Ruslan Ponomariov vs Gukesh Dommaraju: three months difference

[John Upham]

A back of the envelope calculation shows that that Ruslan Ponomariov was

18 years 3 months 12 days old when he won the FIDE World Championship

whereas Gukesh Dommaraju was

18 months 6 months and 14 days when he won the FIDE World Championship.

Have FIDE "cancelled" RP by issuing a PR which declares that GD is the youngest FIDE world champion?

[Joey Stewart]

Not really, ponomariov might have been world champion but thatv was during the time of troubles when kasparov and kramnik were regarded as actual champion gukesh is undisputed world champion which is the one the general public are most accepting of being the correct title.

[John Upham]

Not really, ponomariov might have been world champion but thatv was during the time of troubles when kasparov and kramnik were regarded as actual champion gukesh is undisputed world champion which is the one the general public are most accepting of being the correct title.

RPs title was awarded by FIDE, the very same governing body which awarded GDs title.

The Brain Games or Classical world title had nothing to do with FIDE at that time.

It seems unlikely that the general public (whoever they are?) would be aware of two world championships running side by side.

[Jonathan Rogers]

well, it is a matter of one's chess "religion" isn't it, the Karpov 1997 - Khalifman - Anand - Pono - Kasim line; though it is true that you might expect FIDE itself to follow its official history!

[John Upham]

it is true that you might expect FIDE itself to follow its official history!

This is my substantive point. FIDE needs to either rewrite history or issue some kind of "clarification".

I have suggested this to the BBCs "chess writer" Devangshu Datta.

[Ian Thompson]

Have FIDE "cancelled" RP by issuing a PR which declares that GD is the youngest FIDE world champion?

They appear to have cancelled him by declaring Gukesh the 18th World Champion. Whilst I can't find a list of World Champions on FIDE's website, how would you get to 18th other than by following the "Classical World Champions" list here and disregarding the "FIDE World Champions" list that follows it?

[Paul Cooksey]

FIDE produced this before the match:

wcc.jpg (67.52 KiB) Viewed 3164 times

[Matt Mackenzie]

Ponomariov was never *undisputed* wotld champion, Gukesh is. That is arguably the only thing that really matters.

[NickFaulks]

Ponomariov was never *undisputed* wotld champion, Gukesh is. That is arguably the only thing that really matters.

And yet Kasparov was in the wings then, just as Carlsen is now. GK could have defended his "undisputed" title against Pono, and was in fact under an obligation to do so, but never did.

[Paul Cooksey]

I get Matt's point. I don't want to diminish the title either. But what if someone put up 10 million dollars for a Gukesh-Carlsen match next year and the players were up for it?

It doesn't seem likely enough to place an asterisk next to anyone's name. But things are only undisputed until someone disputes them.

[Matt Mackenzie]

In the event that Carlsen desperately wanted to resume his pursuit of the world title, I expect that FIDE would find a way to accommodate him - rather as they did for Fischer back in 1970. However he continues to show absolutely no sign of this at present, so the question is moot.

[Nick Burrows]

How many of the "undisputed" world champions were undisputedly the best player in the world?

[Mick Norris]

In the event that Carlsen desperately wanted to resume his pursuit of the world title, I expect that FIDE would find a way to accommodate him - rather as they did for Fischer back in 1970. However he continues to show absolutely no sign of this at present, so the question is moot.

He would get the rating spot for the Candidates but as you say it's moot

[Roger de Coverly]

In the event that Carlsen desperately wanted to resume his pursuit of the world title, I expect that FIDE would find a way to accommodate him - rather as they did for Fischer back in 1970. However he continues to show absolutely no sign of this at present, so the question is moot.

Presuming he retained his #1 rating, that would be enough, provided he met the minimum game count requirement. That would put him in the Candidates which he would then need to win. An unofficial match would be possible as well provided there was a sponsor.

[Paul Cooksey]

How many of the "undisputed" world champions were undisputedly the best player in the world?

I feel most sympathy for Topalov who might now be the best player never to be world champion.