They have started with a very sharp Najdorf.

The main imbalance here is:

Anand allowing an imbalanced position to Kramnik
vs.
I suppose Anand should be more familiar with the resulting positions (as a Sicilian player)

(plus Anand has White!)

...nervous...nervous...

Keano wrote on 10/29/08 at 10:53:49:


Oh, I'm pretty sure that they do suffer. Anand must be nerve-racked today.

ANDREW BRETT wrote on 10/29/08 at 07:49:26:


No no no no no. Before the match I already stated that 12 games were not enough. And so I did last couple of years. Moreover I root for Anand. So you won't hear me say he does not deserve winning the match. Really, the only reason I want more games is that I want blood on the board.

The older 24 game matches suffered a bit because there would be the odd 'unofficial' rest day with some pretty lame games played . 

IMHO We're only saying that a slightly longer match would be preferable now that Kramnik has woken up ! It's his own fault for losing twice with White. The big mystery to me is why Vishy suddenly decided 14 bb7 was no good- I'd have carried on until it was refuted as the positions were ones that Kramnik didn't enjoy. 

Still hats off to Kramnik for the win and for nearly winning the previous game. ( Qc7 was systematic of the weakening of VK's overall game- too keen to avoid middlegame complications). Still very good game with white . He's never beaten Anand with Black so I think the show stops today. I wonder whether Vishy will go 1e4 but if he sticks with 1 d4 will Kramnik go Dutch or some wild slav.

Scholar wrote on 10/28/08 at 17:12:56:

Spassky-Fischer was effectively over after 10 games as were most of his other matches.

Keano wrote on 10/28/08 at 09:10:00:


I'm not sure that I agree.  I have a very long attention span, but I always thought that the marathon matches of the Soviet era were mighty tedious.  Why should you have to be an iron man to be the world chess champion?  Lasker and Schlechter only played ten games, and so far as I'm aware, nobody at the time thought it was a travesty.

There's something nice about the number sixteen, maybe because it's a power of two.  That's the number of games that Lasker and Tarrasch played.  From my point of view, that is the practical maximum that should decide the WCh.

Modern times are fast - no one gives you money for a 30 game match. It has to be decided fast to keep the attention of the public.

I think Kramnik was just a bit unlucky this time - it could also have been vice versa if he took his chances and Anand would have to proof his risky play. Anand took the risk and was right - it could also have ended in a desaster for him.

Well yes 12 games for a World ch match is frankly ridiculous - it should be a marathon and not a sprint.

My prefence would be for a 30 game match, 24 games the very minimum.