English Chess Forum

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:... who would you put together in a tournament to decide the next challenger for Carlsen?

The last few years playing world championship matches almost every year from 2007 has been tough. You have this opponent waiting for you. In 2011 2012 I would have liked to change things in my chess and made some attempts. But knowing there is a match your play is aimed at it. Well chess politics or the system gave me the title shots of my career at a go. I was lucky to be in that position but found it difficult to ride on both horses. I was able to correct that in early 2013 but succumbed to preparation mode. I think 2008 my work was most efficient. In 2010 I coped best under the situation. 2012 I held on . 2013 I would say I worked hardest and thats what hurt me the most. 2014 I found a good equilibrium of not overdoing work but my seconds keep telling me go chill . Modern chess is very complex and sometimes U cant control every aspect. I still remember in the 80s i would read a chess book have an idea and go play. Today an idea is maybe 3 weeks of work with many seconds . I will soon play in london and look forward to some fun on the board and also meeting friends.

Nick Burrows wrote:From Vishy's twitter..

https://twitter.com/vishy64theking

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:

Leonard Barden wrote: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/shortc ... encounters

The 'five months' there for chess calculates the time differently. The tennis and cricket ones are times spent actually playing. Has anyone calculated how long K&K spent actually at the board (roughly) in those five months?

Jonathan Bryant wrote:

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:... who would you put together in a tournament to decide the next challenger for Carlsen?

Good question. Depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Who deserves the slot - the best eight current players IMHO or who has the best chances of winning a match against Carlsen? Obvs there’ll be some overlap here, but not always. E.g. Topalov and Kramnik and Anand, I would agree have limited chances of actually winning a match against Carlsen, but you’d be hard pressed to justify them not getting in the tournament.

I"m talking about current standings there.


Anyhoo,

Caruana,
Grischuk
Nakamura

would be on my 'have the best (not necessarily high) chance of winning the match' list.



Topalov
Kramnik
Anand

would be in my 'deserve to be there but I find it hard to imagine would seriously worry Carlsen' group.

Then there’s Aronian, who I think might be in the first group except for the fact that he’s already not got out of three Candidates’ events and I wonder if his best chance has already gone.

I actually think Kramnik could trouble Carlsen in a match and Nakamura would have no chance

Grischuk has no experience, but could get help from Kramnik, Svidler, etc, so that would be very interesting

Aronian has played short matches against Kramnik and now Nakamura, and if his nerves were ok could trouble Carlsen

Caruana most likely to qualify and most likely to beat Carlsen, I'd put Karjakin second favourite to qualify

Mick Norris wrote: I actually think Kramnik could trouble Carlsen in a match and Nakamura would have no chance.

MartinCarpenter wrote:Leko seems to be - somehow vanished from really strong tournaments etc - Radjabov I guess not in principle but iirc he's lost a few rather bad games against Carlsen?

Stephen Saunders wrote:... Anatoly Karpov making a comeback and crushing Carlsen....

Stephen Saunders wrote:I haven't really followed top flight chess for the last ten years (or more!) but are Leko and Radjabov busted flushes as far as the title is concerned?

Stephen Saunders wrote:Must admit I would love to see Anatoly Karpov making a comeback and crushing Carlsen....

David Robertson wrote:It's all over for Anand now. He's run out of road. By the end of the next WC cycle, he'll be 46. That's too old at this level. And I doubt he'd been keen to rejoin a doomed battle with a maturing 25 year old Carlsen anyway, not that Caruana et al will allow him the opportunity.