Question about something Kasparov said:

Did anyone here read of a statement reported to be from Kasparov about 2600 rated players being just 'enthusiastic amateurs'?
I mentioned that in a post by Duchess64 and she got all bent out of shape.

@sonhouse

I remember reading the quote.

Duchess64 "getting bent out of shape" is normal, so I would not think anything of it.

@paul-leggett said
@sonhouse

I remember reading the quote.

Duchess64 "getting bent out of shape" is normal, so I would not think anything of it.

Do you remember where or when you read that quote? It did not make it into the 31 best K quotes I found online. Those were in fact mostly political.

I remember looking at websites that were talking about Kasparov's opinion of the St. Louis chess club. That same day is when I seen his comments about current GM's not being strong. He wasn't talking about the top ten players. He was referring to GM's in general. I looked but I couldn't find it again.
I hope that helps.

@rowin-side said
I remember looking at websites that were talking about Kasparov's opinion of the St. Louis chess club. That same day is when I seen his comments about current GM's not being strong. He wasn't talking about the top ten players. He was referring to GM's in general. I looked but I couldn't find it again.
I hope that helps.

Well he has a point when a dude garners a rating of 2500 points and scores 75% in three tournaments in a single year I think the rule is, then he is CALLED a GM. He may be really only a strong IM but he is a full 300+ points lower rating than K or Maggie and a few others.

I think the GM title goes to world championship winners.
All the others are just masters.
That's my opinion.

Hi Rowin-Side,

At one time the only way to get a GM title was to qualify for the Candidates.
That would mean today there would be about 100 GM's. At the moment there
are over 1,000 with titles being bought and bartered for.

Recall an Olympiad where one playing board four needed a draw for a norm but was losing.
His team mate was winning on board 3 so the captains got together and said if
you agree a draw on board 4, we will agree a draw on board 3 and the deal was done.
There are some, as well as the team captains and players involved, who think
there is nothing wrong in this.


After Shirov - Kasparov, Tilburg 1997 (0-1) Kasparov said:
"Shirov? He is not more than a enthusiastic amateur."

It is well documented in other forums without anyone saying it's untrue
but I cannot find a pure link or source.

Unlike his chess Gary often spoke before thinking.
He said of Judit Polgar: "She is a "circus puppet" and said that women chess players should stick to having children."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/sep/11/3

Hopefully Kasparov lives to see a female world champion. I wonder what he would say? 🤔

From what I've heard, getting the GM title isn't the best way to earn a living, just due to the sheer number of GM titled players. -especially in Europe.

So for the majority of GM titled players, its more of a life's accomplishment than anything. Recognition, some perks in tournaments, a way to earn some side money over whatever their day job is.
The sheer quality of training software nowadays is probably factoring into the equation of less opportunities for Grandmasters to tutor the kids of wealthy parents.