Candidates 2014

[Mick Norris]

For the rest of the month, I would like to watch some really heavy high level chess at the Candidstes'. I know that I have predicted several months ago that Aronian would win the Candidates', and will provide a really tense opposition against Carlsen. This however is probability, not certainty.

Anyone care to suggest an alternative set of predictions?

I'd give Aronian and Kramnik each a 40% chance of winning the Candidates, with Svidler and Topalov at 5% each, Karjakin and Mamedyarov 3% each and Anand and Andreikin 2% each

Aronian has yet to play his best when it really matters, if he does so then he should win

I think Kramnik will be very well prepared for what will be his last chance - I hope he wins

[Paolo Casaschi]

Anyone care to suggest an alternative set of predictions?

My prediction is for Kramnik to win the event and for Anand to be the surprise contestant for the win until the last game.

[John McKenna]

Should Andreikin draw all his games is there the remotest chance he could end up tied for 1st?
Anyway, I will be following his games with interest.

[Roger de Coverly]

Should Andreikin draw all his games is there the remotest chance he could end up tied for 1st?

Everyone else would have to score 50% as well. With the tie-break after the mini-match being "most losses", it's not a style conducive to becoming the challenger, no matter how well it works in knock-outs.

[Graham Borrowdale]

It's Sunday night, and for once I want to think about something other than the world crisis, and the presuned terrorist bombings against China, and the far from veiled threat by Russia, against Ukraine.

Time to relax. For the rest of the month, I would like to watch some really heavy high level chess at the Candidstes'. I know that I have predicted several months ago that Aronian would win the Candidates', and will provide a really tense opposition against Carlsen. This however is probability, not certainty.

Anyone care to suggest an alternative set of predictions?

I think your prediction is the most likely outcome, but I would not be surprised to see Kramnik qualify for one last hurrah at the title. Aronian did well at Wijk aan Zee, so might be due a less than stellar result (sorry for my warped sense of logic), especially as he is capable of inconsistent results. I would also not be surprised to see Kramnik completely fail, perhaps with the weight of expectation from Russia. I also think Topalov might have a say in the final result.
Sorry Colin, not much help!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Aronian SHOULD be the winner, but that doesn't necessarily mean he will.

Would be a good time for him to put those "flaky" jibes to bed!

[Barry Sandercock]

I think Karjakin will win. Incidentally, I got his autograph at Hastings,when he was 13.

[Stewart Reuben]

Barry >Incidentally, I got his autograph at Hastings, when he was 13.<

I have two Certificate of Merit books with a very large number of autographs of GMs that I have been collecting for a few years. A third was sold and the fourth went to Keith Arkell as a prize for winning the bullet match. He had already signed it of course!
But what to do with them? Auction one on ebay?

[Mick Norris]

Full preview and more predictions here:
http://www.chessvibes.com/candidates%E2 ... by-top-gms

[Ihor Lewyk]

Check out the Yorkshire site on how to make your own predictions on the candidates and win cash if you are better than the rest.

http://yorkshirechess.org/fide-candidat ... edictions/

[Jonathan Rogers]

I'd guess that Grischuk was joshing when he said "I don't to reveal my views of the strengths and weaknesses of my future opponents ... but I can say that Kramnik has a very weak opening repertoire, especially with black!"

[Matt Mackenzie]

Maybe it was a "truth spoken in jest" thing. After all, Vlad went a pretty long time without a win with Black at classical level after the 2006 WC match

[Roger de Coverly]

FIDE have extended the deadline for bids for the 2014 World Championship to 30th April 2014, by which time the Candidates tournament will have been completed. Does this imply that they have no bids at all, or unsatisfactory bids?

[Stewart Reuben]

No, it means somebody has had the brainwave of using their commonsense. Even 30 April is too soon. Bidders will want time to digest who the challenger is.

[Mick Norris]

FIDE have extended the deadline for bids for the 2014 World Championship to 30th April 2014, by which time the Candidates tournament will have been completed. Does this imply that they have no bids at all, or unsatisfactory bids?

Norway have been trying to put a bid together as have New York, but haven't had enough time - Armenia and Azerbaijan would bid but couldn't accommodate the match if, respectively, Mamedyarov or Aronian won the Candidates - Russia may want to bid only if one of their players wins

The problem now is the shorter time between winning the bid and the match starting

All of this will be easier for 2016, with a longer lead time between events during a proper cycle (hopefully)