It has been a week since the conclusion of the World Championship match between Topalov and Kramnik. Have your opinion changed about the two players? What about the state of the chess world? Your thoughts about Mexico City? Essent super tournament will be Topalov’s first event immediately after his match with Kramnik. Can he bounce back? Want to talk about other chess topic?
What are your thoughts? It’s Saturday Open Forum. The forum is YOURS!
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
I just read a short biography of Mir Sultan Khan. He was one of the elite players of the early 1930’s, despite only learning the European Chess rules shortly before that. He could neither read nor write, and was a slave/servant that was allowed to play tournament chess for only a few years at his master’s whim. Afterwards, he was never heard from again. Sounds like an incredible natural talent. He couldn’t have read any chess books…
There have been many comments about chess moving towards the Fischer random model. Even Kasparov has spoken about this.
How do people feel about this as opposed to keeping the basic structure in place but adding some new pieces. The gothic chess idea of a 10×8 board with two new pieces seems far more appealing to me than having my rooks on , say. b1 and f1!.
Kramnik now has my respect. That he did not have before.
A great game of his, is his blindfold match against Toiletov in the melody amber blindfold where neither player blundered. I think it was in 1995.
So is the ACP or FIDE in control of the world title?
Kramnik won, and is now the official champion, but he is in ACP.
Back to your question:
Kramnik rose a bit in my estimation. It would have been so easy to just leave the match – and not risk anything. Granted the match games were not the best in the history of match play but he did stay and obviously has a lot of confidence in rapid play. Before the match I really disliked how he had ducked many match opportunities and how he had gotten his chance while Shirov (who had beaten him in a match) didn’t get his opportunity.
Topalov dropped a lot – because of what Danilov did. I suspect Topalov may be in his heart a pretty decent fellow but received and followed terrible advice.
In the end no one is all light and goodness. Kasparov is an all time great player but much of the turmoil today originated with him and Short and he even had a hand in helping Ilyumzhinov. Tal was a great player, but his personal life was evidently as frenetic and chaotic as his games. Botvinnik was all science and planning over the board but off the board was not above a lot of political maneuvering. Etc. etc. etc.
Finally, you also ask about attacking players of the past – one of the biggest misconceptions are between abilities and “style”. No one can become a GM nor a super class GM (world champion level) without being pretty good at tactics and having great board sight. A professional however isn’t playing for fun, and often not losing is an important aspect of tournament and match strategy. The greatest example of this is Petrosian which by many independent accounts was a terrific blitz player full of tactical tricks, but he developed a more dry and steady style to minimize his risk of losing at the classical time control.
Hi Susan! I have a couple of queries:
1. Any updates on Fischer vs Karpov 15 million euros match?
2. Why was Topalov not invited to ACP rapid tournament?
3. A reader posted why you never give solutions to your problems, well?
4. What are your views on these FIDE World Championship tournaments.
NOTE: I feel as a compromise to old candidates matches to qualify for World Championship in today’s market a FIDE qualifying tournament and then a World Championship Match every two years. I realize the 2007 Mexico tournament was signed as a World Championship but it should be a qualifier and excluding Topalov is just plain silly. I wish Topalov would just play chess and get rid of Daniolov.
Hi Susan, thanks for the open forum.
Quick questions about your Simuls:
1. Have you ever blundered perhaps a whole piece at a simul, but chosen to keep playing on knowing that your opponent is likely to still lose?
2. If the simul includes name cards and ratings of your opponents, do you look at and consider the opponents’ ratings during the simul?
3. With all of the discussion about potential use of computers in the recent WC match, has that ever come up in any of your simuls–an opponent consulting a computer?
Thanks!
p.s. The Lifestyles cover photo is great!
Anonymous said…
There have been many comments about chess moving towards the Fischer random model. Even Kasparov has spoken about this.
How do people feel about this as opposed to keeping the basic structure in place but adding some new pieces. The gothic chess idea of a 10×8 board with two new pieces seems far more appealing to me than having my rooks on , say. b1 and f1!.
As an amature player I really like the idea of Fischer Random Chess taking over because the constant study of opening moves is just annoying, but its essential if you wnat to be decent.
I’d rather see natural skill and creative genius trimpuh over chess study.
I like the gothic chess Idea as well, however I never understood why they didn’t make it a 10 x 10 board instead of 10 x 8?
Can someone explain?
I do think something needs to change soon because the “draw death” that Capablanca worried about is really starting to kill chess…. although the recent WC match was a plesent surprise with not TOO many draws.
I can only say:
Kramnik was amazingly lucky.
And, he is a chicken.
A player without a backbone
will never ever be a REAL
CHAMPION,
like Capablanca, Aljechin,
Fischer, Kasparow.
I compare the chess championship matches between Karpov and Kasparov (who were facing during my childhood) and the present match between Topalov and Kramnik. Both have similiar forces playing chess despite of the different styles. There will be more matches and probably Kramnik could succeed in them. Definitely, it begins a new phase in chess history.
Regarding the Mexico tournament, I noticed a number of people say that Kramnik will be selfish and will skip the tournament. However, if you look at the below article in 64, Kramnik says he will play it, even though he dislikes the idea of determining the champ this way.
I happen to agree with Kramnik that a tournament is not a good way to determine the WCH. However, the organizers at Mexico City have done a great deal of work and they deserve to have a championship not just a qualifier.
Here’s my proposal and it will require the agreement of the Mexico organizers:
1. Let Topalov take Kramnik’s place in the Mexico tournament. He still has the highest elo rating so his participation will be a boon to the Mexico organizers.
