Smyslov_Fan wrote on 09/20/06 at 01:25:02:

Why is this so unlikely?

I completely agree that Anand has been forgotten in all this.  Anand placed a decent second at San Luis and has maintained a high performance for as long as anyone still active.  I could see him trouncing through the FIDE tournament regardless of who wins the K-T Match.   

But let's not put the cart before the horse.  We have the opportunity to witness one of the great matches of modern chess.  This match has the potential to revitalize chess in exactly the way that the two previous Kramnik matches failed to do.  Kramnik's win against Kasparov was not especially important outside of chess circles, and his title defense against Leko has been forgotten even by some avid chess fans!

This match could be a sterling example of contrasting styles both on and off the board and may even be covered in the Western press!  Ok, Kalmykia is completely off most Americans' knowledge of the world.  I have to admit that although I teach Geography I wouldn't have been able to place it on a map without it being of chessic interest to me.  Still, a world championship between these two offers so much drama that the press will almost certainly cover parts of it.  (I hope.)

MNb wrote on 09/19/06 at 03:58:37:

While that is prolly true (and please do note I am not accusing him of anything except hiding behind procedures) it is kinda weird to pronounce Prague dead and then later use it as the legal basis for the match. In this Topalov's attitude is far more consistent: Any player above 2700 with enough funds he will play against(iirc pushed through this rule prior to San Luis). So iirc Topalov doesnt accept this match as some reunification match, but as a challenge to his title.

Anyway with whatever result I am fairly confident FIDE and others will manage to mess everything up a little later.

My books being read in the bath – the ultimate honour.

Byron tells me that this and Neil’s companion volume were the first Everyman efforts being made according to some new principle or other, so I am sure he will be pleased to hear it.

You don’t like the Berlin?! I find it very interesting – honest. Of course when you get to my age the game is easier without queens, as it makes it harder to blunder, although that hasn’t been enough to stop me just lately.

I noticed by the way that after all his slagging it off on this site Nigel Davies was right there with 3 Bb5 Nf6 in the 4NCL at the weekend, although it is possible he knew his opponent Dgebuadze would shudder and hastily reply 4 Qe2, which was what happened. Although when I left Nigel didn’t seem to be going too well

No, I've taken over Quality Chess' project.

And after that one on the Berlin, with special reference of course to Kramnik’s contribution.

Willempie: wasn’t Kramnik right? FIDE signed up to Prague like everyone else. Dortmund happened as agreed, Kramnik-Leko happened as agreed, but FIDE couldn’t manage to stage Kasparov-Ponomariov. What else was supposed to result but Kramnik keeping his title? Then FIDE ran off and said, well OK, instead we’ll depart totally from the spirit and letter of Prague and the last hundred odd years of chess history, run a tournament and call the winner World Champion; do you want to play? Kramnik not unnaturally told them to get stuffed. And equally naturally, he considers himself entitled to play the winner for the title. To my eyes the question would more fairly be whether the winner is entitled to play him.

Of course Prague doesn’t actually cover it because like most contracts it doesn’t deal with what’s going to happen if one party – FIDE – places itself in fundamental breach of the contract’s terms. But FIDE recognised the legitimacy of Kramnik’s claim by Prague and they recognised the principle that they’re going to find a champion of their own and organise a match between him and Kramnik.

I don’t know about Kramnik hiding behind his contract. In every interview with him I’ve ever seen he’s spoken fairly and consistently about his desire to unify the title and retain the classical tradition of its being decided by matchplay. 

Willempie: John is writing a Starting Out-book on the Sveshnikov.

Team of Veselin Topalov, Bulgaria
1. Veselin Topalov, Bulgaria, participant
2. Danailov Silvio, Bulgaria, manager
3. Cheparinov Ivan, Bulgaria, coach
4. Oleksandr Onishchuk, the USA, coach
5. Francisco Vallejo Pons, Spain, coach
6. Vladimir Haralampiev Rapondzhiev, Bulgaria, team member
7. Raicho Ivanov Gospodinov, Bulgaria, team member
8. Georgiev Dragomir, Bulgaria, team member
9. Ginchev Zhivko, Bulgaria, team member
10. Dancho Djongov, Bulgaria, team member

Team of Vladimir Kramnik, Russia
1. Vladimir Kramnik, Russia, participant
2. Carsten Hensel, Germany, manager
3. Miguel Illescas, Spain, coach
4. Alexander Motylev, Russia, coach
5. Sergei Rublevsky, Russia, coach
6. Valeri Krylov, Russia, physiotherapist
7. Victor Bobylev, Russia, cook