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| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | [[Cueball]] shows [[Megan]] an {{w|mobile app|app}}, [http://magnuscarlsen.com/playmagnus Play Magnus] ([https://itunes.apple.com/app/play-magnus/id808138395?mt=8 iOS], [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.mw.playmagnus Android]) which claims to simulate playing {{w|chess}} against {{w|Magnus Carlsen}} at various ages. Carlsen is a {{w|chess grandmaster}} who is the world champion as of the date this comic was released. The idea behind the app is that as Carlsen grows up he becomes better at chess and thus it become exceedingly difficult to beat him as he gets older. As Cueball claims he could have beaten Magnus when he was 8½-year-old, but not a half-year later, we can now estimate Cueballs strength to be that of a typical adult hobbyist, with a FIDE rating of [https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/2qcv95/what_is_the_strength_of_the_play_magnus_app_at/ about 1200].
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| − | Taking the idea a step further, Megan wants such an app for other sports {{w|tennis}} and {{w|Swimming (sport)|swimming}}, where skill couldn't imaginably be simulated via an app at all. She wants to compare herself to an 8-year-old {{W|Serena Williams}}, a top-ranked professional tennis player. Or to a 6-year-old {{W|Michael Phelps}}, the {{w|List_of_multiple_Olympic_medalists#List_of_most_Olympic_medals_over_career|most decorated Olympian competitor}} of all time.
| + | Cueball shows Megan an app that allows one to simulate playing against Magnus Carlsen at various ages. The idea being that as he grows, it become more difficult than before. Being the nerds that they are, Cueball and Megan continue development in a similar idea that simulates many famous people doing the thing they are famous for at different ages. They then end up weirding themselves out by comparing famous people in things that they aren't famous for, Secretariat eating hot dogs, Martha Stewart swimming, etc. |
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| − | Cueball expands beyond sport, wishing to determine if he could cook better than an 11-year-old {{W|Martha Stewart}} (author of several cookbooks). Megan wonders if she'd have won an election against a 12-year-old JFK ([[John F. Kennedy]], the 35th American President). Obviously, cooking and politics were skills acquired later in life for both figures. Also, the U.S. Constitution prohibits anyone from serving as President {{w|Age of candidacy laws in the United States|before the age of 35}}, so it seems unlikely that any 12-year-old candidate could win, regardless of skill level, simply because voters would not want to elect someone ineligible to serve for another 23 years. Such a contest would likely be prohibited altogether, as ineligible candidates tend to have {{w|ballot access}} issues.
| + | The title text continues the theme of the last panel with more comparisons, leading to the ludicrous{{Citation needed}} situation of a young Martha Stewart knocking an adult Ronda Rousey unconscious (who was famous for her fighting skills). |
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| − | Cueball and Megan continue speculating about an app simulating the skills of random celebrities at various ages, even beyond the talents that made them famous. They finally end up comparing 8-year-old Magnus's swimming skill against 9-year-old Martha's (he wins). But they'd both lose a {{w|hot dog}}-{{w|Competitive eating|eating contest}} against the championship racehorse {{W|Secretariat (horse)|Secretariat}}. At this point even Megan realizes (with considerable understatement) their project "has gotten weird". Chess was previously compared to {{w|basketball}} in [[1392: Dominant Players]], which also mentioned Magnus. This is the tenth [[:Category:Chess|comic about chess]] on {{xkcd}}.
| + | {{W|Magnus Carlsen}} is the chess grandmaster who is currently #1 in the world. |
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| − | The title text extends the point to even greater absurdity, e.g. the ludicrous prospect of a young Martha Stewart knocking an adult {{W|Ronda Rousey}} (professional wrestler and actress) unconscious, or 9-year-old {{W|Muhammad Ali}} (professional boxer and activist) beating a 10-year-old JFK in {{w|air hockey}}. The former may be a reference to the fact that professional wrestling is more entertainment than competition, and the outcomes are often pre-staged, so the victor would not depend on which contestant was more skilled. This was also referenced in the title text of [[2291: New Sports System]]. The horse also gets re-mentioned in the title text, losing in a hot dog eating contest against 12-year-old {{W|Ken Jennings}} (at time of comic writing record-holder of winning streak on {{w|television game show}} ''{{W|Jeopardy!}}'').
