The World Championship View (part 4)

Here are the 5 questions I asked a number of Grandmasters and International Masters:

1. Who do you think will win the match?
2. What is your final score prediction?
3. How would you describe the strengths and weaknesses of each player?
4. Does playing in Sofia give Topalov an advantage (home crowd) or disadvantage (too much distraction with the national media, family and friends)?
5. Do you think the age difference between Topalov (35) and Anand (40) is significant? What do you think is an optimal age in a professional chess player’s career.

Here is the view from my sister Sofia Polgar: https://chessdailynews.com/anand-topalov-live/

Here are the views from GM Robert Hess and GM Boris Gulko: https://chessdailynews.com/world-championship-game-2-live-commentary/

Here are the views from GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Alex Onischuk, and GM Lev Psakhis: https://chessdailynews.com/world-championship-game-1-live-commentary/

Here are the views from IM Anna Zatonskih, GM Vinay Bhat, and GM Ben Finegold: https://chessdailynews.com/the-world-championship-view/

Here are some more answers:

GM Ray Robson, an American chess phenom

1. It’s very hard to say who will win, as both sides are evenly matched. I will go with Anand, even though they are playing in Bulgaria.

2. I predict Anand will win by one point.

3. First of all, I must say that my comparisons of strengths and weaknesses might not be accurate, as I haven’t played Anand or Topalov. Anand is known for playing quickly and calculating well. He doesn’t have any major weaknesses that are easily noticeable. Another advantage in his favor is that not only has he played more World Championship matches than Topalov (3 to 1), but he also has experience in winning the World Championship in a match.

Topalov should be expected to have good preparation coming into this match. I suppose his main weakness and strength is the riskiness of his play. Topalov is known for his exchange sacrifices and is in general not as solid as Anand. For example, he won Linares this year, but won from several dubious positions. Also in Topalov’s favor (I believe) is the fact that he is playing in Sofia.

4. I think that playing in Sofia is better for Topalov, even though there may be more pressure on him. For one, he usually does well in Sofia. If he had played in his home country several times before and had not had good results I might have a different opinion. Also, it is hard psychologically for Anand. If Sofia is not Anand’s first choice (and obviously it wasn’t) then in some sense he was forced to play on his opponent’s home surface. I think it just makes him feel less secure in general.

5. Probably Topalov will have a little more energy, but I don’t think it will matter so much in this match. Since it is only 12 games, interspersed with rest days, Anand should have time to recover and not get exhausted before the end. Nowadays people talk about being “old” in chess by the time they are 30. I think the optimal age is probably around ages 25 to 30, but obviously a high level of play can be continued for long after that (as Anand himself proves).

GM Elshan Moradiabadi, #2 player in Iran

1. I find the situation perplexing and complicated, however, I believe that Anand has something like his Save against Kramnik and he will win the match eventually.

2. This is too much for even the most famous Oracles in the world. I can surely say that they will not reach tie-breaks by any chance!

3. Anand is a universal player, the first world champion since Spassky. During his rich career he examined variety of opening and has a broad repertoire. On the other hand, Topalov has been known for his deep and imaginative chess. He is a real fighter and is like a knight.He continues the positions that most of the players at his level agree on draw.

4. I believe it is an advantage for Topalov but if Anand overcomes the tiring trip because of volcanic eruption then the advantage will be evaporated. If Topalov wants to take advantage of playing at home he has to strike the horse-shoe when it is heated! (Persian proverb!)

5. Most of my colleagues might laugh at my judgment but Topalov has a huge advantage in his energy reservoir, however, it will not depict its impact in 12 games, therefore I do not see a great benefit to Topalov even by being at his optimal age of his career. (Yes I believe that 35 is the age a professional player can be called being matured!)

IM Dean Ippolito, super scholastic coach

I think the match will be close, but my prediction is 6.5-5.5 Anand. Much of this will depend on the fatigue that Anand undoubtedly will have due to his 40 hour car ride. In 1998, Anand was likely stronger than Karpov when he lost the FIDE World Championship match after little rest time between winning the knockout and meeting a well prepared and well rested Karpov. This could be similar.

There is not a huge difference in their age. 30 and 40 would be a bigger deal but at 35 and 40, most will depend on physical conditioning. Someone physically ready to withstand the stress of the match can be significantly older and still have the advantage in that area. Kasparov lost the match to Kramnik in 2000 when he was 37 while Kramnik was 12 years younger. However, Kasparov was much better physically and had the match been longer I would suspect that Kasparov would have had the stamina to win the match. The games were much more in Kasparov’s favor toward the end of the match and Kramnik looked exhausted.

Anand is more of a correct player. He rarely makes moves which are suspicious. Topalov is more of a risk taker, and this has been well rewarded against most of the world’s elite. I like the way that he went for complications even though they weren’t correct in the final game of his match against Kamsky. Anand calculates very quickly though, and even if he is in time pressure, Topalov will need to be careful not to overdo things. Having the home field advantage is huge. In any sport, it helps to know that the people around you are in your corner. I don’t think the conditions will help Anand. However, Anand has such a pleasant and calm personality that it won’t bother him as much as others.

The optimal age for chess players in usually 35-40, but it can be younger or older depending on the most important factor-work ethic. Players like Portisch or Korchnoi peaked 5-10 years after that because of their dedication. I believe that the main reason results go down with age has less to do with losing brain power and more to do with losing motivation. Someone who has come close to the top many times and doesn’t make it to the very top can become depressed over time. Someone that has won the world championship and set that as the goal can lose motivation to continue (Fischer would fit here in chess and Buster Douglas in boxing after beating Mike Tyson). Some have been on top so long that they lose interest as there’s nothing left to prove (Kasparov or even Paul Morphy).