Well it is 5:20 am in my time zone as I write this post and the next
FIDE world championship match game between the two Ukrainians
Ivanchuck and Ponomariov is starting in a couple of hrs. Pono is
ahead two games (with only two remaining in the match) and is
almost certain to be the winner. Ivan would need to win both games
just to bring it to a tiebreak. Of course this tournament is absent of
some of the strongest players in the world, such as Kasparov,
Krammnik, but it is certainly an indicator of a powerful burgeoning
force that is emerging in the form of the young Ponomariov. To play
at this level at 18 suggests to me that the sky is the limit for him.
Again, for those of you who are interested in viewing the match live,
refer to my previous post "world championship".
It is now confirmed! Ponomariov is the new FIDE World Champion! He
was in fact winning this last game but let Ivanchuck off with a draw as
both players must have been very tired. Of course most people belive
that he would get wiped off of the board against Kasparov or
Krammnik, but at 18 he has much time to develop his skills even
further.
Congratulations for the young man. Must have very great skills. Still...
sometimes I think of the WCh's 'old style'. Or what about a double -
round-robin with 10, 12, 14... of he top-players? Would be interesting
to read opinions on the Wch 'new-style'. What do we RHPrs think of
this? And what about the shorter time-limits? No more time for digging
into the abyss of intricate endgames. Shame or not?
I don't think you will find too many people who will disagree with you
on that point. Certainly all the top players are in agreement that the
new, shortened time controls are very damaging to the quality of the
game and make it less of a contest of skill. The problem is with the
sponsors and organizers. Long drawn-out affairs are a very unpleasant
prospect to those people. There is an attempt to make chess
more "spectator friendly".