Comments on: Carlsen & Nakamura in BNbank Blitz

By: Ssyphs

Ssyphs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:39:58 +0000

I’d want to see more evidence before I’d draw any certain conclusions on who is better at blitz. The online match between them was more than a year ago and Carlsen has undoubtedly improved since then, and the 4 game BnBank match is just too few games to give any kind of good statistical information (e.g. think about a provisional rating based on only four games).

Nakamura has certainly made a name for himself with blitz though, and to say that an American is best at anything in the the chess world would be something that no one has been able to say in a long time. The only thing I don’t like is when some make the claim that blitz is a sort of chess talent barometer and claim that Nakamura’s blitz skill shows he’s the world’s most talented player. He’s very talented, but blitz skill may only indicate that a player has worked hard to maximize his or her blitz technique.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:52:42 +0000

Visa problems also affect Russian players – after the Tal Memorial, Kramnik mentioned that he is still waiting for his visa to play in the London supertournament !!?
But if organizers invite a certain player, generally I assume that they help him to get a visa in case of need?

By: donkey

donkey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:43:00 +0000

There is no such thing as luck in chess. Nakamura beat the World Blitz Champion. That does not make him the World Blitz Champion. It does make him a really good blitz player. What’s the problem?

By: Nakamura fan

Nakamura fan — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:44:01 +0000

Do I think Nakamura is 1 of the top 20 players in the world? No, but I think he’s top 25. Do I think he’s as good as any of the top 5 in blitz? No, they’re too strong in any format. I think he MAY be #6 in the world at blitz. He MAY have a 50% chance of winning at blitz against Gashimov.

By: Guillaume

Guillaume — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Late invitation can indeed be a problem in Russia, because getting a visa can take quite some time. I almost had to cancel going to Moscow once, anxiously waiting for my visa until the day before departure. No visa, no Russia.

However, as Thomas rightly pointed out, this is irrelevant since there are ways to qualify to World Blitz Championships.

It sure looks like Nakamura does not really want to play in a World Blitz Championship. I’d say he probably wants to keep the freedom to “pre-move”, even with on-the-board games. Just watch the video of their second game, the one that Carlsen lost in a totally winning position, around 8:40, and observe how Nakamura repeatedly moves his pieces on Carlsen’s time, sometimes several times in a row (8:50). It’s particularly blatant if you watch it at 1/10th of the normal speed. As much as this is perfectly legit in online games, and probably not such a big deal in a tournament like this one, I seriously doubt that this kind of behavior would go unchallenged in a World Blitz Championship.

By: nick burrows

nick burrows — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:38:30 +0000

The caps seemed necessary because you repeated 3 times that Nakamura did not play in the World Blitz due to fear. He stated himself that he was not invited util it was too late – yet you imply that he is lying, with nothing whatsoever to back it up. I choose to believe what he says.

On top of that he beat Carlsen last year 13-7 in bullet. Now he beats him 3-1 o.t.b.

Magnus is my favourite player as it happens, i just think Naka has him in blitz. For some Magnus can do no wrong, may as well just make him WC without having to even face Anand eh!?

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:18:09 +0000

For me it is rather irrelevant whether Nakamura was invited to the World Blitz Championship early, late or not at all – he could have played the Aeroflot blitz qualifier and didn’t. So for the time being his blitz reputation is still mostly based on online blitz which is not the same as playing over the board: no prize money at stake, not everyone takes it equally seriously, … . And a somewhat lucky victory in a 4-game match against Carlsen (winning game 2 from a completely lost position) is not the same as what Carlsen did: playing 42 games against all, or at least most of the world’s strongest players.

BTW, same Naka pattern for Corus: He could have played Corus B to qualify for the highest group like others from his generation did (Karjakin, Carlsen, now Caruana) but declined several invitations, sitting and waiting for a crown group invite to come along [or rather playing the Gibraltar Open at the same time].

By: Muadhib

Muadhib — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:05:02 +0000

Nakamura was invited to World Blitz Championship, but declined because supposingly the invitation came too late.

Like you need to prepare for blitz.

By: Guillaume

Guillaume — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:48:24 +0000

Oh, drop the caps, will you?
I don’t see any trace of Nakamura in the previous Blitz World Championship either. Was he never ever ever invited? Or did he just flat out refuse to go? What were his excuses in 2006, 2007 and 2008? What will it be in 2010?

BTW, I have nothing against Nakamura, I’d rather like to see him compete in the World Blitz Championship. But until it happens, he is just the sum of his best achievements: the US champion, and a really damn good and fun to watch online player, for what it’s worth.

By: nick burrows

nick burrows — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:31:41 +0000

@Guillaume

NAKAMURA WAS NOT INVITED, THEN GOT A LATE CALL AS A REPLACEMENT.

I believe the 13-7 eas at 3 0 bullet, but i would imagine that even if playing at 3 2 would even it up somewhat, i still like Naka ftw.