Kasparov retires

[DBear]

Various sources, got this one from The Financial Times

Garry Kasparov, arguably the greatest chess player the world has seen, has announced his retirement from the professional game.

The news, which came late on Thursday shortly after he won the Spanish tournament of Linares, the most prestigious and challenging event of the chess calendar, has left millions of players around the world in shock.

Most agree Mr Kasparov's unexpected departure will also leave the chess world spiritually and financially poorer.

Hikaru Nakamura, a 17-year-old US grandmaster who recently won the US chess championship, summed up the mood of many when he told the FT: "Chess is dead."

Mr Kasparov, who will be 42 next month, said his decision came down to a lack of motivation. "I am a man of big goals but I no longer see any real goal in the world of chess."

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Speculation surrounding Mr Kasparov's future fluctuates between a career in politics - he is a vocal opponent of Vladimir Putin, Russia's president - and an eventual return to the sport.

Meanwhile, there appear to be few candidates to fill the void his departure creates. When asked about successors Mr Kasparov ruled out the current generation of players, naming instead and without conviction two teenagers: Sergei Karjakin of Ukraine, and Magnus Carlsen from Norway. Others suggested Mr Nakamura.

 

[Richard Cribb]

Various sources, got this one from The Financial Times

Not at all
I for one will not miss him, I think we will do OK without mr.Kasparov's inflated ego.

Garry Kasparov, arguably the greatest chess player the world has seen, has announced his retirement from the professional game.

Except for the juvenile in saying about anybody that they were the greatest player ever, I also think he is arguably not so.

The news, which came late on Thursday shortly after he won the Spanish tournament of Linares, the most prestigious and challenging event of the chess calendar, has left millions of players around the world in shock..

Linares is IMHO hyped up. It is mainly a tournament where The Greatest Chessplayer Ever drags his court of chosen minions and collects an appearance fee huger than the whole prize sum. The way he "won" this tournament speaks volumes; Topalov gathered the same amount of points and defeated Kasparov 1.5 - 0.5 in their individual encounters (the format of the tournament is a double round-robin for7 players). This would have given him the first prize if normal tie-break rules had been applied, but here Kasparov got it for winning more games with black...
If chessplayers are chocked by this, then they are made of a softer material nowadays than when I was active.

Most agree Mr Kasparov's unexpected departure will also leave the chess world spiritually and financially poorer..

I don't know what is meant by "spiritual". Kasparov is of course a great player whose team has contributed to our understanding of certain openings. On the other hand he is quite a despeakable character. And he caused quite a mess with this PCA affair. Financially? I simply don't know.But I think the chessworld will survive somehow...

Hikaru Nakamura, a 17-year-old US grandmaster who recently won the US chess championship, summed up the mood of many when he told the FT: "Chess is dead."..

I have difficulties in believing that such a reasonable young man can have said such a thing...

Mr Kasparov, who will be 42 next month, said his decision came down to a lack of motivation. "I am a man of big goals but I no longer see any real goal in the world of chess.".

Well, for a starter he could have tried to regain the FIDE world championship or his private one if goals is what he is lacking.

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Speculation surrounding Mr Kasparov's future fluctuates between a career in politics - he is a vocal opponent of Vladimir Putin, Russia's president - and an eventual return to the sport.

I am afraid there might be something into it. While he is a virtuoso in the King's Indian, he is prone to false tunes when it comes to politics.

Meanwhile, there appear to be few candidates to fill the void his departure creates. When asked about successors Mr Kasparov ruled out the current generation of players, naming instead and without conviction two teenagers: Sergei Karjakin of Ukraine, and Magnus Carlsen from Norway. Others suggested Mr Nakamura.

There is no void to fill, since Kasparov is not a holder of any of the two world champion titles. He lost to Kramnik in 2000 in his own private world championship without winning a game and has later been unable to prove his superiority in direct confrontations with him. He has not participated in the official ones aprobed by FIDE and has avoided playing the FIDE champions. Of course, his rude behaviour makes one motivated to award him a few titles...

 

[punkbass2000]

Don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. A great player, but, as luceafarul points out, arrogant. I've never, personnally, found his books/chess programs incredibly useful, but then I'm one for the more casual musings of Seirawan and Waitzkin. Nonetheless, it is a surprise, and a wholly unexpected one, even for one who fails to follow the chess world.