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FIDE Candidates 2014

The Tiger is back!



Anand played a great tournament at the Candidates' 2014 in Khanty-Mansiysk, finishing unbeaten at 8.5/14, and he is the Challenger for the next World Chess Championship Match.
It will be again a clash of generations, with the 44-years-old Indian and the 23-years-old Norwegian World Champion fighting for the Title.
Last year Carlsen won convincingly, but we all know that Anand was thought as the sacrificial lamb, well before the start of the match. Carlsen was the strongest,  the emerging star, the unbeatable champion.
Psychological aspects in chess are important; this time Vishy starts from a totally different position. He is the challenger, he doesn't have to show anything to the chess world. Carlsen is the Champion now, and the title has to be defended.
Anand has just shown that when he doesn't feel all the pressure that was upon him in Chennay - and probably playing in India has had its importance in the process - he can still play excellent chess.
This is a great comeback, one of the most important in the last years - and in the history of chess - and the rematch will be extremely interesting to follow.


ICC has followed the Candidates' with LIVE commentary and the new ICC TV! It has been a success and many ICC members have enjoyed the commentary, the TRIVIA contests and the chat. 
 



The Fantastic Eight have qualified through the 2012-2013 FIDE Championship Cycle. Let's see how:

Vishy Anand is the loser of the 2013 Championship Match;
Vladimir Kramnik and Dmitry Andreikin are the top two finishers in the World Cup 2013;
Veselin Topalov and  Shakhriyar Mamedyarov are the top two finishers in the FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13;
Levon Aronian and Sergey Karjakin are the next two highest rated players who played in the Chess World Cup 2013 or the FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13;
Peter Svidler has got the Organizing committee's wild card (FIDE rating in July 2013 at least 2725).        

You can find the FIDE regulation for the Candidates Tournament here.

It is a 14-round double round robin tournament, which takes place in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, form March the 13th to March the 31st.
Play starts at 5:00am EDT - 10:00am CET.

 


BROADCAST SCHEDULE

March

Thu Fri Sat Mon Tue Wed Fri
13
14
15
17
18
19
21
Sat Sun Tue Wed Thu Sat Sun
22
23
25
26
27
29
30

GAME OF THE DAY

Round Date Host Play PGN
1 March 13   GM Alex Yermolinsky
  Sweere
2 March 14   GM Alex Yermolinsky
  Sweere
3 March 15   GM John Fedorowicz
  bronxbattler
4 March 17   GM Alex Yermolinsky
  Sweere
5 March 18   GM Varuzhan Akobian
  SCORPION83
6 March 19   GM Gawain Jones
  VerdeNotte
7 March 21   GM Miguel Illescas
  Illescas
8 March 22   GM Lars Bo Hansen
  DonCorleone
9 March 23   GM Varuzhan Akobian
  SCORPION83
10 March 25   GM Jonathan Speelman
  Speelman
11 March 26   GM Gata Kamsky
  Talion
12 March 27   GM Gata Kamsky
  Sweere
13 March 29   GM Gata Kamsky
  Kaidanov
14 March 30   GM Ronen Har-Zvi
  Indiana-Jones

TRIVIA WINNERS

Round Date 1 month 3 months NiC
1 Mar 13 xionoula KingHarvest akin84973
2 Mar 14 Abel izit axelmuller
3 Mar 15 mtthwprsns kaasua Spirals
4 Mar 17 TheTruth WO Amnesik
5 Mar 18 bdbois Leijona pawelwaw
6 Mar 19 agent-n053 powerpawn RonJB
7 Mar 21 kaasua Koval mktokyo
8 Mar 22 TheEye agent-n053 lanigeva
9 Mar 23 Leijona agent-n053 thailien
10 Mar 25 Urosh alexy1 CalArt
11 Mar 26 Leijona oldtimer shibotal
12 Mar 27 Leijona agent-n053 lundin
13 Mar 29 bdubois frank001 pierredams
14 Mar 30 agent-n053 bdubois SIVANIVA

 


 

Comments

Darren commented on 2014 02 17

this is just so amazing. I always looked up to you guys as a young kid but now that you’re on the big screen, i can actually watch you play the best game in the world, chess. I am really looking forward to this match, it’s gonna be the bestest thing in the world, i really hope you win vladmir kramnik and shakhriyar dumbell. please send me half ur winning when u win, ty

Dave Gordon commented on 2014 02 20

interesting.

Flaneur commented on 2014 02 20

Yermo—Shocked that you rated Kramnik’s chances of beating Carlsen so low!  Sure, Magnus would be the favorite, but 5%? For the guy who beat Garry? Say it ain’t so!

