Is it a disaster if Anand wins the candidates tournament?

I feel bad for kramnik, he has prepared a lot for this and probably his last tournament ever :(

Lack of match practise hurting him big time. Really should have participaed in Tata steel or Zurich..

Kramnik should play with kids in junior level.

no way just proves that he deserves a rematch!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you, Pacifique. I see the result as a reason that Carlsen will use to get rid of the system entirely. He's not in favor of a match-play world championship, and if this next cycle loses money, he may be able to persuade FIDE.

Why? Who wants him at the top with 100%?

However chess is not a game of luck. Chess is game of skill. Unexpected blunders and inacuracies in time pressure have reasons. If "outsiders" beat established "favourites", it means they are indeed better players and they deserve their achievements.

I think the system is just fine as it is.  Carlsen was the best last year and won; Anand looks the best this year and will probably win.  If he doesn't it will be because someone else plays out of their skin for the last four rounds, so they'd deserve to win then.

Yes, people have their favourites. I'd like to have seen Aronian or Svidler win, but they just don't look good enough.

I hate to say that but, I suspect you are right and also did so before I typed it before Carlsen beat Anand. I was only considering Carlsen could get complacent though...

Carlsen has to prove his stamina first. He may suffer a burn-out syndrome as many others did (Tal, Spassky, Fischer). In such case Anand definitely has a chance.

anand will keep winning these candidates tourneys until he beats carlsen and then carlsen will win candidates and keep playing anand until he wins and so on until one of these guys passes away.

someone is living in the moment.

I'm willing to bet a ton of money that if Carlsen wins his second WC match comfortably, people will still doubt him the third time around (even if he beats Anand again and then Anand gets rights to a second rematch next year).

Any takers? Infiniteflash? lol, I'll give you 2 to 1 odds.

The great thing about betting against someone is that sooner or later, you'll be right.

Maybe when Carlsen is an old man the doubters will make a correct prediction, in which case I'll probably agree with it anyway :)

You mean like Rocky Marciano?

I think they'd be more likely to say the field is weak, in spite of the level of chess that is being played compared to yesteryear. It is easier than insulting Carlsen or anyone person specifically that way...

No.alekhine won rematch with euwe.botvinnik won rematches with both smyslov and tal.these rematches took place within two years of first losing title.On the negative Carlsen is Carlsen and is stronger than Euwe Tal and Smyslov.

As an Anand fan I would like to add that in the WC match Anand missed a huge advantage in game 3, missing 29...Bxb2! with the Black pieces.  Had he made that move and gone on and scored the 1st win of the Match with Black maybe its not so clear how Magnus would have responded. Sure Magnus is the best but not so clear to me Anand doesn't have a chance and not to mention Carlsen barely won the 2013 Candidates with a big break in the last round with both him and Kramnik loosing (If Kramnik had drawn he plays Anand).  Even with all that said it's probably good for chess for the highest rated player to be WC, if not then have to put to question ratings. Anand does have the best shot IMO, after all he did defend the title many times.

I do give credit to Anand for what he is doing at this age. Keep in mind, though, that this is just one tournament -- this is probably the only great tournament he has had in literally years. This could easily be an anomaly that won't be repeated -- after all it took years for it to happen just once.