OstapBender wrote on 10/01/06 at 22:48:23:


I missed this post earlier, and I wholeheartedly agree, the only question left to be pondered now is indeed the nature of the hallucinogen being smoked. Another plausible explanation could be that some posters have been abducted by Bulgarian terrorists and forced on pain of death to type pro Topalov sentiment.

Toppy

Markovich wrote on 10/01/06 at 20:47:38:


This is crap. First Kirsan says the issue is no longer legal, but political. Then he consults his legal advisor!  Lawyers have no place when sportsmanship and legitimacy of title is at issue.

Anyway, it is possible that even if Kramnik plays on, Topalov will be affected negatively psychologically by the free point.

I suspect the match is over, and Topalov and his team's desperate last long shot has paid off in spades.

Before this match began I was rooting for Topalov to win, but now I am utterly disgusted. It would have been much better to lose the match with dignity than to stoop to this level to keep the title.

To be honest I thought that Topalov team's semi absurd complaint was a ploy simply aimed at delaying the match to allow for some more prep time for he and his team. However the handling of the complaint by the appeals committee was so ridculous, that obviously under the circumstances it was clear that Kramnik could not continue. I would have done the same, had someone accused me of cheating (which is what Topalov's team is really siggesting), and then had it more or less upheld by an appeals committee.

This junk about the judges ruling being final is nonsense when it is clear that the ruling itself is not only unjustfied but unlawful, and to add itself to injury to forfeit one of the contestants before there had been a proper resolution is incredible.

I particularly loved how Topalov showed up for game five no doubt eager to pocket the predicted forfeit, and there is no chance in hell that he is gunna give that up, and why should he. Pschologically it is difficult to play a game you have already been awarded, the problem is, he should never have been awarded the game in the first place, but rather at that point the match should have been postponed whereupon a resolution would have been much more likely than it is now. 

As I have said before on this thread and maybe others too, Topalov absolutely had no realistic chance to get back into this match, and it seems that the reality of this predicament prompted Topalov's team to concoct a scheme designed to at the very least disrupt the match or at most abort it altogether. Now with Fide's help Topalovs's team seems to have achieved the latter.

Had Topalov not missed mate in three in game two, which incidentally blows a big hole in his 'cheating in the toilet argument' then we probably would not have the situation we have now.

I suspect had Kramnik showed up for game five, Topalov and his team would have searched for other ways to abort the match. 

Luckily its Topalov's team and not Kramnik's that includes the parapsychologist, as surely they would  protested that too.

My prediction now is that Topalov retains his Fide title by forfeit.

To win a World Championship match with a two game deficit is impressive indeed, a feat that would be the envy of Houdini himself  

Topster  

  


     

It just hit me:

This is all staged.  Its just like WWF Wrestling.  Fake.  Scripted and everything.  I see clearly now.  I can't believe it took me so long to realize such an obvious truth.  The Scrabble championships are on TV right now.  Maybe I should switch back to that game.  It seems to still have a shred of integrity left in it.  But maybe not, it could be corrupt too.  How many points is "toilet" worth if it starts on a triple word score? Ah, I know....3-2.

Peace out.
James

Quote:


Reasonable? Only for an alien no? If Topalov is a man of honour, he will never accept that a match will continue 3-2 but unfortunately I have doubts, because the mafia that surrounds him are looking now for the millions and for the next match with Radjabov that Topalov can loose if he looses this match. Kirsan acts like a saint but always in Topalov favor. The strategy of Topalov and his mafia outside the board was very good! Congratulations! He found a way to skip away from this lost match and put suspicions on Kramnik and Topalov become the victim of the situation. Just perfect! And do not forgett about who was on that mafia commite- one manager of Radjabov! 
Here are some opinions from all over the world: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3386 maybe this can clean the dust from the eyes of the few who still defend Topalov for dubious reasons.  
 

Markovich wrote on 10/01/06 at 15:55:48:


And this is, ultimately the problem: reasonable people can disagree as to whether the arbiters actually had it within their power to change the conditions in this way.  Since neither camp playing can be described as reasonable, we find ourselves at an impasse.

I agree with you that Kramnik should have played the game since any fool could have foreseen the situation we find ourselves in: the actual complaint can be resolved, but not the business of the forfeit.  Still it is not correct to say that the decision affected the players equally; clearly, Kramnik cared much more.  The fact that players care differently about various match provisions is the whole reason for the negotiations and contract...

Well, another day without chess.  I agree that tomorrow will be decisive.  I expect Kirsan to rule that the match continues 3-1 and Topalov to walk out, thus ending another sad chapter.  I wonder if Kramnik would then agree to play on from 3-2, or from 3-1 with a 14 game match (as has also been suggested).

Now I realize why there have been so many human-computer matches...

       Toppa's team states if  the result of Kramnik's forfeit in game #4 stands they are leaving the match. I doubt Kramnik is going to accept this so in my mind the match is over & done with.... I hope this is not the case but if this pathetic episode should result in the canclelation of the WC match then as far as I'M concerend top level chess is dead, FIDE is dead, & the game withdraws to the club ranks where it has always been healthy & strong! Considering the way FIDE & some top GM's have ruined the game with their antics this will be a welcome turn of events! The way I see this now goes beyond the who is right and wrong argument....both players are acting out of line. Let the legacy of Toppa vs Kramnik match be 'The Death of Top Level Chess' Considering what has taken place in top level chess over the last 15 years I won't miss it much.........