Live ratings:
Anand: 2786,5
Radjabov: 2784,0
Anand losses 0,9 points after every draw against Gelfand, so three more draws and Anand is just number 5.

These games are discouraging me from waking up early. Meanwhile, the US championship has proven to be quite a treat. The level of games might be not as 'instructive' as these, but that's ok for a sub 2000 player like me. I'm getting enough learning and enjoyment. Nakamura - Stripunsky was such an awesome game yesterday. And today Gata is crushing Seirawan with more time on his clock than the start.

Anand and Gelfand do not take risks simply because the match is TOO SHORT, that simple. In the old days of 24 game-matches there was more entertainment. But FIDE only cares about money because rapid/blitz deciders attract more sponsort, but that's not real chess but lottery-poker-chess ala' Grischuck.

does Gelfand think he can become world champion like this?

It's all a conspiracy I tell you. FIDE and Filatov have decided to put down Danailov by secretly enforcing an anti-Sofia rule. Under this rule, the players have to be extremely friendly to each other and not show any sign of going for the championship at the other's cost. The anti-Sofia rules also dictate that the players play a maximum of 40 moves. No game should go beyond 40 moves. Draw offers before move 40 are encouraged so the people of Moscow can rest themselves early. Do not blame the players. They are bound by anti-Sofia rules.

Seriously, although I vehemently disliked the non-chess antics of Topalov, I sure do miss him.

now i understand why they dont allow beer cups in playing hall

GM Shipov is right on the money when he says
http://www.chessintranslation.com/2012/05/two-cats-and-three-computers-s...
"No. The World Championship isn’t an exhibition match or a super-tournament for the spectators. This is a fierce fight for the title, so there can’t be any limitations. I think that if the participants in the battle for the title want to agree a draw on the 10th move, if they both consider that favourable, they’ve got the right to do that and absolutely – I’ll say a terrible thing – absolutely without thinking about the spectators, because it’s a fierce fight for the title. No prisoners are being taken, and just imagine – for the sake of the spectators you went for some unnecessary complications, lost a game and gave up the title. Then in your old age you’ll recall that for the sake of the spectators you once sacrificed the title. It’s hard to come up with something more stupid than that."

Excellent, thank you, Harish!

This is what Bobby meant by "prearranged" draws. It's all been worked out before hand without any original thinking. But, preparation is part of chess, and someone must be willing to take a chance to try and win. That's where things will get interesting.

memorized computer games....meh

The cautious moves of the top two chess players in the world has led to a successive five draws. Neither player would want to venture into risky lines as it might lead to possible loss. Good for the two greatest chess players in the world but a bit sad for the chess fans. I think GM Anand would finally untie the Gordon's Knot and come up with a brilliant chess game to win the match. After all, he is dubbed as having the "eye of the tiger". I prefer him to retain his World Chess Championship title as he grew up in the Philippines and solved several chess quizzes posted by the Filipinos before. Although, I do not berate GM Gelfand of his chess prowess as he is also a super Grandmaster of Israel. May the best man win!

The cautious moves of the top two chess players in the world has led to a successive five draws. Neither player would want to venture into risky lines as it might lead to possible loss. Good for the two greatest chess players in the world but a bit sad for the chess fans. I think GM Anand would finally untie the Gordon's Knot and come up with a brilliant chess game to win the match. After all, he is dubbed as having the "eye of the tiger". I prefer him to retain his World Chess Championship title as he grew up in the Philippines and solved several chess quizzes posted by the Filipinos before. Although, I do not berate GM Gelfand of his chess prowess as he is also a super Grandmaster of Israel. May the best man win!

The cautious moves of the top two chess players in the world has led to a successive five draws. Neither player would want to venture into risky lines as it might lead to possible loss. Good for the two greatest chess players in the world but a bit sad for the chess fans. I think GM Anand would finally untie the Gordon's Knot and come up with a brilliant chess game to win the match. After all, he is dubbed as having the "eye of the tiger". I prefer him to retain his World Chess Championship title as he grew up in the Philippines and solved several chess quizzes posted by the Filipinos before. Although, I do not berate GM Gelfand of his chess prowess as he is also a super Grandmaster of Israel. May the best man win!

Time for FIDE to sanction S-Chess? See
http://www.seirawanchess.com/

The solution is simply. Simply abolish the castle rule. Why should a player suddenly be able to make two moves in one, bring the king to securty and activate the rook at the same time? It is completely unnatural. Without castle, openings would be sharper, more decisive games, etc...

With the computer adided prep, the classical chess is dead among high level. Thaks to Fischer for his early prediction. Its public call now to jump on to Fisher chess.

World Chess Championship matches should be won by the first player to leads in wins with at least four wins, after an even number of games.
Draws should not count.

The draw rate in the Candidates' tournament that Gelfand won was 90%!! With about half of the WCChamp match over the draw rate is 100%!!
Evidence for the need for major change cannot be more plain and emphatic. Losing the drama of 1-on-1 matches and settling for the winner of many-player tournaments would be sad.

The core problem is the high draw rate. Unless another start position (from chess960-FRC) is used, the draw rate will remain suffocatingly high, too high to have draws not count.

A second start position would provide both players with fertile uncharted territory for powerful-clever *early* opening novelties they could plan at home and win with over the board.

Discard the "Random" part of Fischer Random Chess!

Thanks. GeneM

Wos, this match is soooo boring. Well, I suppose you can't expect anything else when you have Mr Boring, "super solid" Gelfand and Mr "I take no risks" Anand. Why on earth don't guys like Morozevich, Sutovsky, Svidler or Mamedyarov get to play a World Championship Match? That would be some entertaining chess. Well, I suppose I should mention Carlsen with the guys above, but he always seems to be chickening out.

Is chess only a 20 something move draw?

Gelfand is afraid to play beyond his preparation :).
His preparation leads to dull positions.
Anand is better player so Gelfand strategy is understandable.
Match is boring. They are playing for money not for fans. :(

After the Kramnik-Aronian match, this is like watching paint dry.

Short match = players taking no risks. Simple.

Any human being who thinks that a draw game is boring has no idea what modern chess is about.
I am completely sure that 99% of people claiming these draw games are boring/bad/easy would not be able draw a single one of these positions against either Anand or Gelfand