and chess ever
since. He continues to live in his church, prays for several hours in the
morning, and studies chess in the afternoon.
At his height, he was rated 2650 and was ranked 3rd in the world, behind only
Karpov and Kortchnoi.
Although it is undoubtedly no longer true, Fischer (1.5-0.5 score against
Mequinho), when asked about blitz playing in an interview, said no one could
come close to him except for Mecking. Of course, 20 years of rust, apart from a
few sporadic surprise appearances, can be hard to get rid of...
As an acknowledgement of his ability, fellow prodigy Samuel Reschevsky, included
no less than two of Mecking's games in his classic entitled "The Art of
Positional Play".
Albert
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