Magnus’ blunder
By Grandmaster ANDY SOLTIS
Last Updated: 7:50 AM, November 28, 2010
Posted: 10:20 PM, November 27, 2010
Three years ago, the Russian magazine 64 asked former world champions how world champions should be chosen.
Vasily Smyslov, who won the title in a match, said the ideal format was a match. Veselin Topalov, who won it in a round-robin, said a round-robin tournament. Ruslan Ponomariov, who won it in a knockout, said . . . well, you know.
Now Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, who has never won a significant match, wants to ditch the current match format and is refusing to play in the championship cycle.
Carlsen had been given a free ride into the final year of the five-year cycle, without having to win anything like the World Cup or Grand Prix. But to become champion he would have to play as many as 26 games. He said didn’t have “the motivation” for that in light of the rules.
One rule he doesn’t like is the “privilege” that allows a champion to defend his title in a match. In effect, Carlsen, 19, criticized virtually everything his mentor Garry Kasparov and other great players said was essential to the world championship.
But he has learned something from Kasparov: how to make spectacularly bad decisions.
Source: http://www.nypost.com
I feel like his decision was a mistake as well. It would be much easier for him to become world champion first and then try to change things. He should voice his opinion (as he has), but still play.
Susan,
Please ask Magnus to reconsider.
Chess needs heroes and heroines!
Please help us save chess!
Buk-Buk Buk-Buk Bick-kaw!
Buk-Buk Buk-Buk Bick-kaw!
Translated speech given by Magnus.
Someone call the chicken police!
Carlsen is not qualified to save chess.
He knows, by this decision, that he will not become wc – at least not for a while. That is his choice, and WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The people having a problem with that; grow up and get a life!
-A shallow and narrow minded comment by Soltis.
Young Carlsen should be allowed to take his time to develope his game and career. I am convinced he has good personal reasons for his decission, and that the “reason” is something more than the FIDE WC cycle controversy.
If he’s wrong and he’s not worthy to say anything regarding the format of the world championship. Why are you bothered? Why don’t you all just shut it and watch the better players carry on?
I think this is a twisted representation of the facts and I’m surprised you ran this article Susan. Although I don’t agree that the WC should not keep his title and have the right to defend it…he certainly should and I think Magnus is wrong about that point…he’s perfectly correct about the qualification process. Mr Solstis is wrong about Mr Carlsens Qualification…he virtually won everything last year…look at all the other qualifiers…who won more Major events than Carlsen? Who is #1? I think the only REAL problem Carlsen has is with these flimsy mini- Candidates matches that makes it more of a crap shoot than anything…(Besides Mr Anand…who is a worthy and great World Champion and I think deserves his rights)..Fide has produced through its idiotic qualification process more forgettable Word Champions in the past 12 years than any other era…not to say they’re not talented..but c’mon..let’s face it…they just won lotteries…and GM’s are loath to NOT play in this ridiculous system because they need the money.I agree with most of what Carlsen says..just not the World Champions rights issue. Mr Solstis is simply inflaming a situation with innacurate facts…and I question you as a serious Chess Proffesional reporter as to why you are publishing trash like this. You are traditionally balanced and fair and open about everything. what is this?? Perhaps it was not you who chose to post this story..to be on your blog…but this is certainly not correct. Mr Solstis is..(If thats what he really wrote) obviously not in his right mind.
Mike Magnan.
I am glad Carlsen is out.
Actually he is OK lad, I can’t stand only his groupies.
Perhaps Carlsen realizes that his strength is in tournament play and not in a drawn-out one-on-one match. A match obviously needs a different mindset and strategy. Unfortunately, the rigors of a match format is precisely the true test of a champion. If he cannot compete in this format, then he is not (and will never be) a champion.
GM Carlsen has really blundered with this move. I for one have lost much respect for him. This system isn’t perfect but it is the best system that has been in place for years. The world champion should be determined by matches, not a lame tournament result.
All this talk about Carlsen only being good in tournament play and wouldn’t be able to hack matches – RUBBISH.
I remember exactly the same arguments about Fischer before the 1971 Candidates:
“Oh, Fischer is untested in match play…he only gets his fantastic tournament results by beating up all the bunnies…look at his score against the top Russians – Geller, Tal, Spassky – he’s always losing to them…is he really going to be able to produce the goods if he has to play somebody tough in a match?…etc,etc.
Well then it was 6-0 in two matches, with Petrosian and Spassky crushed as well.
In a 10 game or longer match, Carlsen would beat anybody alive today.
But these idiotic 4-game mini-matches make it a lottery.
Anonymous said: “But these idiotic 4-game mini-matches make it a lottery.”
I agree completely. All those who are complaining that Carlsen is wrong to go against the “classical” sense that matches are the way to decide world champions are completely ignoring this simple fact. The “matches” of today are hardly the same as the matches that used to decide the title. I, for one, applaud Carlen’s decision to play chess on his terms, and not those of the horribly corrupt FIDE.
I don’t have a problem with emotional reactions. People might be surprised, disappointed or relieved by his decision not to participate in the Candidate matches. How anyone can be bold enough to disagree and call it a blunder is another story. In a metaperspective agreement obviously requires access to a similar level of information. Does Mr. Soltis have the required information to determine what is the correct decision for young Magnus to make? Obviously not. Neither does cherry-picking among his arguments does lend credibility to the personal attack. Grow up old man!
I’ve been reading Soltis’s various ramblings since the 1970’s. The man has always had his own opinion of things, and often, as now, he slants things to his point of view.
Carlsen is doing exactly what his mentor (Kasparov) did: thumbed his nose at the archaic FIDE and its bean-headed leader, and went on his way. While I don’t necessarily agree with this decision, I applaud the man for standing up for what he thinks is right.
If Magnus Carlsen doesn’t play in the World Championship now, then he probably never will become World Champion. 5 years is a long time to wait on next chance to become World Champion. One thing history learn is that there will always come a more stronger chess player than before. So we will see a younger and stronger player than Magnus Carlsen the next 5 years.
Its easy really….besides the past 3or 4 FIDE world champions…who’s names I can’t remember…except for Anand…(WHo I think is great)…Nobody has ever not been tested in a decent set of matches..(Kramnik excluded…but everyone knows what he did after that) Candidates matches need to be real matches…not these ridiculously short matches…..maybe we should make the matches with 5-o time controls!! With Drug testing before every game!! Fide is a lost cause….I totally agree with carlsen. Carlsen does not need Fide…..Fide needs Carlsen.
Never realized Soltis was such a loon.
I think Carlsen has every right to do whatever he feels with regard to his chess career. As long as he keeps giving as great chess games (games that will still be talked about decades from now), then it’s ok with me. Fischer did basically the same thing, and like good wine, he kept improving with age, eventually becoming champion. If Carlsen improves some more (and I do believe he will), and provided he stays healthy, then he will become champion some day. Anand has proven that becoming world champion at a late age doesn’t mean that he’s less of a champion than the others who became one at a young age.
I agree with Mr Magnan on all points. And we are all best served if Magnus continues to play what he wants to as long as he plays good chess. Playing tournaments and matches without the proper motivation will only result in bad chess and won’t serve anyone.