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Chris

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I don't know if he has an angle. By all accounts he never thought the world title was an engaging process, even when he won it the first time. In 2011 he declined to enter the Candidates even though he was eligible. I honestly think it's just not fun for him and he's in a position where he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to.

As far as the title this year, I don't think throwing the match would be more respectful than vacating.
I'm not saying that he should throw the match, just drop the stuff he's not enjoying doing and see how far he can get.

He could even make up his own time control and see if he could win with much less time.
 

Captain Suave

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I'm not saying that he should throw the match, just drop the stuff he's not enjoying doing and see how far he can get.

He could even make up his own time control and see if he could win with much less time.
I think the part he doesn't like is 14 games in a row against the same guy who has spent six months prepping to beat only him.
 

reavor

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I'm not saying that he should throw the match, just drop the stuff he's not enjoying doing and see how far he can get.

He could even make up his own time control and see if he could win with much less time.

well, regardless how he handicaps himself it will make his opponent not seen as legitimate.
 

Gankak

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Yeah I dont think he has an angle other than wanting change to the format. He wants to turn it into something similar to tennis. Where you play 4 rapid game sets... first one to 6 sets wins the match. I don't like the idea of rapid decided the WCC though and neither does most of the chess world.

I think him vacating is the most respectful way to do it too if he doesn't want to prepare/play for real in the match. At least we will get a WCC match this time, in the past when it was vacated like this the title was just awarded to the challenger.
 

Chris

Potato del Grande
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Yeah I dont think he has an angle other than wanting change to the format. He wants to turn it into something similar to tennis. Where you play 4 rapid game sets... first one to 6 sets wins the match. I don't like the idea of rapid decided the WCC though and neither does most of the chess world.

I think him vacating is the most respectful way to do it too if he doesn't want to prepare/play for real in the match. At least we will get a WCC match this time, in the past when it was vacated like this the title was just awarded to the challenger.
Well as long as the broader chess community sees it as the most respectful way, that's fine. I just assumed.

I guess that classical is mostly solved, especially with computers... isn't that why Bobby Fisher quit too?

Quicker games do seem more exciting and that's what I play (10 minutes each).
 

Gankak

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Well as long as the broader chess community sees it as the most respectful way, that's fine. I just assumed.

I guess that classical is mostly solved, especially with computers... isn't that why Bobby Fisher quit too?

Quicker games do seem more exciting and that's what I play (10 minutes each).

Solved? Thats a tricky question. Im not sure its solved, but I will say computers make prep much more accurate. Bobby quit for a lot of reasons, not the least of which he was fucking crazy, but yes one of his stated reasons was even back in the early 1970s he felt that prep was ruining the game and destroying the creativity.

Quicker games are more exciting which is why I Like all the tourneys that have rapid as a format, but not for the WCC. A WCC is a marathon not a sprint. I think its supposed to tax more than just your brain power and prep.
 

Chris

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Solved? Thats a tricky question. Im not sure its solved, but I will say computers make prep much more accurate. Bobby quit for a lot of reasons, not the least of which he was fucking crazy, but yes one of his stated reasons was even back in the early 1970s he felt that prep was ruining the game and destroying the creativity.

Quicker games are more exciting which is why I Like all the tourneys that have rapid as a format, but not for the WCC. A WCC is a marathon not a sprint. I think its supposed to tax more than just your brain power and prep.
I think it's fine to just have different champions for each time control and leave it up to the community to decide which is most prestigious.

Would even lead to cool one off events like Boxing were your classical and rapid champions would play to see who is the true champ.
 

Gankak

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I think it's fine to just have different champions for each time control and leave it up to the community to decide which is most prestigious.

Would even lead to cool one off events like Boxing were your classical and rapid champions would play to see who is the true champ.

They actually have that.. but there is a Rapid champ and a Blitz champ.. on top of the world champ
 

Ravishing

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If it wasn't against Nepomniachtchi I bet he would be playing.
In 2021 Magnus won very decidedly over Ian.
Ian made some bad blunders and unraveled in dramatic fashion.
Magnus is quoted as saying he "has a lot more to lose than gain" by playing in the next Championship.

Having dueling world champions for a couple years should be interesting for the Chess world
 

Jimbolini

Semi-pro Monopoly player
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Interesting points made by both sides, in my opinion. (Regarding the world championship)

That being said, I am slightly disappointed that Hikaru did not finish higher. I really enjoy watching his thought process when playing.
 

Chris

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They actually have that.. but there is a Rapid champ and a Blitz champ.. on top of the world champ
I guess that if Magnus is Rapid or Blitz champ but not Classic champ because he didn't want to compete - that will raise the status of the other championships? Especially if he loses lol.

Who are the other champions right now?
 

Gankak

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Magnus is the Blitz champ... or was at one point. Im not sure who holds the rapid.

*edit* Looks like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is world blitz champ, and based on what Im seeing the rapid/blitz are rolled into one title.
 

Captain Suave

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Magnus is the Blitz champ... or was at one point. Im not sure who holds the rapid.

*edit* Looks like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is world blitz champ, and based on what Im seeing the rapid/blitz are rolled into one title.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov is the current Rapid champion. It was a bit controversial because there was a four-way tie for first between him, Ian, Magnus, and Caruana, with the latter two unable to participate in the tiebreak because of some vagary of the rules.

 
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Jimbolini

Semi-pro Monopoly player
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It will be interesting to see if the new" Champion" considers it an actual title.

I am no expert, but I know Fischer and Kasparov abandoned the titles for various reasons. is this the first time it's dropped due to "boredom"? - at least thats how I read it
 

Gankak

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It will be interesting to see if the new" Champion" considers it an actual title.

I am no expert, but I know Fischer and Kasparov abandoned the titles for various reasons. is this the first time it's dropped due to "boredom"? - at least thats how I read it

For the reason boredom? Yes, I believe so. For certain in the modern age. I don't know a super lot about the early days of the WCC.
 

Gankak

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Magnus withdrew from the Sinqfield Cup at St Louis Chess Club yesterday after losing to Hans Nieman(spelling might be wrong), insinuating Hans got help over the board during their game.
 

Captain Suave

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insinuating Hans got help over the board during their game.

What I've read indicates that Magnus is worried that his preparation was somehow leaked, either by someone in his own camp or through some kind of hacking episode. At this point a number of people have done analysis of the games and didn't find evidence of engine use. However, it is extremely odd that Hans would claim to have prepped an opening line that Magnus has literally never played before this game.
 

Gankak

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What I've read indicates that Magnus is worried that his preparation was somehow leaked, either by someone in his own camp or through some kind of hacking episode. At this point a number of people have done analysis of the games and didn't find evidence of engine use. However, it is extremely odd that Hans would claim to have prepped an opening line that Magnus has literally never played before this game.

Interesting.. all Ive heard is what Hikaru and GothamChess said. If it was a leak thats super interesting