July FIDE Rating List: Four Things

See the ChessBase story regarding Magnus' amazing attainment, which is now official.  Note several things about this all-time top ten list.  First, Carlsen's achievement at 19 is nothing short of amazing.  I anxiously wait to see just how much he will achieve.  Second, taken by itself, Fischer's inclusion on this list 38 years after reaching his peak rating is also amazing, but it is particularly so when one accounts for almost 40 years of inflation.  If memory serves, Fischer actually lost rating points by defeating World Champion Spassky.  Third, Kasparov's and Karpov's positions on the list are noteworthy because of the age of their ratings.  Karpov remains in the top ten despite the lapse of sixteen years and the attendant inflation, and Kasparov still holds the first position eleven years after his peak.  Neither Carlsen, nor anyone else, will likely bump him down anytime soon.  Finally, only one country has more than one player on this list.  Unsurprisingly, it is Russia with four.

Fischer-Spassky: Chess Table for Sale

One of the three chess tables used by Fischer and Spassky in Reykjavik is reportedly being offered for sale. See the Gambit account of the sale here. Páll G. Jonsson apparently bought two of the tables following the 1972 match, and now at 77 wishes to sell one of them.

Johnsson states that the chairman of the Match Organizing Committee, Gudmundur G. Thorarinsson, can authenticate the table. 

Chess Life: July 20, 1956

Fischer at 13 bookended at the other end of the crosstable by none other than our venerable correspondence chess director, Alex Dunne.

Will Fischer be exhumed?

Fischer continues in controversy.  This time the moves are being made over his estate.

Reportedly, on April 16, Iceland Judge Gudmundsdottir will decide a request by Jinky Young to disinter her father’s remains in a cemetery in Selfoss, Iceland.

Najdorf 101: 6.Bc4--Fischer Attack

Playing the Najdorf is a theoretical challenge. Below is the base position and Mega 2009 shows that virtually every reasonable move has been played by White in this position, with 6.Be2 being the classic response and most played. But fashion and theory change, and the table shows how White players over 2500 have handled the position the past couple of years. The English Attack has taken over the prime spot. The English Attack, however, still makes up substantially fewer than one-half the games played against the Najdorf. One of the "other" moves remains Fischer's 6.Bc4, which is the subject of the below games.

. Move # games W's % . 6.Be3 498 55.2% . 6.Bg5 423 52% . 6.Be2 213 53.6% . 6.Bc4 61 50.8% . 6.f3 52 53.8% . 6.h3 48 61.5% . 6.g3 42 45.3% . 6.a4 29 55.2% . 6.f4 28 53.6%

A good place to start is with Fischer himself.

And this effort on my part helps demonstrate my affinity for the Najdorf. It's a sensible way to play for a win with Black. This was my last game of an ICCF Master's Promotion tournament, a tournament I was able to win by a 1/2 point because of this game.