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Up Topic The Rybka Lounge / Chess / Who is Raffael?
- - By vdragan (***) [us] Date 2009-09-23 18:55
In this moment game between Kasparov and Karpov goes on.  And Raffael is obesrving game :)
So it might not be Kasparov at all.
:)
Parent - By Hetman (*****) Date 2009-09-23 19:36
it seems so.
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-23 20:21
Yes, there have been discussion about this at playchess. But maybe it is just part of sharade and someone else logged in with Raffael's account for this precise purpose.
Parent - By Capa (***) [us] Date 2009-09-23 22:36
Any chance it was Carlsen who logged on?  ;)

I think the top 2 candidates are Svidler and Kasparov.  Even though some suspect it might be more than one personality
Parent - - By vdragan (***) [us] Date 2009-09-24 02:40
I think this is also really possible.  But on the other hand, this might still be and active player who do not want that his opponents analyze games before match.  If other players know who it is, they can use his internet games for additional analysis.
I personally believe that Kasparov left his account to somebody.
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-24 08:40 Edited 2009-09-24 08:44
It's very likely that other GM's know exactly who Raffael is. Just from his playing style.

There is an interesting story when Kasparov played his first blitz games over the internet on ICC. He wanted some practice before his blitz match against Svidler. So he played anonymuosly with other anonymous GM's. And by pure coincidence he played a series of games against Svidler! Both reconized each other just by their playing style! You can read the full story here.

So it is very likely that other GM's on playchess know who Raffael is, without anyone telling them his name.
Parent - - By Not the real Kasparov (***) [au] Date 2009-09-25 00:12
Thanks for the link ebutaljib!

And yes you brought up a good point about Raffael not playing just observing, actually..he/she hasn't played for a while just observed. So yes it still may in fact be Kasparov!

I had an interesting thought a few months ago, not sure if it meant anything...well...Raffael is the first name of Nadal, and Kasparov keeps mentioning tennis in many of his interviews even the one relating to the recent Karpov rapid match.

Does it mean anything?
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-25 08:57
It seems to be a rather common thing that GM accounts on playchess are accessed by more than one person.

For example, on the first day of Kasparov vs. Karpov match, top Georgian player Baadur Jobava (under nickname Oligarcks - or something like that) was giving interesting and insightful commentaries about the game in the chat. His commentaries were much appreciated, for example in game 2 he immediatelly pointed out that white should play in the center because play on the queenside wont bring him anywhere because of this and that. Kasparov's conclusion was the same and moments later he played 13.Rad1 with e4 in the next move.

On the 2nd day Oligarcks was again logged in, but gave no commentaries. Then some users started "begging" him to say something interesting about the game. After that "Oligarcks" explained that real Oligarcks is not there and that he is Oligarcks friend. He said that he is also Georgian and that he is an IM.

And such things happen quite frequently. It's not always the same person who is logged in with some account.
Parent - - By Not the real Kasparov (***) [au] Date 2009-09-26 23:11
Yes I am familiar with Oligarck, strange though why these other friends don't use their own accounts? I watched Jobava the other day he is quite strong online.
Parent - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-27 08:33
Perhaps because such accounts (king) have more privilegies and options on playchess than queens and rooks ;)
Parent - - By Not the real Kasparov (***) [au] Date 2009-09-23 23:51
If Raffael was logged in while Kasparov was playing then it is almost certainly not Kasparov. But who?
Parent - - By vdragan (***) [us] Date 2009-09-24 02:41
It was...I saw him in a list of observers while game was played.
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-24 08:18
Yes he was logged in yesterday and the day before. But he did not play, so we still can't rule out the possibility that it is Kasparov and that someone else logged in.

It's not like during the Presiden't Cup when Raffael was actually playing, which automatically disqualifies Anand, Kramnik, Karjakin, Shirov and all top Azeris. Unless it was Raffael's friend who logged in and played, who happens to be a really strong player too :) :) :)

There is always room for speculations and conspiracy theories ;)
Parent - - By Mark Mason (***) [gb] Date 2009-09-25 08:28
Guys,

Time for me to put this mystery to bed once and for all.  Raffael is and has always been none other than the late great Robert James "Bobby" Fischer.  Whilst he was still with us he was logging on from Iceland and playing himself.  Since his death on January 17, 2008 the Raffael Playchess user name has been operated by a spiritualist medium who goes into trance during the game and "receives" the moves from the spirit of Bobby Fischer.  I happen to know this individual personally and up to now he has wanted to keep this a secret for fear of ridicule but has now decided to go public and asked me to post this on his behalf.  By the way when not in trance he is no better than a strong club player.

Sorry for killing off one of the longest running mysteries in chess but at least now we all know the truth.

Case closed.
Parent - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-25 08:32
LOL!

You must be in a trance too :)
Parent - - By Not the real Kasparov (***) [au] Date 2009-09-26 23:13
Mark thanks for the insight, that's the most plausible theory yet!
Parent - By NATIONAL12 (Gold) [gb] Date 2009-09-26 23:15
really,who cares.
Parent - - By vdragan (***) [us] Date 2009-10-10 03:12
this is interesting
http://www.tigerlilov.com/about.html
Parent - By ForrestGump (***) [hr] Date 2009-10-10 21:41

>this is interesting - http://www.tigerlilov.com/about.html


I do not see (in this text) on what basis he assert that "Raffael" (maybe..) is => Kasparov, I guess he just assumes it, because AFAIK, no one of the grandmasters has not publicly declared himself as Raffael...
Parent - - By ForrestGump (***) [hr] Date 2009-10-08 16:54 Edited 2009-10-08 17:00

>Who is Raffael?


