Anand ridicules World Championships rules
New Delhi, Oct. 4 (PTI): Newly-crowned world chess champion Viswanathan Anand today ridiculed the championship rules that will require him to play the former champion Vladimir Kramnik in a few months’ time to retain the title.
The 37-year-old Indian Grandmaster, who won the championships last week in Mexico, told PTI from Madrid that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) formulated the complicated rules to win a few votes during their election last week and hoped such a cycle would not be repeated in future.
“These are ridiculous rules. It was decided by FIDE during their elections last year in order to win a few votes. I hope it is not repeated in future,” Anand said.
Under the FIDE rules, Anand will have to play Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, the previous Champion who finished second in the World Championships in Mexico City, in a match-play format next year.
Whoever emerges victorious between Anand and Kramnik, will then play the winner of the match between former champion Veselin Topalov and the claimant of World Cup title in Russia later this year.
Source: The Hindu
Poor Anand. FIDE screwed him again.
Fide did not screw Anand. And he is not a poor guy.
Anand knew the rules before he accepted to play the tournament. He had to mention this stuff before playing the tournament.
Unfortunately, Anand is not a real champ as he did not beat the previous world champion in a match.
I am surprised that Ananad came out with this. I guess when somebody gets to the top, they all want to stay there by whatever means (in chess).
“Under the FIDE rules, Anand will have to play Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, the previous Champion who finished second in the World Championships in Mexico City, in a match-play format next year.
Whoever emerges victorious between Anand and Kramnik, will then play the winner of the match between former champion Veselin Topalov and the claimant of World Cup title in Russia later this year.”
Yet another change. I have not yet heard this variation. But it was obvious to me, when the Kramnik-Topalov big unification match was announced, YET already after, that the 2007 Mexico “world championship” was announced by FIDE, that this setup will lead to a conflict, even if the Kramnik-Topalov match takes place. Because the result of the unification match obviously collided with the upcoming (at the time) round robin FIDE world championship.
Ever since several new variations were announced by FIDE, they are trying to patch up that error. Under the circumstances the current variation seems the least unfair.
Calm down, Anand. You have only won a double round-robin super GM tournament like Linares. Nice feat, but this doesn’t make you a real world champion. If, on the other side, you win your upcoming match against Kramnik, you are really the champ. Winning the title in Mexico was a little bit like becoming boxing world champion by not beating your predecessor but by beating up others more thoroughly than him.
his true class, or lack thereof, showing thru. Power and glory corrupt all.
Kirsan is a genius.
Look at the number of events being at top level chess. We had San Luis, and then Kramnik vs Topalov, and then Mexico, upcoming is Anand vs. Kramnik and then Topalov vs winner of World Cup title holder, and then another match.
This is really joyful.
Kasporov reigned for almost 20 years. Whom did he play against for the world championship title all those years after Karpov matches ? Anand, Short and Kramnik. That’s it. In 20 years !
Kramnik played against Kasparov, Leko and Topalov in 6 years, and did not loose any match.
I repeat again, “Kirsan is a genius”
I really wonder who all these chumps criticising Anand are? Give the man his due. He has been at the very top of professional chess for some fifteen years,and, he has done all this without scandal and, without the boorish behaviour shown by some of his colleagues. Also he has to be given credit for having achieved all this without the benefit of a systematic State sponsored chess education.
Amar,
You are just another sneaky Indian as Anand.
Anand is right, not only him critisized Kramnik privileges.
The matches for championships are the error.
The tournament is won by the more universal player. The match could be won by weaker but uneasy opponent.
India or Perssia are motherhood of the chess. One anon should remember about that.
The chess crown has returned to the origin.
Rgds
Pony
May be the news agency quoted Anand out of context…
To anonymous “Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:07:00 PM”
Don’t criticize nationalities sneaking behind anonymous.
That makes you a bigoted coward.
Indians working at Silicon Valley are overpayed. They have a very nice network. An Indian manager goes for the Indian candidate even though he/she is slightly worse than other candidates. Ask about this to anybody who works for a Silicon Valley company. Yes, in fact they are sneaky.
