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It's so weird to see so many people online going out of their way to explain why Hikaru won't do well. The eagerness to discredit him is just perplexing. He's

It's so weird to see so many people online going out of their way to explain why Hikaru won't do well. The eagerness to discredit him is just perplexing. He's earned the recognition already, he's a former #2 in the world and one of only a handful of players to ever have an ELO over 2800. Just enjoy his resurgence and see where it takes him.

alisonkisk 5y ago
sillysaurusx 5y ago
I think Hikaru wouldn't want people coming to his defense like this. He'd be the first to acknowledge how strong Ding is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAkk150pqs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAkk150pqs It's not discrediting Hikaru to say that there are strong players that can't participate.
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  I'm not coming to his defense. I'm just making a point that the arguments against him 1) aren't that great and 2) usually come from a place of animosity towards Hikaru (he's abrasive, I get it).
mellosouls 5y ago
Hikaru himself has acknowledged it is very unlikely he can be champion.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
joshuamorton 5y ago
I don't think anything about that comment was discrediting (and I generally enjoy Hikaru's content!). He was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix, but he's going to be tied for lowest rating in the candidates. That's an exceedingly good argument that he's unlikely to do particularly well (and it's likely his betting market is somewhat inflated by his fan base, his real odds are probably lower!)
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  "Hikaru was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix..." after winning the first Grand Prix in Berlin ... And assuring himself a place in the candidates tournament before the final Grand Prix had even finished? I point out that its odd the number of people going out of their way to discredit Hikaru, so a bunch more people follow up by doubling down on discrediting Hikaru. Anyways, if you're familiar with what makes Hikaru great, you understand why Hikaru has as good a chance as anyone.
  - joshuamorton 5y ago
    > Hikaru was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix... This is factually true. He was like 6/16 in elo in the first and 7/16 in the third leg. He'll be 8/8 in the candidates. Literally nothing I've said discredits him. His performance was unexpectedly strong, that's giving extra credit for an impressive performance. But I'm also realistic. > Anyways, if you're familiar with what makes Hikaru great, you understand why Hikaru has as good a chance as anyone. Lol no, and Hikaru would be the first to tell you he has at most an outside chance. You claim you're not defending Hikaru, but you really, really are. In fact, you're reading things into comments that weren't actually said, and assuming these things that weren't actually said are criticisms of Hikaru and it's worth asking yourself why you're doing that.
    - tibbar 5y ago
      Actually Hikaru would be (as of today) 6/8 among the Candidates in classical ELO, as the world #11 in live ratings. If anything, Hikaru is probably underrated; he gained around 20 ELO points in the two Grand Prix legs. Like the OP, I'll disclaim being a Hikaru apologist; but he is world #1 in blitz and world #2 (briefly #1 this year) in rapid rating, which is why, for example, http://universalrating.com/ratings.php http://universalrating.com/ratings.php has him as world #2 in general playing strength. If a game gets into time trouble in the Candidates, he's the favorite against any of the competition. It seems his strategy is just to survive the openings and then try to outplay or flag people later on, which is a surprisingly viable strategy.
debacle 5y ago
And he's fun. People like him (and Magnus, and the Botez sisters) because they are fun. On Twitch, the most successful players almost never have the most viewership.
- pkulak 5y ago
  Gotham is my favorite, and he's "not even a GM". But once you're 1000+ points higher than me, it just doesn't matter. All these guys and gals are so indescribably better than me at chess, that I'm choosing based on communication and other intangibles.
  - oldstrangers 5y ago
    Gotham is hilarious.
    - jointpdf 5y ago
      Levy is also a very talented (and entertaining) teacher, in my opinion.
      - pkulak 5y ago
        Danger levels!
  - cellis 5y ago
    I thought he recently became a GM?
    - ddurkin 5y ago
      That was an April fools joke he played
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
- twojacobtwo 5y ago
Barrin92 5y ago
he's a very volatile player, both in temperament as well as in playstyle. When he plays well, he plays really well but his up and downs are extreme. And if there's one tendency, in particular in modern chess, it's that rock solid consistency is a requirement for pretty much any world champion. I see Hikaru similar to Ivanchuk (who also peaked at nr. 2 in the world). Brilliant player but rarely the favorite for long chess competitions.
- geerlingguy 5y ago
  He's like the BTC of Chess players?
javert 5y ago
I feel like this is a rude thing to say. The psychoanalysis just isn't necessary or appropriate.