2. Let the winner of the tournament be have the right to play Kramnik in a match.
3. This WCH match should be played in Mexico City out of respect to the Mexico City organizers. Additional funding for the match should be raised by FIDE.
I think this proposal helps everyone. Topalov is not shut out; the Mexico City organizers gets the championship it wanted and is not reduced to a qualifier; and the fans get more chess.
http://64.ru/?/articles/item=1299
PS Good luck to Judit in her qualifier against Bareev.
No, my opinion hasn’t changed about the players!
Kramnik has my endless respect.
topalov lost it forever! What a sore loser!
Topalov for toiletcleaner!
I do not think that chess should be called the “King’s Game” any longer. GM Susan along with her sisters have proven, beyond a doubt, that chess transcends gender.
Chess has been known as the “King’s game” or “game of kings” for centuries. Hope someone has a brilliant moment and can enlighten us as to what chess could now be called, rather than the “King’s game.”
To All…the best!
Tim Harris
this photos is probably beauty enhenced with a pc. the polgars aren’t good looking.
Isn’t everyone really impressed when someone posts an insulting comment as “anonymous” (That’s called sarcasm mr. anonymous, but I don’t suppose you have the wit to know what that is).
The Gothic chess idea, I like that. I fear one day computers will show us how to draw every game, expanding the chessboard though…. I like that. 10×10 chessboard, 12×12? What about 3d chess a la star trek?
G. Lehany
Scotland
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Tim Harris said…
I do not think that chess should be called the “King’s Game” any longer. GM Susan along with her sisters have proven, beyond a doubt, that chess transcends gender.
I don’t think the “game of kings” is supposed to be a reference to gender. It is meant to mean a game for the powerful and intellectual.. .and it most likely doubley has that name since the king is the most important piece in the game
(our version of chess is also called Mad Queens Chess if that makes you feel better)
I see no reason to change the name…
what do you think???
I fail to see what Kramnik has to apologize for. He handled everything like a true champion. He forfited game five, which was a dumb move, but so far he hasn’t sued FIDE or caused any trouble about it. He could have chosen to abandon the match, but didn’t.
What has he done to be ashamed of?
Topalov probably should issue an apology, but instead he has just kept being insulting and acting lik ea poor loser. Shameful.
Kramnik is no chicken.
There was no sponsor willing to pay what Shirov wanted ( and was arguably worth in many’s opinion ).
He did cut in line, but big deal. Even if you consider 2000 a sham (I did) he did beat FIDE’s champion this time. That makes him the champ.
You can also say he ducked Kasparov for a rematch. This is also not true. The way those 2 played in 2000, nobody would pay ten cents to see them have super quick draws where even MCO goes 6 more moves deeper in standard theory. This is why they didnt play again.
Sponsors are much smarter than chess players. They have the brains to make millions. Chess players quickly forget that fact.
Thank goodness for the likes of GM Seirawan (see chessbase.com). I think Hoddy you are wide of the mark on this one. Referring to “Kremlin” is telling. Outside of the USA Kramnik’s country of origin is not a reason to oppose him, the cold war ended long ago and Kramnik deserves to be treated as an individual, and not despised for being Russian (Shame on you).
Topalov’s camp was wrong on this one and whether GM Kramnik is russian, boring or has a weak bladder is not relevant.
I’ve suspected for a while that US based posters are biased against Kramnik for being Russian. Clearly I was right.
G. Lehany
Scotland
Hi Gordon,
There was a three dimensional chess club in Hamburg during the inter-war years. Mad thought!
Dan
For better or for worse, we have a unified world champion. Live with it Because Kramniks name will be in the history books when yours will not be. This is life. It’s called “growing up” and facing what we might not like but have to because there is such a thing as “reality.”
Do those who “don’t accept
Kramnik as world champion really think that he cares? Do you really think that Topalov would have cared if he would have won and his dissenters would’ve posted such vitriolic spiteful words on the Internet? Get a life! They are just as disconnected from we “regular people” as Hollywood movie stars are from ordinary people.
It’s called “social class” or “social status.” And, yes, it means something to those that have managed to achieve recognition as #1.
I doubt GM Kramnik , the only world champion we have, ever loses sleep about what an “anon” on a blog says.
This is the case even if Topalov would have won. People at that level, with a very, very few exceptions, don’t care about what you or I think.
They are wealthy and make a fortune from playing chess. They are as disconnected from the regular club player as the president of a country is from the “average person.”
Get over it! Neither Kramnik, Topalov, nor Kasparov or the most famous GM’s care what the ordinary person thinks of them….until it begins to hurt their bank accounts. Then, and only then, might it make a difference.
If they did care about people, maybe they would give more to charity! they make a fortune and so many in their own countries are in need.
Humans are by nature greedy and isolent. Rest assured, they don’t care what the “little people” have to say about them…positive or negative.
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The World Chess Champion
The title was one of respect…The best Chess Player in the World
The recent Title Match was brought it into disrespect
Someone commented… he would give the Job of Managing his Toilet to the World Chess Champion.. is an Extreme Example of what has come out of this match
This kind of damage could be repaired by the players who created it..Kramnik and Topalov…by a Rematch and Public Joint Apology..
We had a forum in wisdom and intelligence… could these two intelligent great players be wise enough to do that
what do you think???
Sorry for writing Kremlin instead of Kramnik..an honest mistake..when I first posted this item..my apology’s
Heh, who is the young actress in the article photo?