Chess legend Karpov visits with Stevenson High School team

In what one coach called a "once-in-a-lifetime wonder," seven-time world chess champion Anatoly Karpov met with Stevenson High School's state-champion chess team Friday morning.

Some of the young players seemed star-struck by the legendary Russian, who was in the Chicago area to develop local chess programs. Coaches and other adult visitors asked most of the questions, which covered topics such as strategies for opening moves and dealing with the pressure of a big match.

Karpov advised the players to consider each game a new, separate contest and to forget past victories or losses -- especially the losses.

"This is very important," Karpov said during his roughly half-hour visit at the Lincolnshire campus. "If you forget, it's much better for your chess career."

The Stevenson chess team won the state title last month. Karpov congratulated the squad on its victory.

Freshman team member Justin Feng said it was exciting and a shock to meet Karpov.

"He is a role model because he wins a lot of tournaments," said Feng, 15. "He knows how to concentrate and focus."

Karpov, 56, has won more titles than any other chess player. He was named world champion in 1975 after then-champ Bobby Fischer refused to defend his title against Karpov.

Karpov told the audience at Stevenson he was disappointed he never got to play against Fischer, who died in January. Karpov sought matches in the mid-1970s and again in the years before Fischer's death, but they never materialized.

He mused about who would've won those matches.

"In 1975, I thought he had slightly better chances because I wasn't experienced," Karpov said. "But in 1976, I was sure I was already stronger."

Karpov, who learned the game from his father when he was 4 and won a city title at 9, was world champion from 1975 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 1999.

He said he still plays chess, but not often officially.

"I play private games with my friends," he said. "It's for training."