2013 Candidates Tournament

I just recieved an important transmission through the fillings in my molars! Moscow says the Soviet Union is dead! There is nothing to fear from Russia. We just happen to have most of the super elite players in the world! Will a Russian win the World Championship? Will Rasputin drown if you shoot him several times and throw him in the Volga? Who can say? So let's raise our vodka glasses and toast our glorious ...hey wait a minute! Where is commrade trysts?  She never misses this part! I hope she hasn't returned to Amerika! She'll reveal our plot! 

I will certainly reveal the wonderful uses of potatoes commrade! I thank my Irish sisters and brothers as well!

I was at a point where I felt I was drinking too much, so I went to Ireland. I figured if anyone had a good rehab program, it would be them. But they had none. They didn't see the need. In fact the Irish taught me that my problem wasn't that I was drinking too much, but that I wasn't dinking enough! - Louis Black

Slainte!

Capablanca talks to Stalin about Russian cheating  -   Put this in google and you should get several sources . It happened at a tournament in the 30s in Moscow and this incident was even later retold by his widow . 

Just : "Capablanca Stalin" (without the quotes) should do it.

This is a sad fact. Candidates matches are too expensive for FIDE.

If the match were tied after the 12 games they could all retire to a nice hotel suite--players, arbiter, witnesses--for more classical chess until they have a winner. Affordable.

The sponsors get their day in the sun, the world gets its video, and chess fans get a true classical champion.

Matches don't have to be played in a filled auditorium. Capa-Alekhine. Lasker-Tarrasch.

The reason for the tournament was to get Carlsen's participation. the match-play tournament that was held last year was about as expensive as this year's tournament to hold.

It was indeed possible to have a match-play tournament instead of this double round robin event where the winner will be the player who beats up the most on the bottom half of the table. This is no way to select the best player.

I think Radjabov is the dark horse, he only played 15 games since July 2012 and has obviously just been preparing for the candidates. As the worlds leading expert on the Kings Indian I expect he's got some good stuff ready if anybody plays d4 against him.

Also the chances of collusion amongst these guys is nil. Aronian won't even play in Azerbaijan because of the 'history' between Armenia and that country so he will be wanting to kick Radjabov's ass, and vice versa. The Ukrainians will want to beat the Russians as well.

On the other hand a match format will depend on the draw you get and which players you can manage to avoid. Lets see if this finds a stronger challenger than last time. I suspect it will.

Also, it's just great to have a tournament with such a field.

+1

FIDE has changed to a DDR tournament?  I would say magnus will definitely win now.  Being a soccer player his feet are probably the most coordinated

When I first read it I read it as DDR too

Is that game still even around?  

It seems some people only count how taking draws loses potential points, but fail to see how a series of easier matches for one challenger, can be a big advantage against someone who has had to play many grueling matches.