Who will win the 2013 Candidates?

[John Brewitt]

Let me think, who do I want to win the Candidates? Do I want Kramnik to play Anand again or would I prefer the boy-wonder Carlsen to take him on?



I think the answer to this is now known as a no-brainer.

[Mick Norris]

I'd play e4 against Kramnik if I was Chucky, unless I had serious ammunition in the Nimzo. The majority of Kramnik's anti-e4 repetoire is incredibly solid. With apologies to Jonathon Bryant, I don't think Chucky is the kind of player you can hope to beat in the Berlin ending.

Sadly, I don't see a Berlin today either - although it's worth noting that one of the reasons why Vlad never won with it before is because he rarely tries (unlike Aronian, say).

Vlad has been pretty close to a win before with the Berlin, and he clearly knows the ending brilliantly, but I would agree that isn't the best way to try and beat Chucky

However, isn't the best approach to work out which opening move Chucky hasn't made yet this tournament, and take it from there?

[Ray Sayers]

I am sure Kramnik will play the percentages and stick to his favoured openings. They have served him well so far.

It is exciting that both MC & VK really need to play for a win today. I guess it will be another long round, unless VK is forced into some repetition and MC can just call a halt.

[Jonathan Bryant]

A Scheveningen?

Not that it matters anymore, but not that one (N comes to c6 later if at all there, doesn't it?).


So Paul wins the opening prediction contest. The reason why i thought it wouldn't be a Pirc, btw, was (a) the fact that it would be more predictable for Ivanchuk and (b) the question of how to unbalance the game if White played simply with Nf3, Be2 and 0-0.

We shall see!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

And now we know the answer! (Sorry, couldn't resist capping the thread like this).

[David Robertson]

The truth of the matter is that Chucky psyched Kramnik out of his Traxler prep. And Carlsen bottled out of the double Muzio.

It could all have been so different.

[JustinHorton]

has there been another Pirc in such an important game since the thirty-second game at Baguio?

[John McKenna]

... young Fortinbras,
Of unimproved metal hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there,
Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes,
For food and diet to some enterprise...

Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have prov'd most royally...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

John's Shakespeare quote would have been a great way to end the thread, but I'm going to resurrect it briefly to point out that the promised Downing Street closing/award ceremony did take place.

Nice historical symmetry. In 1983 the Chancellor performed the Candidates opening ceremony at 11 Downing Street.

http://en.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/ ... 30413.aspx

Have a look at the design of the medal!

[John McKenna]

Chris, I saw the 'medal' and all I can say is it seems to be yet another product of swingeing austerity cuts. Still, I am slightly encouraged that the Chancellor plays chess as he may be capable of realising when a position is resignable.