English Chess Forum

Mick Norris wrote:Line up now finalised

Assuming that Anand chooses to take part. He was somewhat non-committal about whether he would, when asked about his future plans in the post match press conference.

I'd think it notably surprising if he did really. He surely wouldn't want to play another match vs Carlsen with the extra time that'll have passed in the mean time so what would be the point?

It would not surprise me at all if Kramnik qualified.

MartinCarpenter wrote:I'd think it notably surprising if he did really. He surely wouldn't want to play another match vs Carlsen with the extra time that'll have passed in the mean time so what would be the point?

Caruana should play if he doesn't, surely?

Grischuk has a case too. Presumably there are some actual rules though??

It is interesting whether Anand would play. Presumably there is a deadline by which time Anand would have to decide? With all due respect to Anand, it is not a question of whether he would want to play Carlsen again, but whether he would be able to win the Candidates tournament at all. If that line-up Mick pointed to is confirmed, who would be the favourite? Kramnik? That would really set up a mouth-watering title match.

If Anand withdrew, the reserve would be the third player from the Grand Prix - if a second reserve was needed it would come from the average rating category

So, Caruana is first reserve, second I think is Radjabov

Looking more likely that Anand will withdraw and Caruana will play
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/spor ... 695157.cms

Mick Norris wrote:Looking more likely that Anand will withdraw and Caruana will play
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/spor ... 695157.cms

That would probably be for the good of the tournament, it must be said.

Now all we need to do is to tear up the rule book altogether and replace Mamedyarov with Nakamura and we'll be in business. Andreikin can stay, even if he will do about as well as Radjabov did last time. I can't think of anyone else in particular who really would make a memorable contribution and he's a Tromp player after all.

> I can't think of anyone else in particular who really would make a memorable contribution

Well, Gelfand, obviously. And of course we should get rid of Andreikin - he qualified in an MM event as a result of a 2700 performance plus winning a few blitz games.

Svidler ahead of Grischuk was the obvious choice, frankly - Svidler's the Russian champion, has done well repeatedly in similar events, and unlike Grischuk hasn't announced that he welcomes the death of classical chess, which would make Grischuk a slightly strange choice in a contest to find the classical chess world champion.

Jonathan Rogers wrote: and he's a Tromp player after all.

If only one or two would play the Elephant Gambit or Schlemmer Counter Gambit!

I wonder what changed Anand's mind? Does anyone have a link to anything from Anand himself after that newspaper interview of 21 December?

Time, most likely.

Asking someone if they want to play again straight after being beaten doesn't seem appetising. After a while, the pain wears off a bit.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Does anyone have a link to anything from Anand himself after that newspaper interview of 21 December?

In a link from 23rd December, it becomes "likely".
http://www.firstpost.com/sports/anand-l ... 02119.html