How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

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  • How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

    This is a poll to see how many world chess champions respondents have seen in person (not necessarily having met), or visited their grave. They could have been seen before, during or after they were world champions.

    For example, I recall over the years seeing in person Botvinnik (in Toronto), Karpov, Kasparov and Tal (in Saint John) and Spassky (in Mississauga, if not Saint John as well). I have also visited the grave of Capablanca (in Havana). That makes for a total of six, for my own answer to the poll question.
    41
    None
    36.59%
    15
    One
    21.95%
    9
    Two
    9.76%
    4
    Three
    4.88%
    2
    Four
    4.88%
    2
    Five
    7.32%
    3
    Six
    4.88%
    2
    Seven
    0.00%
    0
    Eight
    2.44%
    1
    Nine or more
    7.32%
    3
    Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
    Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

  • #2
    Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

    I know Jason Cao! :-) Also I went to WYCC many times...so my guess is over 50!
    Last edited by Andrei Botez; Thursday, 7th February, 2013, 12:27 PM.

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    • #3
      Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

      Naturally I meant 'world chess champions' in the traditional/absolute (i.e. adult male [at least so far just adult male]) sense. Either pre-FIDE, FIDE or PCA world champs. Fwiw, I don't recall any PCA world champs that aren't also FIDE world champs, but I may easily be wrong.
      Last edited by Kevin Pacey; Thursday, 7th February, 2013, 01:03 PM. Reason: adding "pre-FIDE", "so far adult male"
      Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
      Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

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      • #4
        Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

        It might be somewhat skewed for me, as if you include: Ponomariov, Khalifman and Kasimjanov it becomes five, otherwise it is two: Kasparov, Topalov.

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        • #5
          Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

          Originally posted by Vlad Rekhson View Post
          It might be somewhat skewed for me, as if you include: Ponomariov, Khalifman and Kasimjanov it becomes five, otherwise it is two: Kasparov, Topalov.
          I don't think the FIDE World Champions should count. It was a minor aberration.

          We don't count them when we count World Champions:

          12th Karpov
          13th Kasparov
          14th Kramnik
          15th Anand

          Bob A

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          • #6
            Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

            Originally posted by Bob Armstrong View Post
            I don't think the FIDE World Champions should count. It was a minor aberration.

            We don't count them when we count World Champions:

            12th Karpov
            13th Kasparov
            14th Kramnik
            15th Anand

            Bob A
            Topalov was an undisputed world champion

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            • #7
              Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

              Fwiw, FIDE world champs Smyslov and Tal both had mini-reigns of just one year, yet not only are they counted as world champs, but also as fairly great ones (given that the old rematch rule helped Botvinnik).

              I would have liked to have included great players who had the potential to be world champs, or who came very close, but then the poll/thread would be open to potentially much greater controversy. I've seen Keres, Korchnoi, Shirov and Short in person for example, and in fact I've played all these players but Korchnoi (though just in their simul(s)).
              Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
              Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                My number is, probably, 11. 7 "real" (Smyslov, Tal, Spassky, Karpov, Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand) and 4 FIDE (Ponomarev, Khalifman, Kasimdzhanov, Topalov).

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                • #9
                  Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                  I visited Capablanca's grave in Havana, Cuba several years ago.

                  No matter how big and bad you are, when a two-year-old hands you a toy phone, you answer it.

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                  • #10
                    Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                    Originally posted by Vlad Rekhson View Post
                    Topalov was an undisputed world champion
                    No - Topalov became FIDE World Champion in 2005 but lost the unification match to Kramnik the following year.

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                    • #11
                      Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                      Originally posted by Stephen Wright View Post
                      No - Topalov became FIDE World Champion in 2005 but lost the unification match to Kramnik the following year.
                      At that time Kramnik agreed that Topalov would be the official champion with the agreement that they would play the match. Also, unlike some of the other FIDE champions, Topalov actually the best player in the world at that time.

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                      • #12
                        Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                        I like Jordan's idea. How about some stories of meeting World Champions (or ex)?

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                        • #13
                          Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                          I count 11, all of FIDE's plus Max Euwe.

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                          • #14
                            Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                            Depends what you mean by official. Anyway, my point is that Topalov was never regarded as an undisputed champion, otherwise a unification match would not have been necessary. And whether he was best in the world at the time is irrelevant - look at the present situation with Carlsen and Anand.

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                            • #15
                              Re: How many world chess champions have you seen in person, or visited their grave?

                              Originally posted by Lawrence Day View Post
                              I count 11, all of FIDE's plus Max Euwe.
                              Math does not match ("ALL")

                              All FIDE:
                              no questions asked: Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov (8)
                              tourists: Khalifman, Ponomariov, Kasimdzhanov (3)
                              last three: Kramnik, Topalov, Anand (3)
                              (14)

                              + Euwe

                              =15

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