Viswanathan Anand vs. Veselin Topalov : Can anyone explain?

No axes to grind...just responding to a previous post.

Blah Blah Blah conspiracies...Blah Blah Blah...

Should be an interesting match whatever happens, also I'm thinking they will use up any creative potential/untapped resources left in the semi slav. 

 What openings and defenses Anand  & Topalov favor ?

@NjallGlundubh

The Semi Slav...

Expect a whole lot of semi-slavs...

Wasn't Kramnik Kasparov's student at one point?

Anand's Most Popular Responses:

Black

Against e4 (Sicilian)(and e5 sometimes leading to the Ruy)

Against d4 (Queen's Indian, Semi-Slav, Queens Gambit Accepted)

White

He is a hardcore e4 player for the most part.

Reference http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=12088

Topalov's Most Popular Openings

Black

Sicilian

King's Indian

White

Ruy Lopez (seems to play e4 most of the time).

Reference http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=12089

 Alot of new possible theory on the same classic openings.....

 Thanks... I guess we going to see alot of people playing the Semi slav in the future....

@politicalmusic

Yea, traditionally...

but lately it's been all semi-slavs all the time. Though I wouldn't be surprised (and I would prefer, for a change) if this were some kind of crazy all - 1.e4 sicilian theoretical battle. That would be pretty cool.

I am just glad that Anand put Kramnik in his place and I dont think he will be back at the top. As Kasparov said, the match with Anand put an end to the illusion that Kramnik is a great match player. The styles of both Anand and Topalov are far more interesting/entertaining than Kramnik's and thus better for chess imo. I can never forgive Kramnik for dodging Kasparov for the rest of Kasparov's career after winning their match. This included not only not giving Kaspay a rematch but even avoiding tournies in which Kaspy was playing.

 A whole book can be written about this mess.  Kasparov leaving FIDE has been a major disaster for professional chess.  I wish it were as simple as Kasparov being a diva, FIDE isn't run particularly well and they have made some truly bizzare/questionable decisions in the past.

I agree with Fischer (presumably not Bobby) that the transitive property doesn't apply here.  And I know this thread is supposed to be about Topalov and Anand, but let me just repeat what I think is the most under-appreciated fact in the history of chess:  Kramnik LOST a match to Shirov (in '97 or '98, I believe) for the right to play Kasparov for the championship.  Then Kasparov gave Kramnik a shot at the title anyway!  Shirov got shafted.

As for Topalov and Anand, I'd say chances are even, but I would love for Vishy to win.

I play the semi slav 

If they both seem to mostly play e4 as white then how can we expect to see the semi slav?

That was a historical perspective.

These days Topalov is playing 1.d4 almost exclusively. I think Anand is slowely making the switch from e4 as well.

On a side note i started The Berserkers Tournament 5 day time limit up 2 10 players....... looking for 8 more players...