Why is there no backlash to Carlsen's accusation?

As some of you may be aware, the major news in the chess world yesterday was Mamedyarov admitting to having pre-arranged draws in the past. The admission, as the chess.com article covering the story explains, was prompted by Carlsen's claim in the commentary studio that Mamedyarov and Karjakin have made pre-arranged draws in previous tournaments. He stated, furthermore, that "if their game [from round three] was pre-arranged as well, of which I have no proof whatsoever, I would not be very surprised." 

In response to the story, some people are suggesting that Mamedyarov should be punished (for admitting to doing something that many of his colleagues also do, only without admitting to it). But what about Carlsen throwing Shak and Karjakin under the bus? He essentially made an accusation against two specific players without any demonstrable evidence. Most egregiously, the claim that the round 3 game between these two players may have been pre-arranged, on the basis of their alleged prior behavior alone, seems particularly irresponsible. I must say, if I were Shak or Karjakin, I would be pretty p**sed at Carlsen for dropping my name out of the blue in this discussion. If the person making the accusation had been anyone other than the world champion, moreover, I think there would be more discussion of the verity of the acusation itself (remember, Shak confirmed the accusation as it pertains to himself, but Karjakin did not), and perhaps more backlash, for better or for worse, for the accuser.

But what do other people think? Should Carlsen have named two specific people in discussing the general issue of pre-arranged draws? What would you do in this situation if you were Shak or Karjakin? All comments are welcome.

Well, sometimes troll threads are made, not born...

The two big accusations that people really care about are engine use and throwing games.  Prearranging draws or playing known draw lines or even duplicating an exact game already played is common at the highest levels.  Unless it leads to a serious change in a tournament result or there's an exchange of money involved, no one cares.  Someone from FIDE might want to have a word with Magnus and ask him not to say things like that publicly, but I doubt the players being "accused" are all that bothered.

And if it was found that there were pre-arranged draws and Magnus knew about them and didn't say anything? What then?

Mamedyarov has confirmed it.

Therefor Magnus was telling the truth.

Any questions?

There's no backlash cos Mamedyarov admitted to having prearranged draws.

The key is that round robin events are very tiring, and if a player really doesn't want to play for the win as white, it almost doesn't matter what Black does. We saw Nakamura play very boring chess as white in this tournament and get easy draws. It's part of a larger tournament strategy. 

Of course, there's a difference between playing for a draw as White and agreeing to a draw before the game has even started. But the difference isn't really punishable. The backlash will come when sponsors stop inviting the players who do this regularly. But Karjakin and Mamedyarov are two of the best players in the world. 

We'll see whether there's any real backlash based on whether these players keep getting invitations to non-Russian tournaments.

Open tournaments are the best.

Yeah brah

Why would there be a backlash? Im sure all of the top level, including Caruna will like to be asked the question.

And..... what is chess.com's position on pre-arranged results?

Btw, Nakamura, who clearly did play for a draw as White earlier in the tournament is now tied for first. Sometimes the strategy of top players really does work. 

While I am opposed to pre-arranged draws, I have absolutely no problem with strategic short draws. That in itself is interesting.

I don't agree with Peter Leko, who quite literally celebrated getting a short draw as White against Kramnik, but I do understand why Petrosian's short draws  as White against Fischer were so important. They demonstrated that at a certain level, even the best players can't force the position if White is intent on a draw from move one. 

For me, the biggest problem I have with elite players working for the draw as White is what happened in the Candidates tournament that Grischuk almost won. He had a strategy of drawing every classical time control game and then trying to win in the play-off. His strategy worked in the 4-game matches of that tournament, but didn't quite work against Gelfand in the Candidates' 6-game final. Grischuk knocked out both Aronian and Kramnik by playing for short draws as White and hanging on as Black in order to reach the rapid play-off. He single-handedly killed that format as a possible Candidates tournament in future events. Organizers should have realized that such a strategy becomes more and more dubious the longer the match runs. 

Unfortunately, the World Championship is so short that weaker players try that strategy against Carlsen. Karjakin nearly succeeded with his short drawing strategy when Carlsen consistently overpressed. He snuck in a surprise win and only Carlsen's obvious superiority helped bail him out and force the tie-break. Those games were a case study in how a superior player must strive for complexity to beat the slightly but clearly inferior opponent. 

Thank you.

but what if karjakin (or anyone) agreed to draw before the match and suddenly got a winning position and win? that would be hilarious

That has happened a few times. 

William Hartston, in " How to Cheat at Chess", gives a few true stories of players agreeing to a draw only for one of them to renegotiate.

That has happened a few times. 

William Hartston, in " How to Cheat at Chess", gives a few true stories of players agreeing to a draw only for one of them to reneg on the deal.

Today Carlsen pre-arranged a draw against MVL

Ummm, no. Carlsen needed to win if at all possible, but MVL shut any possibility of that down as White. 

Now, So and Caruana each have a chance to win the tournament outright. If the top players all draw, Anand will probably join them for a 5-way tie break play-off.

Didn't he just say the other day  in an interview" I don't do that".

Still getting over his loss, cant help it-- So's my fav!

are you being ironic?