GM Nigel Short has regained his #1 ranking status in the UK. He scored 8/10 in the Staunton Memorial event to break 2700 and at the same time passing Mickey Adams in the rating chart.
Is he the oldest player to get back into the 2700 club?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
This surge corresponds with the passing of Bobby Fischer, who used to play chess online with Nigel. Maybe Bobby passed on some secrets that Nigel is free to use after Fischer’s death?
Also, Short is a great guy for forcing Danialov to observe chess rules and have his players shake hands before the start of a game.
Karpov must surely have been over 2700 still at an older age than Short, though maybe did not re-enter the 2700 club.
But Short is only 45-ish,which is not all that old. Kasparov, for instance, who is 2 years older than Nigel, would still be playing at high 2700s if he hadn’t retired.
Short may well be a great guy, but he let himself down with his chess column obituary to Tony Miles, in which, among other nastiness, he boasted of having had, at some tournament once, an intimate relationship with Miles’ girlfriend. Pathetic, disrespectful column.
I don’t know whether he is the oldest, but certainly the most arrogant and unpleasant person among all British GM! Mickey Adams is such a gentleman compared to Short, who is Short of everything else but a capacity to think behind the chessboard!
“he boasted of having had, at some tournament once, an intimate relationship with Miles’ girlfriend.”
Hey, maybe Miles’ girlfriend likes “short” men, if you know what I mean!
I believe that Beliavsky was also 44 when he reached 2710 in 1997.
Korchnoi achieved a FIDE rating of 2695 in 1979 at the age of 48. A 2695 rating in 1979 easily compares to a 2700 rating today.
Good Luck Short
It is Short, so 2700+ club will be short.
I’ve been lucky enough to play Short in a Simul and ask a few questions in a Q & A sessions.
In great to see him back over 2700.
I think age factor is almost complete rubbish. Motivation and drive is the key factor and reason for a player’s decline.
99.99% of all players are no where there full potenital and age is not a factor in there results.
Lasker and Korchnoi are both great examples, but there are other players that have continue to improve in there 60s,70s,80s, and even there 90’s