| Who will win the 2009 World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk? | |
| Gelfand | |
| Gashimov | |
| Svidler | |
| Mamedyarov | |
| Karjakin | |
| Ponomariov | |
| Grischuk | |
| Jakovenko | |
| Vachier-Lagrave | |
| Caruana | |
| Shirov | |
| Laznicka | |
| Vitiugov | |
| So | |
| Bacrot | |
| Malakhov | |
| pollcode.com free polls | |
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
This looks like a popularity poll. So’s achievements are great, of course, but technically speaking Grischuk, Karjakin, Svidler and others are more qualified.
V.P.
Indeed, polls are popularity contests. And Wesley So is proving to be the flavor of this tournament. In fact, over at chessdom.com, the live coverage had to stop the public from commenting because comments were no longer objective and as one administrator claimed, “were just cheer-leading for So”.
If Wesley So were to make chess more popular, it would be all good and dandy…
“So’s achievements are great, of course, but technically speaking Grischuk, Karjakin, Svidler and others are more qualified.”
I would have thought so myself, even after So’s win against Ivanchuk. But his last 4 games (against Super GMs Kamsky and Malakhov) showed a very authoritative So, with the ability to prepare for his opponent at short notice. Even though his 2 games with Malakhov were drawn, he had good control and played solid positional chess.
So if he can manage to tie the classical games, ratings won’t count as much in the rapids and blitzes.
“This looks like a popularity poll.”
Perhaps you’re right – this may be more of “hoping” than being objective. But it’s always nice to hope that a young, determined upstart will make it all the way. That’s what gives sports a thrill.
OK you talked me into cheering for So.
Bye the way. Where is Magnus Carlsen in this World Championship cycle.
It is ridiculous-
the top seed (Gelfand) has 45 vote while So has 300!
Come on, people are not objective, it seems they get carried away on a bandwagon!
In reality So has less chance of winning than players like Gelfand and Svidler who are very solid and hard to beat. Experience counts more than you think- even Kamsky won it last time partly due to his match experience of 10 years earlier which made him match tough- most underestimated him and thought Carlsen would beat him!
Yeah Yeah he lost to So this time- but let us be realistic about things. So’s lack of experience will probably tell by the end.
What the hell do you expect from a poll on a blog which is virtually a “young phenom” So/Caruana/Carlsen
pr-site ?!