http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6789

Personally, I say good on him. I don't agree with his idea that the top player shouldn't get seeded into the final (I quite like it as a title, rather than a tournament, with title defences), but I do agree with him that the world championship organisers need to shape up. I admire Carlsen for not being blinded by the desire for the title, and deciding to bow out of the cycle.

Good job Magnus Carlsen for standing up for his believes and not just focusing on the title although it is most sad that he can't participate in the WCC

I know this thread is getting old, but I've been thinking about this a lot and finally know what I want to say.

I totally agree with Carlsen that the FIDE cycle is stupid. But I also think the VERY LAST thing he should have picked on was the very old chess tradition of being required to take the crown from the reigning king. Someone pointed out that there are other mano y mano sports that have the same structure, like boxing.

Someone probably also pointed out that there are other mano y mano sports that do not have this structure, like tennis. But, unlike chess, the rules for breaking ties game-by-game and set-by-set have been part of the rules of tennis for more than a century.

So maybe what Carlsen wants is ultimately the fairest, but I still think there are many more obvious and less controversial problems with the cycle that could be settled first.

Its simple....carlsen knows that beatng anand in a series of chmpnship matches is extremely tough job...its quite diffrnt than beatng lower rated players in tournament matches...and sometimes he also gets beaten by lower rated playrs as happnd in recent tata steel where he lost twice...anand lives like a champion by nt losng 2 any talented player...and losin 2 anand will cause a full stop to carlsen's market value...which is secure nw as he is nt partcipatng....AND NW IF ANAND WINS CHAMPNSIP EVERY1 WILL SAY THAT CARLSEN WOULD HAVE WON IF HE HAD PARTICPATD.BCOZ THATS HUMAN TENDANCY...hats off to carlsen 4 foolng every1

It sounds like Morphy - Staunton all over again.

Is Carlsen the new and improved Fisher?

Only Fischer was an actual world champion.

And dressed better