Even though we had 5 draws in row, I guess it's part of planning in 12 matches competition. Both players are observing/ analysing each other's game and preparing for second half games accordingly. I am sure it's going to be exciting. None of the warrior have shown their real weapons yet.
The 2012 World Championship of Chess!
Sort:
I think Gelfand will be happy. Constant drawing suits the underdog. Anand is the favourite and the pressure will be slowly increase on him to try to make something happen the more games are drawn. From Gelfand's point of view, if Anand tries to force the pace at some point, this could give him his chance to win the match. Otherwise, if Anand keeps it tight, it may go to blitz, which I'm sure is a result Gelfand would've settled for at the start of the match - it gives him basically a 50% chance of victory.
jesterville wrote:
"Chessbase" has a recent article which tries to explain how computer analysis has leveled the playing field with these GMs...so preparation leading to clear advantages have all been negated...it is one that should be read by all.
Link please? Google didn't turn it up.
I don't like the idea of deciding the world championship on blitz games.shouldn't it be that if the match is tied,then the champion retains his title,like in the past?
CerebralAssassin wrote:
I don't like the idea of deciding the world championship on blitz games.shouldn't it be that if the match is tied,then the champion retains his title,like in the past?
that is what I thought too. But in the past when that happen the challenger can ask for a rematch but later on the FIDE didn't like it.
Maybe it should just continue til one wins.
kco wrote:
CerebralAssassin wrote:
I don't like the idea of deciding the world championship on blitz games.shouldn't it be that if the match is tied,then the champion retains his title,like in the past?
that is what I thought too. But in the past when that happen the challenger can ask for a rematch but later on the FIDE didn't like it.
ah....didn't know that the challenger can ask for rematch in that case.
Conflagration_Planet wrote:
Maybe it should just continue til one wins.
this seems like a plausible idea too...anything but blitz games 
Agree.
If the champion only has to draw surely that would make it far more boring because Anand would just play for a draw in every game and take no risks at all.
Continue til one wins is good from a chess point of view but might cause some organisational problems...
Blitz and armageddon is like the penalty shootout in football/soccer. It's not ideal but nobody has ever thought of anything better.
The ideal would be to continue playing till one makes the "W"...but the main problem here is costs, coverage schedules, venue bookings etc.
...actually, I think a possible solution to enable the games to be continued would be to pre-book at the same venue, or another one...I mean, WCC Matches have gone on for very long before...but maybe the wellbeing of the players is the major concern. But I agree that Blitz is really not a fair method to decide the crown...it gives the faster player a huge advantage.
Really far-out idea (I'm not suggesting this seriously, it's just for discussion)
Play off match, with the normal time control, not blitz. Toss for colours. White has all his pieces, black is handicapped one pawn of his own choosing. White has to win. If it's a draw, black wins.
CerebralAssassin wrote:
Conflagration_Planet wrote:
Maybe it should just continue til one wins.
this seems like a plausible idea too...anything but blitz games
this will be a repeat of the clashes between Karpov vs Kasparov !
...maybe today we will get a decisive result...any win would heat up these games for sure...can't wait for that time to reach...
Since Gelfand is white in the two upcoming games I expect them to be timid draws, the closer he gets to the tiebreak the more his chances increase. I don't see him beating Anand in classical chess, but with white he's usually able to draw without much risk involved.
GAME SIX
Good morning! There are a lot of varying impressions about the match in the last three pages. The match is tied, and their record in classical games is Anand leading, 6 wins, 5 losses, and 32 draws. The players have to feel pressure from one another at this point. The slightest error in judgement could decide the match. Gelfand has the white pieces. In games two and four, Anand played the Queen's gambit declined semi-slav variation. I expect a two-cups-of-tea-game!
Edit.
I was impressed with Gelfand today. He could have easily gone with his fav Petrof after Anand's 1.e4...but instead played the the Sicilian Sveshikov which was only played once before in a WCC Match. And as luck would have it Sveshikov himself visited these games for the first time today...talk about coincidence.
The chess blogs are digging deep into these GMs for the number of draws, and "lack of fighting spirit"...maybe a bit unfair for these Masters who rightfully want to protect first, and attack second. Gone are the days of "no defence all attack" played by the famous chess romantics of winters' past...