what is your opinion on Kasparov "universal rating system"

Universal rating system and expansion of online services:

• A universal rating system will include every game of chess played on the planet, from world championship matches to online blitz. It will serve as a portal that unites tens of millions of players and will become an attractive advertising and sponsorship asset.

I don't really like it. I like Kasparov but I'm not so sure on his plans to commercialise FIDE like he says, and his idea of FIDE becoming something like a social networking platform.

i dont know....if helps spread the appeal the chess.. then maybe its a good thing

I'm all for it, as long as it doesn't replace the ELO system...

It's an interesting idea, and I think it's great to brainstorm new ideas even if they end up not working out.

It's difficult to see how that would work though, given the problem of cheating in online play. Would FIDE somehow ensure the integrity of results on sites like chess.com or FICS, or would they trust the sites themselves to do the policing? If the latter, what to do about sites that don't police very well, where cheating is much more prevalent? It's possible there might be some way to make it work, where if a site were found to not be doing a sufficient job in policing cheating among their games, play at those sites would no longer be counted (and perhaps some prior results would be nullified), but it's difficult to see how it might work.

"Universal rating system" is a very bad idea for a number of reasons.

The ELO system works fine.

Blitz and rapid chess are not serious chess variants. Long time controls are the real thing! My ELO rating are around 1900, but my blitz games are a joke. Only enjoyable for quite drunk people.

I would definitely not participate in any rated blitz or rapid competitions!

Furthermore, the system seems to be invented to publicise Kasparov. He has a history of doing damage to the game by intiatives (mainly GMA) which are good for him but wreak havoc elsewhere. I really hope he does not get a say in FIDE matters.

This types of initiatives may be the main downside of stonger american players in the very top. They just can't play with the international organization, but have to come up with crappy ideas which messes up the qualifying system etc.

"A players' universal strength across all time controls..."

Whomever came up with that fails having ideas forever.

Well, in fairness, I suppose it may be more a case of failing to use sound premises forever...