The solution to the draw problem in major chess events

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Avatar of vegma

We have had a WC chess match where alle the games ended in a draw. The games were for the most part exciting, fighting games, but probably only people who know chess well will understand this. For those who are only slightly interested in chess, the match was a bore. However, the playoff was very exciting. Carlsen and Caruana, and the other say top twenty players, are so good and make so few mistakes that most games between them will end in a draw under current rules. So, how can this be fixed? How can we change things so that there will be more games with decisive results.

My proposal:

Change the time control to, say 150 minutes per game for each player, with a one minute increment from move 60.  

Eliminate agreed draws; a game can only be drawn under the following conditions: stalemate; not enough material to mate, and the 50 move rule. (This idea comes from Mark Dvoretsky.)   

Yes, the quality of the chess will suffer (let those who prefer quality above all watch correspondence games on the internet), but the excitement for the audience will increase. This will also make it easier to get sponsors.   

Other suggestions are impossible to implement: longer matches will have more difficulty in finding sponsors - who will put up the money, and who will follow a match that will last for five months?      

Avatar of stiggling

They're pretty good at finding 3 fold repetition though, so they can figure out draws when they both want one.

I like your time control suggestion though.

Although I think people are overreacting. The top level has been draw heavy for at least 50 years. The last few world chess championships have had 2 or 3 decisive games and even though this one had none, the players were practically the same rating.