I do not understand all the criticism over his comments. He has merely stressed the fact that these rules are crazy and should not be repeated in the future. He has signed the contract agreeing to these rules and will obviously play these matches, but that doesn’t alter the fact that the rules were crazy to begin with.
Well, only if those who win the title from previous champions are champions, then Karpov is not a champion. he never won it from any one. he only defended. even before Karpov defended his against korchnoi, he was considered champion. so if karpov is champion, Anand is defnitely a champion. Atleast unlike Karpov, who without winnin anything became champion, Anand atleast has a won tournament due and signed by everyone that it was a tournamen to decide the indisputed champion.
Anand said it before the tournament itself that the rules are ridiculous, not after he won it. He is consistent with what he says. It is because that glory and championship do not corrupt him, he stays as he is.
All of Kramnik fans, now that Kramnik has lost, all that you can say is “well Kramnik did not lose it in a match”. well yes, thats the only excuse that is left.
Anand never talk nothing bad about Kramnik as never said he won’t play a match against Kramnik. He respects Kramnik as Kramnik respects him. In fact, they get along pretty well. Kramnik talking about a game won against Anand said: “It’s always an honor to win against a player like Vishy” (paraphrasing from New in Chess magazine)I’m a Kramnik’s fan but also recognize Anand as a true World Chess Champion circumstances given and also believe that a Match for the world title should take place. Karpov also became champion circumstances given and he played his matches. Why anand wouldn’t? Him too I believe, recognizes the power of match play otherwise he wouln’t have tried to gain the title true that instance before. I think Anand-Kramnik would give the chess world a great experience. I can’t wait for that pleasure.
there is so much to say that id rather not say nothing, to one of anony, who said kirsan was a genius, hey i ll agree with u if after all these matches and roundups and differ champs you can get a match against the really true champ kasparov, wouldnt it be llike the cherry on top of the cake??
the last chmp being chalgl by gary.
common folks get real there are no longer a true champ anymore, chess theory and computers are to blame!!
its like after alekhines death or kasparov retirement, there are a elite of players who are the strongest of the planet and from there about 5 or maybe even more are the rulers but there is no single champ, and there wont be in many years! i anticipate it, remember it…..
They are ridiculous rules but it is also silly if he thinks he can call himself World Champion until he beats in match play the man who beat Kasparov in match play, Kramnik! Topalov was not able to do this and I think Anand has the same feeling he will fail to defeat Kramnik in a match. Kamsky beat Anand in a match!
Who cares? Play checkers.
Botvinnik was granted an instant rematch when he lost the championship to Smyslov. He regained it, lost it to Mikhail Tal, and was granted an instant rematch again. There is an established precedent in history, so what is Anand complaining about?
A real champion is one who readily takes on all comers and does not back down from a worthy challenge.
Besides, it’s almost a joke to call oneself a champion not by winning a match, but by winning a round-robin tournament – in which opponents draws can easily be procured to protect an overall lead, and in which opponents who have little to play for in the latter stages may not be too motivated.
My thought about this is that FIDE should come out with a firm rule.
Do you want to organize world championship in a match style or in a tournament style.
Both are equal choice in my opinion.
Match could be longer, but tournament means that you have to collect points from all players to be the champ.
Equally tough and interesting.
Just make the rule clear and simple.
And asks all people to follow it.
Period.
Howcome it is hard to do ?
If Anand has to play Kramnik after winning the World Championship, why was the name of the tournament…World Championship. It should have been World Championship Qualifier!
anon: because he is the world champion now. he didn’t qualify for a match to be WC. he became WC in Mexico. Now Kramnik has a chance to defend his title.
Anand is right: this is a ridiculous system.
Interesting to see that the same arguments are begining to crop up here as on Mig’s Chess Ninja forum.
Many (but not all) chess fans agree that a serries of matches leading to a final WC match is the only fair way to go.
Having said that I think Anand is a great player and worthy of the title. The problem is that a tournament to decide WC can leave you with good but not great players being WC.
Since 1886 there have been 14 match World Champions and all of them are greats of the game. Since 2000 (?) you have had 5 Fide world champions and only 2 of them are truly world class (Anand and Topalov).
