Comments on: Viswanathan Anand retains world title

By: hektor

hektor — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:15:22 +0000

I really hope that we will see the match of Anand agains Topalov. It will be a great spectacle and pleasure for the chess fans…

By: Manu

Manu — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:58:08 +0000

Not oficially but something very diferent is happening.
I just read an interview with Anand where he says something like he is waiting for Kasparov…
Blow my mind , Anand is now in the top of my list of coolest guys in chess(or shared 1 with master Ivanchuk).
On the other hand if the Topalov Kamsky match dont take place theres going to be trouble.
In my utopic dream both matches should be posible.

By: James

James — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:19:14 +0000

I haven’t heard much news about the Topalov-Kamsky match in the past few months…has it been cancelled?

By: semipatz

semipatz — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:15:44 +0000

Okay, Topalov is #1 on the FIDE and Live lists. However — he is only 5 points ahead of #4 on the FIDE list and only 2.1 points ahead of #3 on the Live list. This is much more relevant than arguing over who is really #1. The fact is that Elo ratings have a margin of error and Topalov’s lead is well within it. So, let us not get obsessed over <6 point differences. The only thing we can conclude from either list is that it’s very close at the top and there are several players — Topalov, Anand, Morozevich, Ivanchuk, Carlsen — who are playing at about the same level lately.

This is why it’s good that there is a formal World Championship, to NOT be so obsessed over #1 in the ratings. Ratings #1 was mostly important during the schism when there wasn’t one champion. Now there is. Vishy stands atop the hill — let anyone who wishes to be called the best charge upon him there.

By: val

val — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:01:31 +0000

A competent judgement indeed though not without a shade of emotional

By: Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:38:02 +0000

“A difficult position for Kramnik to be in after 1.e4. Final games like this have their own logic, so you cannot compare it to his attempts to play the Sicilian in 2004. 12..f5 was suspect, not something I would have considered. That’s what can happen when you are in openings that aren’t yours. You want to play by instinct, but they are not used to these positions and this leads to poor decisions. After the Berlin and the Petroff, playing a Rauzer is a shock to the system. He looked very uncomfortable, but of course the match situation was close to impossible. The final position was unpleasant for Black, and this Kramnik understands.”

Match in general: “It was a very well-played match by Vishy. Except for the loss of concentration in the tenth game he played consistently and managed to enforce his style. His choice to open with 1.d4 was excellent. He reached playable positions with life in them, so he could make Kramnik work at the board. Anand outprepared Kramnik completely. In this way it reminded me of my match with Kramnik in London 2000. Like I was then, Kramnik may have been very well prepared for this match, but we never saw it. I didn’t expect the Berlin and ended up fighting on Kramnik’s preferred terrain.

[In this match] Kramnik did not expect tough, sharp challenges with white, and this was the key for Anand. He kicked some sand in Kramnik’s face and hit Kramnik’s weakness: his conservative approach to the game itself. Suddenly Kramnik had to fight in these sharp positions and he wasn’t able to do it. This result ends the illusion that Kramnik is a great match player. London was a unique occurrence and I still stand with Leonid Yudasin as the only players Kramnik has ever beaten in a match! Kramnik now has some work to do. His overly-defensive play seems to represent a general decline in strength.

A great result for Anand and for chess. Vishy deserved the win in every way and I’m very happy for him. It will not be easy for the younger generation to push him aside.”

By: val

val — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:22:58 +0000

@Mark. A profound and instructive comment, txs. .

By: Manu

Manu — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:00:13 +0000

Dont get me wrong , im not blind.Vishy IS our world champion.
But is fair to say the truth , and the truth is that Topalov is currently number 1 rated player on both lists.
I also hope that match takes place , but im not a fanatic , i will be very happy with Anand-Carlsen or Anand-Ivanchuk or Anand-Kasparov.
For now , lets enjoy our fearless champ.

By: Lionaile

Lionaile — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:43:59 +0000

@Manu
I don’t want to argue with you guy
I’ve just told you what I thought
Now if you absolutly want to say Topalov is the Number One
Up to you
The future will tell us…

I hope some day we’ll have a match (with at least 12 games) between Anand and Topy and then only we’ll know who is the best

By: Manu

Manu — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:31:26 +0000

@Lionaille
I must remind you also that FIDE rules dont apply on live ratings .
You are reading the live rating as if you were FIDE , which i asume you are not.
I wonder why is so hard to accept that Topalov is the number one rated player.