alisonkisk 5y ago

sillysaurusx 5y ago

I think Hikaru wouldn't want people coming to his defense like this. He'd be the first to acknowledge how strong Ding is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAkk150pqs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAkk150pqs It's not discrediting Hikaru to say that there are strong players that can't participate.

oldstrangers 5y ago
I'm not coming to his defense. I'm just making a point that the arguments against him 1) aren't that great and 2) usually come from a place of animosity towards Hikaru (he's abrasive, I get it).

mellosouls 5y ago

Hikaru himself has acknowledged it is very unlikely he can be champion.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

joshuamorton 5y ago

I don't think anything about that comment was discrediting (and I generally enjoy Hikaru's content!). He was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix, but he's going to be tied for lowest rating in the candidates. That's an exceedingly good argument that he's unlikely to do particularly well (and it's likely his betting market is somewhat inflated by his fan base, his real odds are probably lower!)

oldstrangers 5y ago
"Hikaru was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix..." after winning the first Grand Prix in Berlin ... And assuring himself a place in the candidates tournament before the final Grand Prix had even finished? I point out that its odd the number of people going out of their way to discredit Hikaru, so a bunch more people follow up by doubling down on discrediting Hikaru. Anyways, if you're familiar with what makes Hikaru great, you understand why Hikaru has as good a chance as anyone.
- joshuamorton 5y ago
  > Hikaru was solidly middle of the pack in the Grand Prix... This is factually true. He was like 6/16 in elo in the first and 7/16 in the third leg. He'll be 8/8 in the candidates. Literally nothing I've said discredits him. His performance was unexpectedly strong, that's giving extra credit for an impressive performance. But I'm also realistic. > Anyways, if you're familiar with what makes Hikaru great, you understand why Hikaru has as good a chance as anyone. Lol no, and Hikaru would be the first to tell you he has at most an outside chance. You claim you're not defending Hikaru, but you really, really are. In fact, you're reading things into comments that weren't actually said, and assuming these things that weren't actually said are criticisms of Hikaru and it's worth asking yourself why you're doing that.
  - tibbar 5y ago
    Actually Hikaru would be (as of today) 6/8 among the Candidates in classical ELO, as the world #11 in live ratings. If anything, Hikaru is probably underrated; he gained around 20 ELO points in the two Grand Prix legs. Like the OP, I'll disclaim being a Hikaru apologist; but he is world #1 in blitz and world #2 (briefly #1 this year) in rapid rating, which is why, for example, http://universalrating.com/ratings.php http://universalrating.com/ratings.php has him as world #2 in general playing strength. If a game gets into time trouble in the Candidates, he's the favorite against any of the competition. It seems his strategy is just to survive the openings and then try to outplay or flag people later on, which is a surprisingly viable strategy.

debacle 5y ago

And he's fun. People like him (and Magnus, and the Botez sisters) because they are fun. On Twitch, the most successful players almost never have the most viewership.

pkulak 5y ago
Gotham is my favorite, and he's "not even a GM". But once you're 1000+ points higher than me, it just doesn't matter. All these guys and gals are so indescribably better than me at chess, that I'm choosing based on communication and other intangibles.
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  Gotham is hilarious.
  - jointpdf 5y ago
    Levy is also a very talented (and entertaining) teacher, in my opinion.
    - pkulak 5y ago
      Danger levels!
- cellis 5y ago
  I thought he recently became a GM?
  - ddurkin 5y ago
    That was an April fools joke he played
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
twojacobtwo 5y ago

Barrin92 5y ago

he's a very volatile player, both in temperament as well as in playstyle. When he plays well, he plays really well but his up and downs are extreme. And if there's one tendency, in particular in modern chess, it's that rock solid consistency is a requirement for pretty much any world champion. I see Hikaru similar to Ivanchuk (who also peaked at nr. 2 in the world). Brilliant player but rarely the favorite for long chess competitions.

geerlingguy 5y ago
He's like the BTC of Chess players?

javert 5y ago

I feel like this is a rude thing to say. The psychoanalysis just isn't necessary or appropriate.