Anand/Topalov Game 8

Somebody's got egg on their face. I was watching the commentary on chess.com. The two announcers said the game was certainly going to be a draw and stopped broadcasting. Topalov went on to win. Why did they stop before the game was over when there was still play in the position? "Dewey Defeats Truman" comes to mind.

They probably stopped because the position was dry and boring. Sure, Topalov won, but at least one other commentator was really surprised that Anand resigned when he did. The game went on for like 20 or more moves with no significant changes to the position. The pieces moved around some, but the ideas around the position went unchanged the entire time. Did you really want to hear the SAME analysis over and over for 20+ moves?

You're right. I think they were saying it was "probably" drawn, they seemed to get bored and ended the broadcast way too soon. I watched the rest on the live feed from the tournament website.

Now it becomes more interestig with both the players with 4 points each with 4 games to go.

But again, I ask, what benefit is there in watching them say the same things move after move?

 I'll tell you what the benefit is. If and when they alter the course of moves (which they did) the commentators will be there! They are there to comment and analyze. That's what commentators are supposed to do. Nothing fresh to say in the moment? Then have some anecdotes ready. Do your homework I say! Now if they HAD to leave because of some contractual reasons or something like that, ok then perhaps I'm being unfair. Still though, I expect commentary until the end just like any live sports show.

I agree. If you can't find anything new, tell us an anecdote, a story, something! No TV wants to chase their audience away.

I left the match myself due to necessary errands...when I left, they were on move 45 ( and chess.com was saying "looks like a draw")...when I returned, I visited Susan Polgar's blog...and was shocked to see Anand had resigned on move 56...Susan Polgar was also shocked. What a dramatic position this turned out to be...if this was an NBA game, viewers would say, Anand lost to provide more games for NBC...

...this is turning out to be the best WCC match I have ever followed...with still more fireworks to come. Four more games...both players with 2 whites and 2 blacks to play...will we ever see the elusive e4?

Chase them away? No, of course not, but a lot of people were gonna stop watching anyway (myself included) because that part of the game was.... well... boring,

Make it less boring - tell us something about those kind of endgames for example. Yes, some people might not be interested but SOME will be interested.

Commentators talk about the possibilities endlessly, but I wish they can also be more instructive. Then it wouldn't get boring, and people can learn from it too. I know it's what chess.com videos are there for, but they can at least do it in premium only sessions. Which may give people more reason to become a premium member.

Maybe the coverage was cut short due to cost considerations...since the position was considered a drawn position. I am sure chess.com will explain why?

It wasn't cost - they proceeded to play a game online when they quit broadcasting the championship.

I'd just interested to see if the final analysis shows that Anand made a mistake that allowed Topa to convert, or if the "boring" play was part of Topa's plan and that it would have resulted in a win anyway.

When the they decided to end the broadcast both myself and several other people were pointing out that Rybka favored white ~+1.2, if I recall correctly. If a certain postition can no longer be analyzed further going back and recapping the game and giving opinions about previous positions would seem to be an option.

It was very hard to predict that white would get real winning chances in this opposite colour bishop endgame. I had the impression that Topalov could only win this after an inaccuracy by Anand in the endgame which occured after the TV transmission had ended. 

One interesting aspect about such endgames is that computers are no help for telling if it is a draw or a win, because computers evaluate such positions to be advantageous (because of the material count) also in cases when it is a draw.

the broadcast is over waaaah! waaah! Go watch on the official site. Thats what i was watching during physics lab. 

Sure, this is possible, but the analysis there is awful when it's in English, and useless when it's in Bulgarian (unless you speak Bulgarian, of course).

It is not only on chess.com, other sites also surprised by the result. They probably got bored and tired to pay enough attention.

Did other sites stop broadcasting and commentating because the draw was such a foregone conclusion? I felt shortchanged with the way the announcers packed up their tents and left when a fighting game was still in progress. Those guys dropped the ball on that one.

Today's broadcast was free for all, it was not premium only.