The answer is very simple (much simpler than all of you expected ;) , he-he...), "Raffael" is Vaganian! (I'm sorry if I broke your fantasies... ;) )

He is (still) very, very strong and creative in blitz-games...

http://worldblitz2008.kz/participants/43-rafael-vaganian-armenia.html

That's All Folks! :)

Best Regards
Parent - By vdragan (***) [us] Date 2009-10-08 23:10
That might be true...Who knows...
- - By Mickey (**) [ng] Date 2009-09-27 15:29
Raffael is Kasp - just forget whatever you saw online. Check out Guseinov's chat on playchess.com
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-27 16:10
Are we supposed to see something from the screenshot?

My eyesight is not so good ;)
Parent - - By Uly (Gold) [mx] Date 2009-09-27 16:11
"GGuseinov: I asked VK, he said it's GK"
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-27 16:15 Edited 2009-09-27 16:18
My father!?!!?

Raffael is my father? Didn't know he even plays chess over internet. Didn't know he can even operate a computer ;)
Parent - - By Uly (Gold) [mx] Date 2009-09-27 17:25

> My father!?!!?


Are you soon of GK?!??!
Parent - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-27 18:24
Yep.
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-09-28 09:15
My father denies of being Raffael. In fact he denies of knowing what playchess is and to ever touch the computer! :)

Must be some other GK ;)
Parent - - By Vempele (Silver) [fi] Date 2009-09-27 16:18
Gata Kamsky?
Parent - - By Uly (Gold) [mx] Date 2009-09-28 15:05
Nice time travel reply :)
Parent - By ppipper (*****) [es] Date 2009-09-29 23:28
It is clear that Raffael must be one of the very best top GM. Regardless of his playing style, I am pretty sure that if (say) Anand, Magnus, Topalov, Ivanchuck really were Raffael... they would not like that people might think that Raffael is another person, like Kasparov.

Since that point of view, this could be a reason to enter in Playchess in Valencia's prime time while Kasparov was playing. But on the other hand, the fact that he said "thanks" and ";-)" after the game finished (Kasparov's brilliant victory), I think really proves that Anand, Magnus and the others cannot be Raffael.

So, for me the answer is pretty clear!

Regards
Parent - - By Mickey (**) [ng] Date 2009-10-02 21:42 Edited 2009-10-02 21:45

> My father denies of being Raffael. In fact he denies of knowing what playchess is and to ever touch the computer!


I wonder that kind of Father - spiritual or mentor father or imaginary?

> he denies of knowing what playchess is


and he played on playchess.com http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=892
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1059

he even watches important games on line and made comments. His handle is Garry Kasparov - with VIP status (even though he plays as Raffael)
There was a day he was playing for one of chessbase staff during one of his visits to chessbase. The guy was around 2500 and GK made the rating to rise steadily after some winning streaks. I couldn't get the link to this old story - may be someone there will help us with the link.

> to ever touch the computer!


and he played 3D-Fritz, 'uses fritz regularly for analysis' (old interview), authored many DVD's training tools, and the picture in http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5742

I am still wondering that kind of son - father relationship?
Parent - By Jonas (****) [at] Date 2009-10-03 07:39
zomfg his father is by a fluke called something like George Klooney or Galvin Klein or Genghis Khan or Goal Keeper or maybe Game Knot
however he has the same initials, so it was a joke
Parent - - By ebutaljib (****) Date 2009-10-03 08:12
Why the hell are you posting links about Kasparov???

"VK (my uncle?) said it is GK."

My father is GK

So what exactly is your problem?
Parent - By Mickey (**) [ng] Date 2009-10-03 13:43
Sorry, I now u/stand
Parent - - By Denkko (**) [us] Date 2011-12-16 00:36 Edited 2011-12-16 00:54
I was reading this already Old article today and I found this comment from Mickey:

>he even watches important games on line and made comments. His handle is Garry Kasparov - with VIP status (even though he plays as Raffael)


"There was a day he was playing for one of chessbase staff during one of his visits to chessbase. The guy was around 2500 and GK made the rating to rise steadily after some winning streaks. I couldn't get the link to this old story - may be someone there will help us with the link."

So I found the link you were commenting:
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1916

The last time he played in Playchess was back in December 2010, so is a very good probability he will return back to play in the site soon...
:smile:
Parent - By Mark Mason (***) [gb] Date 2011-12-16 07:51
Guys,

IM Valery Lilov (Playchess handle Tiger Lilov) has cleared this up whilst giving a training session on Playchess saying he has inside proof that Raffael is Garry Kasparov. Someone recorded it and posted it on you tube. he is a well respected member of the chess community and I very much doubt he would have said this publicly unnless certain.  Listen from 1.00 onwards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G9LFQwA1xo
Parent - By Chess Solver (**) [pk] Date 2009-09-30 19:57
VK  ?    vladimir kraminik
Up Topic The Rybka Lounge / Chess / Who is Raffael?

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