| + | {{W|Serena Williams}} is professional tennis player who is ranked #1 women's singles player in the world. |
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| | + | {{W|Michael Phelps}} is a swimmer who is #1 in the world in several swimming events. |
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| | + | {{W|Martha Stewart}}, among other things, has published several cookbooks. |
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| | + | {{W|JFK}} (John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy) was the 35th President of the United States. |
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| | + | {{W|Secretariat (horse)|Secretariat}} is a horse that won the Triple Crown in 1973. |
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| | + | {{W|Muhammad Ali}} is a boxer who is "among the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport." |
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| | + | {{W|Ken Jennings}} currently holds the record for the longest winning streak on {{W|Jeopardy!}}. |
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| | + | {{W|Ronda Rousey}} is a "mixed martial arts" fighter and "judoka." |
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| | ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| − | :[Cueball walks from the right towards Megan while holding up his smartphone.]
| + | :Cueball: Magnus Carlsen has an app where you can play chess against a simulated version of him at different ages. I can beat the 8<sup>1</sup>/<sub>2</sub>-year-old, but lose to him at 9. |
| − | :Cueball: Magnus Carlsen has an app where you can play chess against a simulated version of him at different ages. | + | :Megan: I want that, but for other games. Can I beat 8-year-old Serena Williams at Tennis? Swim laps faster than a 6-year-olf Michael Phelps? |
| − | :Cueball: I can beat the 8½-year-old, but lose to him at 9.
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| − | :[While Megan talks to Cueball he lifts his hand to his chin, while holding the smartphone down.]
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| − | :Megan: I want that, but for other games. Can I beat 8-year-old Serena Williams at Tennis? Swim laps faster than a 6-year-old Michael Phelps? | |
| | :Cueball: We should make a simulator. | | :Cueball: We should make a simulator. |
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| − | :[Cueball walks out left and Megan follows him. He must have pocketed his phone as it is not in his hand.]
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| | :Cueball: ...Why limit it to games? Can I cook a better chicken than 11-year-old Martha Stewart? | | :Cueball: ...Why limit it to games? Can I cook a better chicken than 11-year-old Martha Stewart? |
| | :Megan: Win an election against 12-year-old JFK? | | :Megan: Win an election against 12-year-old JFK? |
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| − | :[At the top frame of this panel there is a small frame with a caption. Below lies Megan on the floor to the left in front of her laptop, while Cueball sits on the floor to the right facing her in front of his own laptop. Between them are some heavy books.]
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| | :Soon... | | :Soon... |
| | :[Cueball and Megan sitting at laptops in the bottom of the panel.] | | :[Cueball and Megan sitting at laptops in the bottom of the panel.] |
| | :Megan: Looks like 8-year-old Magnus Carlsen can swim faster than 9-year-old Martha Stewart. | | :Megan: Looks like 8-year-old Magnus Carlsen can swim faster than 9-year-old Martha Stewart. |
| − | :Cueball: But they both lose a hot-dog-eating contest to 2-year-old Secretariat. | + | :Cueball: But they both lose a Hot-Dog-Eating contest to 2-year-old Secretariat. |
| | :Megan: This project has gotten weird. | | :Megan: This project has gotten weird. |
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| | + | ==Trivia== |
| | + | The app they are talking about is called [http://magnuscarlsen.com/playmagnus Play Magnus]. |
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| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] |
| | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] |
| − | [[Category:Comics featuring real people]] | + | [[Category:Time travel]] |
| − | [[Category:Comics featuring John F. Kennedy]]
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| − | [[Category:Chess]]
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| − | [[Category:Sport]]
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| − | [[Category:Animals]]
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| − | [[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]
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