Candidates Matches 2011

[Swaminathan]

The rules/policies and selection process finalized and announced seems like an improvement over the last years, IMO. What do you think?

http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7000

First bracket
Topalov (BUL) - Kamsky (USA)
Gelfand (ISR) - Mamedyarov (AZE)

Second bracket
Kramnik (RUS) - Radjabov (AZE)
Aronian (ARM) - Grischuk (RUS)

[Swaminathan]

Since Anand had defeated both Kramnik and Topalov. Aronian might give him a tough fight, and is the only candidate besides perhaps Mamedyarov.

I wish Ivanchuk, Nakamura and Carlsen were listed, perhaps next year, and provided Carlsen reconsiders his decision.

[Macarel]

The real issue here is : why wasn't Houdini included as a candidate?

[BB+]

Since Anand had defeated both Kramnik and Topalov.

This logic is often used (for instance, as to why the Soviets promoted Karpov so much in 1973 -- everyone else was from the generation Fischer had defeated), but their are historical counterexamples. Spassky beat Petrosian the 2nd time out, as did Smyslov with Botvinnik (though their first match was drawn -- Botvinnik was up by 3 wins after 4 games, then Smyslov won the next 4 decisive games, but then Botvinnik won 4 of the next 5, as there was a sequence in the middle of the match with 8 straight decisive games). Admittedly, Spassky was clearly the choice in 1969 (I think the closest Candidates match he had was 4 wins to 2 over Keres in 1966 -- every other time he won by at least 3 games in both 1966 and 1969), but in 1957 one could perhaps make a case for Keres (he was tied with Smyslov after 15 rounds -- then Round 16: Smyslov beat Bronstein, and Keres made an 18-move draw with Black against Panno; Round 17: Filip upsets Keres with Black, while Smyslov makes a 23-move draw with Spassky). FIDE has always seeded the most recent loser into the "Candidates" stage, so they certainly have no sense that one who fails to take the crown should sit out the next go-round.

[BB+]

That traditional place for chess "open letters", ChessBase, has published one about the FIDE/London WCC 2012 hosting kerfuffle. http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7006

It is clear, and was obvious to me and expressed specifically by you, that the withdrawal of GM Carlsen from the WC cycle meant that the sponsor was no longer interested in sponsoring the match.

Hmm, so the optimist would say that Carlsen did the sponsor a favour by pulling out early, rather than (say) losing in the Candidates this May after contracts were signed? I might point out that historically it has been more typical to decide a venue after the challenger is known. I can only imagine what recriminations would abound if London 2012 had been accepted, but then withdrawn if Carlsen did not win.

[Hood]

I think that reasons are different. nth to Carlsen & sponsorship.

According to the WCC rules there shall be no replacement for Carlsen after so late resignation but Fide next time broke the rules.
No one can trust Fide. .

[BB+]

One of the FIDE VPs (and head of the Russian chess fed) speaks:
http://www.chessintranslation.com/2011/ ... don-match/

I think London’s refusal was directly linked to Magnus Carlsen refusing to take part in the World Championship cycle. The sponsor of the London match, a big chess fan and a wealthy man, expressed a great desire to hold the World Championship match. But after Carlsen dropped out my deep conviction, also based on the information available to me, is that the London organisers ceased to want to run such a match. It seems they considered a direct refusal to be undignified, and therefore they decided to put forward completely unrealistic conditions.

Now everything is somewhat in limbo. A new bidding process will be opened up. The location of the match will probably depend on who becomes the challenger for the world title. If Aronian gets through, then Armenia will probably want to hold the match. If it’s one of the Azerbaijan players, then they’ll want it. Bulgaria will want to hold the match if Topalov wins. If Kramnik or Grischuk win then we’ll think about creating more comfortable conditions for our own sportsman. I’m sure that when the challenger’s been decided it’ll be much easier to find both a place to hold the event, and a sponsor.

As above, I'm not sure why this is thought so radical of an idea.

[Hood]

Do the officials tell the all true ?

I am waiting for the tournament with Carlsen, Nakamura, Ivanchuk as the alternative to the knock-out in Kazan

[Swaminathan]

Do the officials tell the all true ?

I am waiting for the tournament with Carlsen, Nakamura, Ivanchuk as the alternative to the knock-out in Kazan

These 3 players have shown great progress recently, and they're miles better than any of the candidates listed except perhaps Kramnik and Aronian.

It's sad that they wouldn't be playing in candidate events. They would give real tough fight.

[Hood]

'It's sad that they wouldn't be playing in candidate events. '

The other matter is sad either.
Fide is changing the rules in the cycle without following any rules . It is sad that only Carlsen showed that he is a real men.
I think that other pretenders should refuse to play in such a conditions , too.

I think Topalov, Aronian, Kramnik has showed their strength in the past but Radjabov and Mamedyarov are not worse