Carlsen and the quest for 2900

2900 is not a prime number

Yes, but it's the first prime number over 2900.

0.20 doesn't mean a dead drawn position. It means an equal position.
0.20, that's about the advantage for white before the first move. But you will probably agree that the initial position is a draw, but not a dead one.

Looking at the ratings after Round 7, Carlsen has lost 4.3 points. If he can finish with 2/2 he'll get back to 2886. 1.5 points = 2881. 1 point = 2876. 
So he'll probably drop a couple of ELO.

I think Nakamura made the right call in avoiding Norway. He creamed Navara 3.5 - 0.5 to pick up a ton of points, and jump right up to number 5. Given the average ELO is used to determine Candidate selection he may have done himself a big sercice here. Carlsen and Anand are already excluded, so he's effectively 4th in the standings. Not sure how qualification for 2015 Candidates works this year. In fact, I don't think there will be a Candidates next year? Appears there's a 2 year wait until the 2016 cycle. 

#		Name		Rating	+/−		Games	FIDE	Age
1		Carlsen		2876.7	−4.3		7		23 (30.11.1990)
2		Aronian		2805.4	−9.6		7		31 (06.10.1982)
3	1	Caruana		2793.6	+2.6		7		21 (30.07.1992)
4	1	Grischuk		2790.2	−1.8		7		30 (31.10.1983)
5	2	Nakamura		2787.2	+12.2		4		26 (09.12.1987)
6		Kramnik		2786.7	+3.7		7		38 (25.06.1975)
7	2	Anand		2785.0	0.0		0		44 (11.12.1969)
8	1	Karjakin		2775.9	+4.9		7		24 (12.01.1990)
9	1	Topalov		2768.7	−3.3		7		39 (15.03.1975)
10		Vachier-Lagr.		2766.3	+4.3		9		23 (21.10.1990

I really don't understand and I think it's stupid there are WCC matches every then and so. Why can't they make one year Candidates, one year WCC. 

I totally agree. Plus, the whole system is outdated, as the ranking system is the most accurate I think the highest ranked players should automatically qualify for the Candidates, and we'd have a sort of a true Champions League of Chess (as we have in Europe with football/soccer). I don't even know if there should be a match for the world championship, as the player with the highest Elo clearly deserves to be considered world champion. It's like that in Tennis, for instance. I mean, we already considered Carlsen the best player in the world when Anand was world champion.

I remember telling my chess students that Anand was the WC but Carlsen was the number one. They were mighty confused!

This being said, I do hope Nakamura goes on to become world champion, just because he is kind and humble enough to play amateurs on the Internet; it means he's a good guy and has good values. What is more, I've seen him chatting with members in the chess.comtv window chat during some events. It's not a rational conclusion, I've become fond of him, and when I see him play I feel I want him to win. 

Yep, very well said. I wonder if Kasparov would have played on the internet if available 20 years ago. :)

But this has the problem of someone achieving a high rating then simply sitting out to be world champion or to wait and qualify for the world championships.
The current system is good because it forces players to PROVE they're the best at around the time of the WCC.

Can you imagine if Carlsen just stopped entering tournaments? He'd be world champion until someone comes along and breaks his record.

Sochi! Spread the word!

Being ranked number one is maybe harder, but WC matches are the stuff from which legends are made... 

Can Carlsen actually beat Houdini or Stockfish?! :O

My guess is that in a 10 game match Either engine would beat him 7 times, draw 2/3 and possibly lose 1/0

Are you refering to the 2014 world blitz & rapid championship? Do you mean to say that you think Kasparov will be playing in the tournament?

I was just looking at the registered participants for the blitz & rapid championships starting in 4 days (of course Kasparov is NOT in it) & the rules state that in order to be eligable you have to have at least a 2500 rating in regular, rapid, or blitz. Any one of the 3 is fine OR you have to be champion of you country. But there's a player from the U.S. there, Steven James Breckenridge, who's highest rating is 2310 & as we all know he isn't U.S. champion. Anybody know what's going on? 

http://dubai2014wrb.com/playerlist/rating?lang=en

hard too say offhand but alot of these tournaments have "wildcard" 

spots that they give out sometimes perphaps this is the answer.

later goommba88

He is a Life Master.

His USCF Rating is 2381.

And he came second in the Texas Championship.

Who knows 

I agree.

With WCC matches being held every year, even Carlsen, despite his enormous talent, is going to become a Botvinik-style "Part-time Champion."

There's just going to be too many matches, he can't win them all. I don't think that is best for chess.

rigamagician, he almost made it to 2900, ok two wins instead of two losses but still....Also i never said he would beat top engines, i said he may win 1/0 games, draw 2/3 (though maybe he would only draw 1) and lose the rest.

Why not to ask Ivanov to play engine. Maybe he saves human's glory. ;)

They're speaking of fide ratings only. All others are irrelevant to fide. I'm thinking it had to be some kind of "wild card" because being life master in whatever country he's from isn't enough. His fide has to be over 2500 or be a national champ. I dunno.