Why can't I get excited about Carlsen Karjakin?

[MJMcCready]

Am I wrong to think they are too similar in style and there won't be many interesting games?

[Barry Sandercock]

There may be some interesting games, but I predict Carlsen to win, despite having got Karjakin's autograph at Hastings when he was 13, thinking that he might be world champion one day.

[NickFaulks]

Am I wrong to think they are too similar in style and there won't be many interesting games?

I don't follow that logic. If two mad hackers play each other, do you expect a boring game?

If you're saying that they both have a style that is boring, then I don't agree.

[MartinCarpenter]

Don't even think they're very similar style wise. I'm sure it isn't the idea, but at times Karjakin almost seems to specalise in getting bad positions and grimly surviving

He'll very likely end up doing quite a lot of that during this match, how well he survives might determine if its close or a bit one sided. That's surely the major risk cf the watchability of the match, but think Karjakin is mentally tough enough that it should be close enough.

[John McKenna]

This is the biggest needle match since Spassky lost to Fischer in Reykjavik 1972, don't you know!?

The difference being that this time the "free world" (i.e the West) is represented by the World Champion, Magnus Carlsen. While the "totalitarians" (i.e. the East) are the challengers this time in the form of Sergey Karjakin.

And, the question is - if the latter loses Norway will be Occupied!?

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio ... ere-norway

(Countries have gone to war over football, why not chess - it's a war game.)

There is little similarity between Carlsen and Fischer, and Karjakin and Spassky, though.

In my view the scenario for the coming World Championship match this year (in NY!?) is more like one in a parallel universe in which Bent Larsen became World Champion instead of Fischer and played challenger Anatoly Karpov.

However, Magnus is already far better than Bent, and thus far Sergey no better than Karpov.
So, for me, Carlsen-Karjakin is a kind of super-Larsen versus mini-Karpov, West v. East showdown.

Looking forward to it.

[MJMcCready]

Am I wrong to think they are too similar in style and there won't be many interesting games?

I don't follow that logic. If two mad hackers play each other, do you expect a boring game?

If you're saying that they both have a style that is boring, then I don't agree.

No that's not what I mean. I meant that if there is a clash of styles between opponents it is more likely to make for a better match. The K-K matches are probably the best example of that.

[David Kramaley]

There may be some interesting games, but I predict Carlsen to win, despite having got Karjakin's autograph at Hastings when he was 13, thinking that he might be world champion one day.

I saw somewhere that the expected score is 59% - 41% to Carlsen, of course, that means that if one of them is having a bad few days then the tie could be decided in favour of either side. Remember his disastrous tourney in Norway? It could happen!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Am I wrong to think they are too similar in style and there won't be many interesting games?

I understand your concerns, given that was basically what happened in Anand-Gelfand.

(after which lots of sonorous pronouncements were made about the impending "death of chess")

As already mentioned though, the off board aspects alone will hopefully make this one more interesting.......

[MJMcCready]

It's a hard one to call. It's Carslen's most serious challenge but I have a horrible feeling that many games will be tight and not very interesting. If Karjakin falls behind, I don't know if he can overturn things. I always think of him as solid but I have seen him play with great flair too. Not looking forward to the match.

[Barry Sandercock]

I think it will be a great match. Magnus will have studied Karjakin's style and be prepared for it, but who will win, I don't know.

[Keith Arkell]

There may be some interesting games, but I predict Carlsen to win, despite having got Karjakin's autograph at Hastings when he was 13, thinking that he might be world champion one day.

I actually played Karjakin in that tournament, having played Carlsen 8 month earlier at Gausdal.

[Paolo Casaschi]

I meant that if there is a clash of styles between opponents it is more likely to make for a better match. The K-K matches are probably the best example of that.

Like in their very first match with endless repeats of dull draws?
In the first match their styles were most different, after that Kasparov changed his ways and became more and more similar to Karpov. At that point the matches became really interesting.

In any case a world championship match is just that, a match to assign the top chess title. No entertainment obligations attached. If dull draws are the best strategy to win, let it be dull draws.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Lots of dull draws in Capa v Alekhine too, after which we had the first "chess is becoming played out!!" shrieks from some pundits.

A mere nine decades ago

[Kevin O'Rourke]

When does it start?

[Barry Sandercock]

11th.-30th. November.