| Who is your Mr. Clutch in chess? If there is only one game to play in a must win situation, who would you want on your corner? | |
| Fischer | |
| Kasparov | |
| Karpov | |
| Anand | |
| Capablanca | |
| Alekhine | |
| Botvinnik | |
| Tal | |
| Carlsen | |
| Another great player | |
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
I have to vote for Kasparov if only for game 24 of the 1987 match vs Karpov.
In a must-win situation (as opposed to a must-not-lose), I’d want the person with the greatest rating separation from anyone else in the world. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that honor goes to either Fischer or (pre-ELO) Morphy.
I remain faithful to my 2 loves:
Fischer and Polgar sisters.
🙂
Best regards
Stef
Good grief! Why isn’t Lasker on that list? WC Match with Schlecter, Petersburg 1914 – we can add Cambridge Springs 1904 and Petersburg 1909 as well. No one has won more “must win” games in more varied circumstances.
Such comparisons are impossible because the younger generations know the advances of chess theory. If Fischer plays one of his innovations for which a defense has been found in the meantime, a young player will crush him.
I voted “Another Player” intending Lasker.
Though on “Intrinsic” Elo sterngth I would go with Kasparov.
One can hardly compare players from different eras, but a fair exercise would be: among these great players, facing a must win situation in their respective era, who would have performed best?
Morphy & Philidor probably would have won all (or most) must win games, since they were simply too far better than their contemporaries. To make more sense, one has to start probably from 1890s (with Steinitz or Lasker).
I voted earlier for Kasparov. Afterwards, Lasker came to my mind, and it’s nice to see that others have mentioned him, as he fully deserves a place in the list (he also beat Capablanca in their famous 1914 game in St. Petersburg.) Botvinnik would also rank very high. So, probably this order: Kasparov, Lasker & Botvinnik (tied), and then Karpov.
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,choosing a “second” for an important chess game,should not be decided by evaluating “second’s” stands in tournaments but should be decided by evaluating the matching,presence and absence of required skills of the ” chosen second and you” respectively – Both should compliment each other in a different way.
So,I will choose “Anand” the current “World Chess champion” as my second in an important chess game – If need & opportunity exist.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
I would hope to have Judit Polgar in my carner. She is the most resourceful player among all top players.
It was Kramnik who won a last game most recently … (iirc)
If Tal was ever healthy, his style would make me pick him if just for 1 game in a must win situation.
To steal Svidler’s answer: “Houdini”