Excalibur wrote on 07/19/06 at 05:48:57:

Yes, after Kramnik's nice performance in the Turin Olympiad I started to think that the Kramnik-Topalov Wch match might be a lot harder to predict than it seemed after Topalov's unbelievable performance in San Luis.

So...  What's your prediction?

Thanks, Ostap.



There's another, more recent poll going on with the same question but fewer options.

With only two options, I voted for Kramnik.  In this poll, back in May, I voted for cynicism.  I'm beginning to be more optimistic as Kramnik's health improves and Topalov's bad-mouthing of Kramnik gets quieter.  

(Remember, about a week after San Luis that Topalov stated that a player of such low rating didn't deserve a match against Topalov!)

We will have a better idea of Kramnik's form after Dortmund, which starts next month, but i think the Olympiad was already quite convincing, mainly because he emerged superior in tactical complications against young players (Bruzon, Naiditsch). I especially liked the game against Bruzon, while watching the game, I was wondering how White should proceed in the early middlegame, while it seemed like Black had fairly straightforward plans to consolidate his extra pawn, but Kramnik showed profound understanding of the position: it seems like Bruzon can't really do anything without weakening himself either! 

Kramnik has been beating Topalov with fairly good regularity (even in 2004 and 2005), while his own losses against Topalov were only as White playing 1. e4 against Topalov's Najdorf.  If Kramnik avoids 1. e4 and going for the Najdorf (and we can be almost 100% sure of this, since Topa has proven himself unbeatable in this opening lately), then I guess we will be seeing alot of.... 

the Chebanenko Slav!!

I think Korchnoi once said that the 4... a6 slav "won't last a world championship match", maybe its time for his prediction to be tested 

I'm pretty sure if Kramnik plays the match the way he played in Torino, we're looking at a unified chess world with Kramnik on top.
2847! is a mighty nice performance and his games (as white) tended to be full-blooded and sharp. 

By the way, it was also exciting to see Kramnik handle (world #3) Aronian so easily and then absolutely crush Bruzon (who had a stellar Olympiad otherwise; bravo to the Cuban!).  Of course Topalov seems to have his mojo working as well! His "last lap" amazing comebacks are almost becoming expected.

This match is going to be wonderful if both players stay in their current form.   Regardless of who wins it should be theoretically interesting as well as exciting to watch .  Please God, don't let this match go the way of Kasparov-Shirov or Fischer-Karpov.

Mark Crowther on TWIC:

"the return of Vladimir Kramnik saw him achieve the top rating
performance in the event"

Topalov is by far not WCh yet.

I also voted for cancellation...but I don't think it'll be Kramnik's health that'll be the problem...

If it goes on, I'll be rooting for Kramnik; it's hard to know what kind of shape he'll be in -- he's had a very rough last couple of years chesswise, and especially concerning is his apparent fatigue late in games when he throws them away with essentially one-move blunders.

If he's well, I think Kramnik will win the match quite handily.  But really, if the match occurs at all it will be a great victory for chessfans everywhere -- although I hope that the match is decisive without resorting to tiebreaks.

The way i see it, the only way Topa will have the best chance to overcome Kramnik is thro mimicry of Kramnik's game. Time and time again Ive seen (not just in chess) where there is an aggressor individual/team coming up against a hyper-defensive opponent, the aggressors always lose - too many holes in defense which just lets the defensive opponent exploit when the time is right.

Fischer couldnt beat Petosian until he started mimicking Tigran's play. Spassky won in 69 due to some degree in mimicry. Tal lost soundly against Botvinnik when he failed to adapt his game to suit Botvinnik's constrictive tactics in 61. (ill health not withstanding). Tal-Botvinnik 17th game 1960 is a good example of the point I speak in 1st paragraph. Tal would have lost to Botvinnik if not for a very grave blunder in time trouble.

The same in football esp in Euro 2004. The aggressors all lost to the hyper defensive Greeks!

However in recent times, we have also seen Kramnik attempting to play more lively chess & blundering more in the process. The olympiad have also shown kramnik still persisting with lively play. So if Kramnik also decides to play lively chess in the match, then Topa would have a much better chance of overcoming Kramnik.

Petrosian did attempt to play more lively chess in the 70's but wasnt so successful.

WOW!

I was planning on coming in and having to defend Kramnik against all the Topalov fans.
I am amazed that so many of you think Kramnik will win.  You've restored my faith in the chess community.

Topalov does not have great result against Kramnik and Kramnik has become an excellent match player.

However, Topalov can really "dig in" and pull off several spectacular wins in a row.  When he really wants it, he is a beast.  So, I expect plenty of fireworks. 

I was so happy to see Nf3/c4 from Kramnik recently.  The e4 stuff felt like Louis Armstrong playing a trombone.
I would imagine that Kramnik will avoid e4 in order to not face Topalov in the Najdorf but who knows? 

Both players have lots of ideas and both are excellent technical players (Kramnik may be the best in the world).
I am very excited about this match and I pray its not cancelled.

I predict Kramnik starts strong (as usual) and Topalov starts poorly. Maybe 3.0-1.0
They cruise for a few games then Topalov unloads several exchange sacrifices to unbalance the game
and the last few are slugfests with Toppy closing the gap but the solid Kramnik wins the match by a full point and with an extra white pawn in his pocket. 
There is much rejoicing.   

By the way, if Kramnik does win... is the Topalov-Radjabov match still on? 

Cheers.

ps - If nothing else Topalov's unexpected hubris after San Luis almost ensures he'll face Caissa's wrath.  He spoke like Kramnik wasn't in his league anymore!  tsk tsk.