Oct-04-09 returnoftheking: Mr Short, over at the Carlsen page and some fora I see a presentation of your recent reply to Zarg (see below) and I was surprised by the popular interpretation. Miss Pogonina wrote of course that Carlsen played very well, but also that his first two opponents (Leko and Topalov) didn't play at their best. She didn't really speculate why, so I doubt you really disagree with her.

Looking at the games I found the opinion of chessvibes -that there may be psychological factors involved (Pogonina didn't speculate why)also plausible. Should we conclude from your quote that you think it an unlikely explanation? Thanks for an answer in advance.

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< Oct-03-09 zarg quoting chessvibes: <Carlsen is playing very well, but it must be said that his opponents haven’t shown their best form against him, as if they’re intimidated. Topalov went down pretty much without a chance, and today Radjabov lost very quickly. Azerbaijan’s number one might have been a bit relieved to see that instead of throwing something new and different on the board, Carlsen simply followed their game from Linares in February this year.

I didn't buy it, so I asked Nigel Short (2707), who is #29 on the LIVE list, a direct question. He provided this answer on his player page:

<Nigel Short: <zarg> My impression is that Carlsen is playing fantastically well. By the way, people don't usually make mistakes when they are not under pressure - a factor which your WGM may have overlooked.>

Pogonina’s summary today:
"Ok, Wang Yue resigned. What can I say? Korchnoi may not be at the tournament right now, but I can almost see him shake his head and say "These young players don't have a clue what chess is about".

Inexplicably weak play by Wang Yue, and Carlsen's performance has been far from outstanding..."

Hmm.

Here in Brazil we tend to be very xenofobic in the sports we are good at. Most people here dont like C.Ronaldo just because he is good and isnt brazilian.

Its pretty obvious that you can sense some bitterness when Pogonina is talking about carlsen.

It is indeed a emergent country issue; look and see who are complaining; it's 99 percent the Norwegian Carlsen cult spearheaded by it's well known high priest. Just like other fanatics they are touchy people without humor or ability to see things in perspective. It will be interesting to see if they can add a WGM to their list of people driven away of CG.

<Paint My Dragon: If Natalia Pogonina tells me Capablanca has been found alive on the Moon, then I'd just agree with her I'm afraid.

No sense in starting the relationship with an argument ;-)>

http://www.chessbase.com/news/2008/...;

Or this?

<slomarko: kudos to Pogonina for remaining objective and not jumping on the Carlsen bandwagon.>

I didn;t even know she existed before october this year..

The Korchnoi paraphrase and saying that Kramnik or Topalov would never blunder like that is kind of rude

You are making too much out of this comment. Are you trying to start a fight or something? What's the point of posting this?

Nigel chats with us frequently. You can cherry pick stqatements to try to achieve some effect. But what for?

Ok, she has kept her dignity and that is what is most appealing. But, come on, her face on this profile is not 'Beautiful'. It is attractive in a way but not 'beautiful'. Ok hr face appeals to some guys but it's not what draws me onto her.

Yep her chess brains is more appealing but shame her bod doesn't look like it will ever go with it.

But she don't care as she is already happily married.

<walker: Maybe I am an old fashioned guy, but I would have never ever humiliate a woman in this way.>