Playing opponents born the longest time apart
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Playing opponents born the longest time apart
We might have done this question, or a similar one, before, but I saw this question in the Guardian's Knowledge feature today.
It might be a silly question when applied to football (because careers are much shorter) but it suits our game very well, and we can expand it further. So my question is: who has played competitive chess, be that amateur or professional, against opponents born the longest period of time apart?
It might be a silly question when applied to football (because careers are much shorter) but it suits our game very well, and we can expand it further. So my question is: who has played competitive chess, be that amateur or professional, against opponents born the longest period of time apart?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
I assume we exclude simuls?
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
It wasn't a tournament or match game, nor is it an answer to your exact question, but the centenary of the BCF on 7th May 2004 was marked by an exhibition game between players aged 102 and 5.JustinHorton wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 10:02 amWe might have done this question, or a similar one, before, but I saw this question in the Guardian's Knowledge feature today.
It might be a silly question when applied to football (because careers are much shorter) but it suits our game very well, and we can expand it further. So my question is: who has played competitive chess, be that amateur or professional, against opponents born the longest period of time apart?
I have a recollection (memory, not fact) that shortly afterwards it was established that the 97 years' difference in the players' ages was not a record.
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
I reckon we can have different categories
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
Well it has a game between opponents born 92 years apart, which is a different question.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
Ok, so around 44 years ago I might have played someone aged 70, DOB say 1906, and last year I played a 12 year old, DOB 2007, which is a difference of 100+ years. Hypothetical example, but is that what we are looking for?
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
Yes!
I might just possibly have played somebody (no-one in particular, this is also just a hypothetical example) born in the nineteenth century when I was a junior in the Seventies and I've definitely had many opponents born in the present century, so I maybe span 100+ years myself, but that can't be anything special.
I might just possibly have played somebody (no-one in particular, this is also just a hypothetical example) born in the nineteenth century when I was a junior in the Seventies and I've definitely had many opponents born in the present century, so I maybe span 100+ years myself, but that can't be anything special.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
So you want someone really young playing someone really old, to then live to a very old age themselves and play someone very young?
e.g. An 8-year-old plays someone aged 102 in 1930 (i.e. they are born in 1922 and 1828 respectively) and is alive today at 98 and plays someone aged 7 (born in 2013), giving opponents born 185 years apart, something like that?
I suppose Leonard would have played some old people when he was young, but when did he last play OTB chess and did he play a young Nigel Short or Luke McShane or anyone like that?
e.g. An 8-year-old plays someone aged 102 in 1930 (i.e. they are born in 1922 and 1828 respectively) and is alive today at 98 and plays someone aged 7 (born in 2013), giving opponents born 185 years apart, something like that?
I suppose Leonard would have played some old people when he was young, but when did he last play OTB chess and did he play a young Nigel Short or Luke McShane or anyone like that?
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
Korchnoi played and beat Levenfish (b 1889) circa 1950, and played and beat Caruana (b 1992) when aged 80.
Any advance on 103 years?
Any advance on 103 years?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
What a good question! I played Fred Andrews (Redhill) who was born 1899, but another member was Major Claude J Low, who was (I believe) 80 or so when he gave up, and I last played him in 1971, so I guess he was born 1890ish. Last year, I played Akaash Agnihotri, who apparently was born 2007. (I've played about a dozen different people born 2000 or later.) I'm sure this difference will be beaten easily enough, by someone who is even older than me. An ever present in Minor events in the South East was the cheery Fred Coombes who played until a good age, and I imagine he must have stumbled over some young juniors towards the end of his career.
In the 1981 Guernsey tournament, I was paired against T van Scheltinga (graded 214ish) in round 1, so I idly wondered if he were any relation to the famous one. When a tall mature gentleman turned up, I realised it wasn't a relation... He was born 1914.
In the 1981 Guernsey tournament, I was paired against T van Scheltinga (graded 214ish) in round 1, so I idly wondered if he were any relation to the famous one. When a tall mature gentleman turned up, I realised it wasn't a relation... He was born 1914.
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
I'm not sure I follow your line of thought here; did you ask him?Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:54 pmIn the 1981 Guernsey tournament, I was paired against T van Scheltinga (graded 214ish) in round 1, so I idly wondered if he were any relation to the famous one. When a tall mature gentleman turned up, I realised it wasn't a relation... He was born 1914.
Theo van Scheltinga (born 1914 indeed) was a Dutch OTB international player who competed in the final of the 1st Correspondence World Championship.
I had a chat with him at Wijk aan Zee (probably in 1973) when I was collecting the games of the early CC championships and it sounds like your 1981 opponent was him.
He was still playing chess up to 1990 according to ChessBase's Mega Database.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter
Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com
Historian and FIDE Arbiter
Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
At the 2019 East Devon congress, I played opponents born 70 years apart in consecutive rounds (John Wheeler and Shreyas Royal).
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
Michael Stoop played Freddie Sugden at at the WECU Congress in 2009. They would be roughly 70 years apart. I would imagine that Michael would have played someone relatively old in his younger days, so I imagine he would get well over the century mark.
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Re: Playing opponents born the longest time apart
"Theo van Scheltinga"
I wasn't clear - I realised he was the actual TVS, not a relation, a very nice man. Even back in 1981 I didn't expect to play people that had played Alekhine etc.
TVS and PS Milner-Barry must have played a variety of people over the years.
I wasn't clear - I realised he was the actual TVS, not a relation, a very nice man. Even back in 1981 I didn't expect to play people that had played Alekhine etc.
TVS and PS Milner-Barry must have played a variety of people over the years.