Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Everybody knows Carlsen is the best player in the world. A formal title from FIDE to say you are World Champion means nothing in such circumstances - and if you disagree I challenge you to name from memory those guys who won their title between 1993 and reunification.
Be cross if you like - and I understand why you are - but I think you’re misunderstanding my posts. I’m not saying I’m in favour. What I am saying is that there are a lot of factors that have come together that makes a breakaway match possible. In a way that it was not a few months ago, say.
Strip away all the context. What match do you think would excite public chess opinion more: Carlsen - Caruana or Anand - Karjakin.
Probably the wrong person to ask with regards to memory! (not what it used to be, like now though it is still pretty good) Karpov, Khalifman, Anand, Ponomariov, Kasimdzhanov, Topalov. Quite infamously, in the San Luis tournament, Kasimdzhanov performed well below expectations and wasn't even close to the "title". Anand however, was close.
I do get what you mean though, in terms of a more general chess public, Khalifman, Ponomariov and Kasimdzhanov won't be well known. Anand as world champion is certainly more known for his success post-re-unification. (I'd also confess that I had never heard of Khalifman before as a player, never mind as a World Champion about 10 years ago. Though I think you can forgive me since I had more interesting things to do up to my teenage years!)
I'm not particularly cross, just a strong opinion...
and certainly not cross at yourself. Yes, a break-away match is possible, but what I am questioning is the legitimacy of the challenger if it was not Anand. If it was an organised match between Carlsen-Anand, but just not under FIDE, then it would be similar to the Kasparov-Short breakaway. In this regard, then Karjakin - A.N.Other isn't really going to be considered a World Championship match, so Karjakin/A.N.Other could be grouped under the world champions listed above, Khalifman, Ponomariov, Kasimdzhanov and Topalov.
Of course, Carlsen-Caruana would be more exciting than Anand-Karjakin, but that is a separate argument.
If however, with regards to the actual match, you are comparing Carlsen-Caruana as an alternative to Carlsen-Anand, I am actually not sure which is more exciting. The only real difference in terms of entertainment is the fact that Carlsen whips out the Berlin, satisfied with a draw as Black since Anand is not as potent as Caruana in this, and then plays a "quieter" opening as White, to nurse a small advantage positionally, to avoid the talent tactician and prepared player that is "real" Anand. He'd do similar with Caruana.
In fact, I'd say that Caruana-Anand is probably more exciting!