Kasparov Hit Over Head With Chessboard

Myway | AP ^ | 4/16/05

[LibWhacker]

MOSCOW (AP) - Garry Kasparov, the world's former No. 1 chess player who quit the professional game last month to focus on politics, said Saturday he had been hit over the head with a chessboard in a politically motivated attack.

Kasparov, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, was not injured Friday when he was hit with the chessboard after signing it for a young man at an event in Moscow.

A spokeswoman for Kasparov, Marina Litvinovich, said the assailant told the chess champion: "I admired you as a chess player, but you gave that up for politics."

She said the unidentified attacker - who did not reveal his political allegiance - tried to hit Kasparov again but was hauled away by security guards.

"It was a fairly nasty incident, it was not very pleasant psychologically," Kasparov told the private NTV television.

The 41-year-old Kasparov, a brilliant and aggressive tactician regarded by many as the greatest chess player of all time, has been ranked No. 1 in the world since 1984.

He retired last month, saying he planned to focus on politics and do "everything in my power to resist Putin's dictatorship." He plays a leading role in the Committee 2008: Free Choice, a group formed by liberal opposition leaders.

Putin has been accused of stifling democratic freedoms by placing national television under effective state control and centralizing power by boosting Kremlin control of parliament and country's regions.

[Mr. Mojo]

I saw Kasparov interviewed on Charlie Rose's show last week. Interesting guy. ....and utterly committed to a free Russia.

[need_a_screen_name]

Anyone know of a good free chess program to download? One where you play against the computer and not another person?

[starfish923]

Garry Kasparov, the world's former No. 1 chess player who quit the professional game last month to focus on politics, said Saturday he had been hit over the head with a chessboard in a politically motivated attack.

I wonder why he gave up the game. He is only 41 years old. Is he really rich now and tired of it? Does he think that his chess brain will do any good in the world political chess game? Maybe he believed that he was losing his ability to be the best chess player in the world.
Picking out this ONE Russian president to seek change isn't going to do much good. The Russian system goes far deeper than one Vladimir Putin.

[zencat]

Checkmate!

[SteveMcKing]

I wonder why he gave up the game.

Like anything, quit while you're ahead unless you're willing to put the practice and effort in to it.

[isom35]

at least it wasnt the sharp end of a yard dart.

[LibWhacker]

Check out Natwarlal on NoNags.com. Totally free. No nag screens. NoNags gives it a 6 (out of 6). Not vouching for it myself . . . Just tellin' 'ya about it! :-)

[furball4paws]

I've tried about 6 and the best one is Fritz. I use Fritz 8. You can probably get an earlier version on Ebay for about $10-20. It's not as pretty as Chessmaster, but both can be adjusted so that it will crush you or you can crush it. It's analysis routine is better than Chessmaster.

Note: Chessmaster causes a lot of crashes with Windows, especially in the analysis mode. If it didn't have this problem it would also be a good bet.

[scott says]

Good thing the guy wasn't the champion bowler.

[rmmcdaniell]

I wonder why he gave up the game. He is only 41 years old. Is he really rich now and tired of it? Does he think that his chess brain will do any good in the world political chess game? Maybe he believed that he was losing his ability to be the best chess player in the world.

Or maybe he realized that its time to something else on this earth other than playing games! I don't understand how anyone could devote thier life to perfecting a game, and those who admire/worship the players.

ITS JUST A GAME!!!!!!!!

[delacoert]

Two minutes in the penalty box for high sticking... er um... high boarding.

[NonLinear]

Fritz, Fritz, Fritz

Use what the GM's use.

Great tactical analysis, not quite as great in positional situations, but still better than 95% of the people you could find to evaluate your position.

Just search on the web. It's out there.

Check out for human or computer players online:
chessclub.com (ICC) $50/year
freechess.org (FICS) Free

You may be able to figure out my handle on either.

[Mount Athos]

He probably noticed that all the GMs who play too long end up completely, utterly raving insane.

[Levante]

"at least it wasnt the sharp end of a yard dart."

Or have a ceramic gnome smashed over his head like that intruder in the UK!

[Caipirabob]

Anyone know of a good free chess program to download? One where you play against the computer and not another person?

Depends on the meaning of "good". ; )

Good in being "adjustable" to the specific user or good in the complexity and sophistication of the programming? Pawn's a good starter engine.

Pawn

[starfish923]

I wonder why he gave up the game.
1. Like anything, quit while you're ahead unless you're willing to put the practice and effort in to it. by SteveMcKing
2. Or maybe he realized that its time to something else on this earth other than playing games! I don't understand how anyone could devote thier life to perfecting a game, and those who admire/worship the players.
ITS JUST A GAME!!!!!! by rmmcdaniell
3. He probably noticed that all the GMs who play too long end up completely, utterly raving insane. by Mount Athos

1. Good one. Not many people, athletes, singers, chess masters, whatever, know when to quit. Their groupies’ drooling adoration keeps them in denial. Could it be that Kasparov was smart enough to quit while he was ahead? If so, good for him. Too bad he’s not smart enough to realize that targeting one president of Russia AIN’T gonna change Russia or Russians. But, at least he’s putting his voice and passion to an effort in which he believes.

2. Athletes do the same thing, so do singers, dancers, any performers. It’s just a game all right, but with rewards of millions and millions of dollars.....and wealth, status and fame. POWER often, but not always, accompanies those “scarce resources.” Scarce resources – fame, money, status, power – basic human psychology 101.

3.

[need_a_screen_name]

"Check out Natwarlal on NoNags.com. Totally free. No nag screens. NoNags gives it a 6 (out of 6). Not vouching for it myself . . . Just tellin' 'ya about it! :-)"



Thanks. Before I could find the exact game you were talking about, I saw the one Caipirabob linked to, and he had played it before and thought it would work. It's nod bad. I like it.

[need_a_screen_name]

"I've tried about 6 and the best one is Fritz. I use Fritz 8. You can probably get an earlier version on Ebay for about $10-20. It's not as pretty as Chessmaster, but both can be adjusted so that it will crush you or you can crush it. It's analysis routine is better than Chessmaster.

Note: Chessmaster causes a lot of crashes with Windows, especially in the analysis mode. If it didn't have this problem it would also be a good bet."


It looks like the concensus is Fritz. I'll grab it when I can find it. Don't really want to pay anything. Thanks.