ISTVAN GYONGY commented on 2014 02 22

Yes you are correct,,,,,, well analyesd

Håkon Strand commented on 2014 02 25

As a long-time follower of Carlsen’s career, I mostly agree with you, except for a few things (scores against Magnus in parentheses):

Kramnik (=) and Svidler (+1) are the only two players in this field with a decent score against Magnus over some games. (Well, technically Anand is = against Carlsen, but we all know where that trend is heading) Therefore, I rate Kramnik’s chances against Magnus much higher than Topalov’s (-5) chances, should he win the candidates.

Yet, Topalov is a tournament player, and his chances to win the candidates aren’t all that bad. He might even be as likely as Kramnik to win the thing.

Karjakin’s (-2) chances in a match are slim to none. Magnus just has too much of a psychological advantage against the guy.

Aronian (-4) is the obiovus favorite to win the candidates, but even though he has performed well lately, I still think your 30% prediction in a match against Magnus is on the high end, considering Magnus hasn’t lost against Lev in 5 years.

ernie1 commented on 2014 02 28

Kramnik came so close to winning the last Candidates that I give him the edge over the great Aronian to meet Carlsen in the World Championship. And remember how Kramnik shocked the chess world
with his shocking victory in his match against Kasparov (thanks to the Berlin)? I say watch out for Kramnik in 2014!

Nicholas commented on 2014 03 26

You’d better start “chewing down on your hat” as soon as possible, lest you won’t be able to digest it (hats are notoriously hard to digest, it needs time)

Because right now (after round 11) Anand seems to be winning VERY comfortably, not to mention that he’s really playing the best chess out of all the candidates. Not even once was he threatened with defeat.

Kramnik is obviously out-of-shape and the biggest disappointment so far; Aronian plays beautifully but didn’t manage to stay consistent.

Anyway, Magnus is still the favorite to keep the title, but I’ll be rooting for the old Indian Tiger…

Nicholas

Sanath Kumar commented on 2014 03 27

Anand 0% ....lol .....he is close to winning the Candidates…..........Hes defeated aronian and topalov…....The respected GM should prepare to “eat” his words if anand wins .................though he is unlikely to beat carlsen

redking commented on 2014 03 27

Anand 0% - eat your hat -  hahaha

noorul commented on 2014 03 29

Yermo ! I have to say you made an ASSHOLE OF JUDGEMENT as to who will win the candidates. With one round to go ANAND is a full point ahead of all your prodigies??????  HaHaHa.

Fred commented on 2014 03 29

Only one guy who can beat him: Nakamura. Naka has just played to much blitz. The reason why he is developing late. In two years Naka will start to challenge him. Almost in Zurich…It is coming Carlsen and nothing you can do!

ahad commented on 2014 03 29

Yermo you are completely wrong.

Krackjack commented on 2014 03 29

You’re good at predictions, are you not?

Raj commented on 2014 03 29

What a pity to look at 0% chance to Anand, when he has indeed won the tournament.

It shows that such predictions are just based on recent performances and not on class.

Paddy Ganesan commented on 2014 03 29

Anand wins with one round to spare and without losing a game…

As a five time world champion it is astounding that Anand was given a 0% chance of winning…

 

Rajeev commented on 2014 03 30

You might want to eat your words now. No wait… you better eat them.

VishyFan commented on 2014 03 30

Well don’t you feel a bit silly now eh? Anand has won!

Shiva commented on 2014 03 30

GM Alex Yamolinsky, are you still around? Make yourself available for there is a certain 44 yr old from Chennai who would like to stick a fork into your rear end lol

Shane M commented on 2014 03 30

Reading this now and ROFL!

George commented on 2014 03 30

What is it that he said about Anand -

“I don’t even mention Anand in this context, because Anand will not win in Khanty. Vishy is finished and done for, stick a fork into him.”

Well, Mr. GM Alex Yermolinsky, what do you have to say now about Anand?

Are you still around? I have a fork for you.

Aryabhatta commented on 2014 03 30

This one’s for you Yerlominsky.

Its the 30th Mar and I suppose by now you might have worked your way through the last bite of that stinky snack. While you rub your aching jaws, do us another favour and stick that fork deep into yourself. We can do much better without your “expert” venom.

Bull$shit commented on 2014 03 30

Perhaps you should consider Suicide Alex Yermolinsky ?
cant believe someone with a GM status(?) had the (im)maturity to write some tactless, brainless and imbecile article.

Thanks for wasting 4 minutes of my time!

Wesley commented on 2014 04 02

What a joke…Svidler and Andreikin ahead of Caruana, Grischuk and Nakamura. I would rather have seen Ivanchuk in the mix. At least he has proven himself over a the longest period of time.Using a criterion such as a single outstanding performance (e.g. World Cup) is bound to create problems—-that is precisely the manner by which Khalifman was made World Champion. Though Nakamura’s incredible Tata Steel performance was a few years back, it was, according to Kasparov, the greatest performance since the 1920s or so and given that he is still approx. world #8, it would seem he would have been a much more appropriate choice than Svidler or Andreikin.