Please lets get back to matches -and to an era where the World Champion was something special rather than just another tournament winner. Speaking of whihc have you seen the line up for Chorus – this looks like a stronger tournament than Mexico.
Still i am not unhappy that Vishy won the WC, a good player, seems like a nice fella and plays exciting chess – I think most people would have no problem recognising him as WC, as long as he doesn’t refuse to play the matches and we go back to a slit WC title.
I don’t understand this whining by many about Anand is not really a world champion, because he didn’t win it by defeating the world champion in a match. There is only one person on the planet who would have the right to claim that, Kramnik himself, but he doesn’t claim that. See
http://www.kramnik.com, where it is clearly announced:”Anand is the new World Champion”. If Kramnik declares that, nobody else really have the intellectual right to claim otherwise. I was afraid that Kramnik will not recognize the winner of the Mexico tournament as the true world champ, but he did.
‘See http://www.kramnik.com, where it is clearly announced:”Anand is the new World Champion”.’
Yeah, but if you sneak in the right hand lowly corner, you will find this!!!
Copyright © 2007 Vladimir Kramnik FIDE World Champion
Hahahaha.
IVANCHUK is the world CHAMPION!
lets see no one beat krammnik in a match so krammnik is still world champ as ive read by some here. sooo bobby fischer is what?? besides a babbling fool.
To mayanking,
True Kamsky beat Anand in matchplay a long time ago after very bad behaviour by both Kamsky and his father. Also Anand in return defeated Kamsky in matchplay. As for Kramnik he is a great player who has defended his title against Leko and Topailov. However do rememnber that Shirov defeated Kramnik in match play for the right to meet Kasparov too. He was later denied that match. So according to your logic, Kramnik beat Kasparov and Shirov beat Kramnik,so Shirov is the real World Champion. Get real. Anand has consistently been at the top and for now he is the champ. Is that too difficult for you to understand?
“lets see no one beat krammnik in a match so krammnik is still world champ as ive read by some here. sooo bobby fischer is what?? besides a babbling fool.”
What an argument !
Fischer did not play against Karpov. He declined to play against him. Kramnik did not decline to play against anybody. He got the title from Kasparov in a match in which he did not loose a single game, and defended his title twice afterwards, against Leko and against Topalov.
Amar,
You got it completely wrong. MayankKing claims that one has to beat the world champ in a match in order to become the new world champ.
Your example about Shirov is completely misleading. Shirov beat Kramnik when Kramnik was not the world champion. So Shirov beating Kramnik in a former match does not relate Shirov to world championship title is anyway.
I think you are not confused but you are trying to confuse others by your nonsense arguments.
Anand is being illogical. However rediculous it might be for Kramnik to deserve to play the challenger produced by Mexico 2007, it is more rediculous that Kramnik as champ had to defend his title against seven other players at the same time in the first place.
Mayanking is an idiot – that is apparent.
Honestly, the problem as usual is caused by lawyers.
After Kramnik defeated Topalov it was readily apparent that the tournament championship was dead. Mexico was organized already and everyone could see what was logical to do…have this tournament as the qualifier to become the next challenger. Such a candidates tournament – as they had before the switch to candidates matches – would be an exciting event and would herald back into world chess a normal system of recognizing the world chanpion, and of selecting a worthy challenger every two years or so.
But FIDE feared a lawsuit from Mexico if it altered the purpose of a scheduled event, and so the idiotic current rules came in, excluding Topalov but giving Kramnik almost no incentive to win in mexico. This was obviously also unfair to Topalov, so more twists were added later on – although seeding a former champion into the final round of candidates matches is hardly bizarre.
Had fear of legal action not driven decisions, clearly Mexico would have been re-cast as a Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger, Topalov would have played but not Kramnik, and Anand still wins and then plays a match shortly afterwards against….Kramnik, just as he will do so now.
Only the semantics over whether Kramnik will retain or regain his title when he beats Anand in a proper match have changed.
Frankly, I would prefer to call them co-champions (Match and Tournament Champions) and play a unification match, but the last match was a unification match also wasn’t it??
Anyway, a return to proper match format, with Anand-Kramnik being played in 2008, is clearly the proper outcome however we got there.
-Ken