Anand is new WC

[Peter Sibbald]

See the title...

[Gordon Ritchie]

Re: Anand is new WC

I for one have mixed feelings. In the end, the championship was decided by game two of the tie break. In a dead drawn position, Gelfand simply ran out of time and succumbed to the much speedier Anand. The other games were certainly exciting and of a fairly good standard for rapid chess. But it does seem a pity to have the crown determined by who is the faster player. Still, until someone comes up with a better idea...
Congratulations to Anand on retaining his championship. One hopes he will wear the crown with distinction, playing and winning the major tournaments as did his predecessors.

[Aman Hambleton]

Re: Anand is new WC

If you type in "glass room death row" on Google, the 5th image result is a picture of Anand vs. Gelfand from far back.

Replace the chess with a murderer and this could be his death row sentence. Kind of an odd setting...

[Jean Hébert]

Re: Anand is new WC

I for one have mixed feelings. In the end, the championship was decided by game two of the tie break. In a dead drawn position, Gelfand simply ran out of time and succumbed to the much speedier Anand. The other games were certainly exciting and of a fairly good standard for rapid chess. But it does seem a pity to have the crown determined by who is the faster player. Still, until someone comes up with a better idea...
Congratulations to Anand on retaining his championship. One hopes he will wear the crown with distinction, playing and winning the major tournaments as did his predecessors.

This WC has been a complete fiasco. Anand's play and attitude was completely unrecognisable, unworthy of a world champion. Even if the formula had definitely something to do with both players over-cautiousness, it seems to me that this world title has become too heavy for Anand who is clearly not number one anymore. He was not winning tournaments before this match, and I don't see him winning some in the near future. His creativity and fighting spirit seems to be completely smothered by this burden of keeping the title at all costs. Maybe for him, it would have been a good thing to lose...

[Hal Bond]

Re: Anand is new WC

I recorded the moves of the tiebreak games and from my seat (and perhaps as an old jock) I found the experience fascinating. Here’s an aging champion who has been there and done that every which way that he has been asked to, facing off against Israel’s answer to Rocky Balboa – an unlikely opponent who gets a once in a live time shot at the title (sequels notwithstanding)!

Gelfand was his usual animated self today. Anand showed up unshaven and with a slightly perceptible pinch of attitude. Somehow he would have to find a way past an opponent whose preparation seemed superior and had nothing to lose.

The clock is part of the game. If game 2 was totally drawn, maybe it’s because Galfand had to use all his time to keep it that way. Anand had an extra pawn and continuously forced Gelfand to stop and think. I game 3 Anand claimed he was lost but was grateful for the counterplay. In game 4 I could hear Anand cursing himself for giving Gelfand counterplay around move 25ish and I was beginning to consider the prospect of the blitz which would follow. Summoning all that he had, Anand bent but did not break.

I can’t help but think that too many chess fans are standing on the shoulders of computer engines and pundits whose fight it is not, whizzing on the real combatants and forgetting that this is every inch a human contest.
Congratulations Vishy, and kudos to Boris! (Creed: “Ain’t gonna be no rematch” …. Balboa: “Don’t want one!”)

[Mavros Whissell]

Re: Anand is new WC

Hi Guys,

Anand played exactly the way he had to.

Gelfand represents the death of chess. A clearly weaker opponent who has preparation at the utmost level, beyond Vishy's. Vishy had to play for slightly unusual positions to have a chance of getting past this prepped-to-the-bone draw master.

The times where Gelfand actually had to think, he lost. Whether it was losing on time or losing his queen, it doesn't matter. Vishy also seemed to play poorly, but his poor play still superceded his opponent's.

I think Vishy was not excited at the prospect of playing this challenger. I agree Anand did not look in good shape, but its pretty heavy pressure on him. Nothing to gain and everything to lose. Its easy to criticize his play, but he really wants to secure a place in history. Sounds like many will look back and say he doesn't deserve it, so that was his sacrifice to win. I still say it is better than the alternative.

What a relief that the next world champion will be someone other than Boris.

I think if Carlsen was in there this year, he would have crushed either of these players - badly.

Mavros

[Normand Arsenault]

Re: Anand is new WC

I think if Carlsen was in there this year, he would have crushed either of these players - badly.
Mavros

Nakamura would have as well.

Norm

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Anand is new WC

Nakamura would have as well.

They didn't qualify. Gelfand did, and that's the reality.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Anand is new WC

Hal, I don't know why Gelfand continued to play the Sicilian when he was getting difficult games. Maybe a good question to ask him?

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Anand is new WC

Hal, I don't know why Gelfand continued to play the Sicilian when he was getting difficult games. Maybe a good question to ask him?

I presume he wouldn't resort to the Winawer? :)

Better the devil you know than the one you don't. I think Gelfand's team spent a lot of time on the Sicilian and it seems he felt comfortable in those positions - despite any difficulties.

It might have been better publicity to have an Armageddon game followed by a punch up. Would have made the front page of all the media then...

[Jean Hébert]

Re: Anand is new WC

I recorded the moves of the tiebreak games and from my seat (and perhaps as an old jock) I found the experience fascinating.

Nice to know that there is at least one person who enjoyed this match. Now I would like to know if there is somewhere one unpaid person who did. The main problem was not that Anand played well or not, the problem was that he did not play! Like in the 12th game when he could have put Gelfand under pressure. He kept his energy as if he was playing a 48 game match against a real heavyweight, with absolutely no concern for the image of chess. Hopefully he will try to make up for it in his next tournaments, because he does have making up to do to regain lost respect and admiration.

[Jordan S. Berson]

Re: Anand is new WC

Correction: Anand is not the new World Champion, as that would indicate that there was a different World Champion until today. Anand defended his title...

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Anand is new WC

Better the devil you know than the one you don't. I think Gelfand's team spent a lot of time on the Sicilian and it seems he felt comfortable in those positions - despite any difficulties.

I'd assume Anand realized he got good play in game 12, even though he didn't play it out, and used the same idea in the tie break game he won. The b3 idea. It takes time to navigate difficult positions so it might have been perfect for Anand in the tie breaks.

[Hal Bond]

Re: Anand is new WC

Thanks for another cheap shot Jean. I was as disappointed as anyone with all the draws in the classicals. But the tiebreak games were exciting.

If I was Anand I would retire right now. He has nothing more to prove, having won every championship format presented. Maybe he has lost his edge. It happens to everyone.

[Laurentiu Grigorescu]

Re: Anand is new WC

How many London Classics, Tal Memorials, or Bilbaos need a player to win over two year period to equal the winnings of a Championship match? From a financial and history standpoint, it makes perfect sense to concentrate on the title. Anand won all sorts of tournaments, in different formats, and played more title matches than anybody else.
He had to deal with a difficult, prepared, and experienced challenger who swept aside the other candidates. No, for him is a good thing he won.