In the report
in the Norwegian news page VG Nett, when asked about the the collaboration between
Garry Kasparov ("perhaps the best ever chess player") and Hikaru Nakamura
("number nine player in the world), of which rumours have been circulating
since January, Magnus Carlsen is quoted as saying:
"I am surprised, especially since I never got the impression that Kasparov
had a great deal of respect for Nakamura's chess talent. This is why I have
been reluctant to believe the rumors of the two working together."
VG Nett: The Norwegian chess star himself had Kasparov as coach in 2009 and
2010, but despite the great progress Carlsen terminated the partnership because
he thought the Russian was making too many decisions for him. The partnership
between Japan-born Nakamura and Kasparov was set up using the financial backing
("wallet") of Rex Sinquefield. VG Nett speculates that "the St.
Louis billionaire has probably used up to one million Kroner already".
VG quotes from the interview
in New in Chess on the collaboration. Nakamura, is says there, has been
given access to Kasparov's giant database of openings. The duo have had a few
sessions together, and also had arguments over priorities. Before the Dortmund
tournament a third training session was planned to take place in Kasparov's
summer residence in Croatia, but to his consternation Nakamura decided to skip
this and play in a Las Vegas poker tournament instead. "Hikaru's talent
is proven," Kasparov is quoted as saying, "but he must decide that
it is more important to win in chess than in poker."
Magnus is further quoted:
"I noticed that Kasparov has spoken in a neutral fashion and has tried
to play down the collaboration. He probably hoped that Nakamura would porduce
better performances before the collaboration was made public. After all, since
the nice win at Tata, Nakamura has not achieved very much."
Carlsen told VG he believes the pressure on Nakamura will be greater. He doubts
that Kasparov's insights in Magnus' own game will make the American a tougher
opponent in the future.
"I, too, know Kasparov well, and the way he thinks. Besides, I have
a pretty good idea of what he thinks are my strengths and weaknesses. I've
had very good resaults against Nakamura in the period since Kasparov has been
his trainer. I think Nakamura has made and will make more progress as a result,
but right now there are four to five players in the world, including me, who
have significantly better understanding of chess than Nakamura. And I don't
know if even a man like Kasparov can change that in the short term."
The answer, VG says, will be delivered at the Tal Memorial, which begins in
mid-November in Moscow. There the world's elite, including Carlsen and Nakamura,
will be in attendance.
Further reading
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Breaking news: Carlsen and Kasparov join forces
07.09.2009 – It was the best-kept secret of
the year: Magnus Carlsen, at 18 already the fourth highest ranked player
in the world, has won the legendary Garry Kasparov, arguably the greatest
player in chess history, as his personal trainer. The goal is to make
Magnus the world's number one in the course of the coming year. The Norwegian
newspaper VG
has broken the news. |
| |
Kasparov and Carlsen on Norway's NRK talk show
22.09.2009 – Nobody watches
long interviews on the Internet any more – Google and YouTube have satiated
us pretty much. But sometimes you have to make an exception. Here are
Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen talking about their cooperation to make
the latter the number one in chess. The discussion on Norway's NRK Nett-TV
talk show is charming and insightful. Video
and full transcript. |
| |
Carlsen: I am constantly in touch with Kasparov
19.11.2009 – "Until recently I was a schoolboy,"
says a candid Magnus Carlsen, "I am not very accustomed to rigid, hard
and painstaking work. Only by working with Garry Kasparov have I become
aware of just how important it is." The 18-year-old winner of the 2009
World Blitz Championship, and the inofficial world number one player,
gives credit where it's due in this Vremya
(Time) interview. |
| |
Training in style – Kasparov and Carlsen in Marrakech
13.01.2010 – When you are the world's number
one player, and when your coach is the legendary Garry Kasparov, then
you don't go into training camp just anywhere. Magnus Carlsen travelled
to Morocco, took residence in a five-star garden hotel, and conducted
intense preparation for the Wijk aan Zee super-GM. The two also played
a double simul for their hosts. We
have games. |
| |
Bisik-Bisik with Garry Kasparov – Part 1
19.01.2010 – Last year Garry Kasparov visited
Asia – for the first time since the Philippines Olympiad in 1992. He was
in India and in Malaysia, where our reporter Edwin Lam did a Q&A with
him. Kasparov spoke engagingly and candidly about Asia, his early career
as a chess player, his protégé Magnus Carlsen and his Chess Foundation
in America. Not a line of blah in this interview. Must
read.
|
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Goals met – Kasparov and Carlsen's new strategy
03.03.2010 – The cooperation between Garry
Kasparov, arguably the greatest chess player in history, and Magnus Carlsen,
one of its greatest talents, began early last year. The results came faster
than anyone had expected: Magnus was number one in the last two world
rankings. Now the work between the two takes a new direction, with Magnus
making all career decisions on his own. Press
release.
|
| |
Now it's official: Kasparov is training Nakamura
01.11.2011 – Some knew, some thought they knew,
and speculation was rampant during the Grand Slam Final in São Paulo and
Bilbao. Yes, Garry Kasparov, who famously trained Magnus Carlsen, is now
working with Hikaru Nakamura. The real story is in the details, straight
from the protagonists themselves, and you can find them in the latest
issue of New
in Chess Magazine. |
