#NotMyChampion

The World Championship should NOT be decided by several time controls, because, if that's the case, then for the next World Blitz and Rapid Championships, we'll throw in a few classical 4 hour + games.

Caruana had 12 chances to beat Magnus and couldn't.

 I personally would have preferred if Carlsen had made a few more moves to see if Caruana blundered, as he had much less time and an uncomfortable, inferior position, but Carlsen had the right to offer draw. He knew he had better chances to win in rapid. If you don't like that Carlsen took advantage of the format to increase his chances to win, then the real issue here is the format, which had too few games.

In few words: don't blame Carlsen, blame the format.

Oh he already has 5 mental doctors trying to find out wtf is wrong with his brain.

I think it's just all the memes.

Not the game. What game was played.

Correct. Magnus sort of chickened out.

I agree, but if he had a chance to put himself into a great position by going to the rapids, then he should take it, and he did. This led to him winning, and it was much safer than playing the rest of that game.

>>I sincerely appreciate how you carefully dissected his arguments and ended the debate with your powerful reasoning. But I must add, for the record, that my body does care.

What arguments?  All he did was describe his emotions:  "...my heart dropped....I was upset, furious, depressed, so many emotions were rushing threw my head. I felt betrayed. ...the man I have worshiped.... the man I've idolized... I was ashamed..."  NonSequitur is a perfect avatar.

No, because the Blitz and Rapid are Championships to decide who is better at a certain time control.  The World Chess Championship (note the lack of "Classical" in the name), if meant to decide who is best at chess.  Classical isn't the only aspect.  If classical can't decide the match, something else should.

this is a very interesting thread, but looking from his perspective  this is always a very agreeable case.

Imagine being #1 for years, you're idolized and adored as number one or just as a winner. Everyone either loves you or hates you as the "almighty champion" .  People want you to win, and it becomes a pattern. And slowly, it becomes their reality. What happens when you become #2? 

People are disappointed, mad at you for screwing up, screaming at you, for why?! Why did you make that move?! ,for being human.  You want to keep what you  have. So you try too. By all means.  Have you never chickened out? Please. 

And hey, you gotta appreciate, at least he didn't forfeit.

WWFHD?

The question that most chess players ask themselves: what would Fischer have done? In Fischer's own words: "Play the board, not the format."

WOW guys, he got to game 12 and knew if he drew or won game 12, he also won the tournament. That's a legit use of the rules and playing a tournament.  YOU are complaining about a game when he's playing the tournament. The rules gave him the bonus of a speed tiebreaker and he took it to win. Your whole objection betrays your amazing small thinking. If you don't like those rules, complain about the rules. Magnus used the rules. Get over this.

Unchanged, Magnus is the best player right now and maybe the best in history of the game.

Carlsen knew he was a better player at Rapid or Blitz Chess than Caruana.  So once he had an advantage - though not a winning one - in game 12, he figured he would have a better chance of retaining his title by taking a draw in game 12, not risking a long-think loss.  He correctly thought he'd win the fast games.