I feel like it's Kraminik's decesion to draw... especially for winning something as significant as the World Cup.
I would equate it to a Basketball game where the team up 10 points just dribbles the clock out and forces you to foul. Is it lame to watch, yes. Is it the best way to win, yes.
As far as being considered a real sport. Chess will never draw anywhere near the crowd of other major sports. The learning curve is simply too high.
Oh, I didn't say that right, I don't hold anything against Kramnik, it's the best legal strategy to win so it's the right thing for him to do.
I see what your saying with the basketball analogy though. Now that I think about it, NFL teams who have clinched a playoff birth tend to bench their starters the last game of the season, because they don't need to win that game. That's frustrating too. ;-)
It comes down to history. In 20 years, my grandson is going to look back and say that Andreikin guy must have been pretty good, he got a draw against Kramnik. But he didn't get a draw, he was given one. The stats aren't real.
So I was having a great time the other day, watching the end of the FIDE World Cup, analyzing the game as it was being played, really enjoying it. Then...A DRAW???
Am I wrong to get irritated that Kramnik took a draw in a winning position? I can't imagine a football team (American, or regular) leading a game but accepting a draw midway through because the other team could still come back and win. I understand it's legal, and I'm sure it's always been that way, but it sucks.
I'm sure people a lot smarter than I have decided to keep things that way, but in my opinion, if chess ever really wants to be considered a sport, that has to change.