A sign of the times - 40 years old is still strong

[reflectionofpower]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

[Sven]

Interesting. But I would not call the ones below "close to 40", they are between 29 and 34 (ignoring birthdays in January):

7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

[Leto]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

The ones in your list that are at least 40:
4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975

I wouldn't say any of them are in their prime, and that rating inflation plus name recognition is helping them stay near the top of the list. These are some of the most well known chess players in the world, any tournament organizer would want them in their tournament.

[reflectionofpower]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

The ones in your list that are at least 40:
4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975

I wouldn't say any of them are in their prime, and that rating inflation plus name recognition is helping them stay near the top of the list. These are some of the most well known chess players in the world, any tournament organizer would want them in their tournament.

I didn't say any of them were in their prime and rating inflation applies to everyone including Carlsen,right?

Name recognition does not get you 2700+ ELO rating. It's skill and hard work. Most of these players that I mentioned play the top 10 regularly. I do not see anyone shying away from it.

[Leto]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

The ones in your list that are at least 40:
4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975

I wouldn't say any of them are in their prime, and that rating inflation plus name recognition is helping them stay near the top of the list. These are some of the most well known chess players in the world, any tournament organizer would want them in their tournament.

I didn't say any of them were in their prime and rating inflation applies to everyone including Carlsen,right?

Name recognition does not get you 2700+ ELO rating. It's skill and hard work. Most of these players that I mentioned play the top 10 regularly. I do not see anyone shying away from it.

Yes rating inflation applies to all players. If we somehow went back in time to 2000 and brought Kramnik and Anand to the present they'd probably be in the 2850 to 2900 range against the current young players.

[Uri Blass]

I do not agree about rating inflation and I do not think that there were more young players 30-40 years ago.

Viktor Korchnoi(birth year 1931) was certainly one of the top 25 in
1977.

I see no reason to expect players at age 40 to have a big reduction in their chess playing strength.

[Uri Blass]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

The ones in your list that are at least 40:
4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975

I wouldn't say any of them are in their prime, and that rating inflation plus name recognition is helping them stay near the top of the list. These are some of the most well known chess players in the world, any tournament organizer would want them in their tournament.

I didn't say any of them were in their prime and rating inflation applies to everyone including Carlsen,right?

Name recognition does not get you 2700+ ELO rating. It's skill and hard work. Most of these players that I mentioned play the top 10 regularly. I do not see anyone shying away from it.

Yes rating inflation applies to all players. If we somehow went back in time to 2000 and brought Kramnik and Anand to the present they'd probably be in the 2850 to 2900 range against the current young players.

No proof for it.
I have a different opinion.

Kramnik and anand in 2000 did not know part of the theory that players today learned from chess computers.

[Luis Babboni]

Federer´s 36 birthday will be this year.... and in chess you need to run a little less.

[Leto]

I looked at the top 25 GM's in the world and there are a surprising number of them close to 40 or over. What do you this is attributed to? Computerized, structured studying with all the tools and engines we have nowadays. I don't think this trend was there 30-40 years ago. Back then you're prime was low 30's.


4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
7 Aronian, Levon 2785 1982
11 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2766 1985
13 Eljanov, Pavel 2759 1983
14 Harikrishna, P. 2758 1986
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
19 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2745 1987
20 Grischuk, Alexander 2742 1983
21 Dominguez Perez, Leinier 2739 1983
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975
25 Navara, David 2730 1985

The ones in your list that are at least 40:
4 Kramnik, Vladimir 2811 1975
6 Anand, Viswanathan 2786 1969
15 Ivanchuk, Vassily 2751 1969
16 Adams, Michael 2751 1971
18 Svidler, Peter 2748 1976
22 Topalov, Veselin 2739 1975

I wouldn't say any of them are in their prime, and that rating inflation plus name recognition is helping them stay near the top of the list. These are some of the most well known chess players in the world, any tournament organizer would want them in their tournament.

I didn't say any of them were in their prime and rating inflation applies to everyone including Carlsen,right?

Name recognition does not get you 2700+ ELO rating. It's skill and hard work. Most of these players that I mentioned play the top 10 regularly. I do not see anyone shying away from it.

Yes rating inflation applies to all players. If we somehow went back in time to 2000 and brought Kramnik and Anand to the present they'd probably be in the 2850 to 2900 range against the current young players.

No proof for it.
I have a different opinion.

Kramnik and anand in 2000 did not know part of the theory that players today learned from chess computers.

The opening is just one part of a player's strength. Either way if we were to give Kramnik of 2000 today's opening knowledge he'd easily beat Kramnik of 2017.

[corres]

[quote="Uri Blass"]
I see no reason to expect players at age 40 to have a big reduction in their chess playing strength.
[/quote]
I agree. But. Not only for the physical sports but the intellectual sports like chess need good physical stamina too. This is the main factor what reduces the playing power of competitors over fortieth.