Sam Trenholme wrote on Thu, Oct 11, 2007 11:12 AM EDT:
This is a big change in Chess. Ever since Steinitz, to become the world champion was non-trivial. You had to defeat the current champion in a grueling 1-on-1 tournament against the world champion. FIDE made it harder to stay champion in the 1940s: You had to fight every three or four years to stay champion, which resulted in Botvinnik briefly losing the crown twice, once to Smyslov, and once to Tal. This was probably a good change: It stopped Fischer from pulling an Alekhine: Staying world champion by refusing to play a player you know is better than you.
However, now it has become even easier to be world champion. You no longer have to win a 1-on-1 against the current champion. You merely have to win a single round robin tournament to hold the crown. I think this will make the championship more dynamic and exciting. From Steinitz to Kramnik, there were only 14 world champions. Now we should have a different world champion every two or three years.
It's a very interesting change in the world of chess, but one it needs to breathe some life in to a game that I feel is in a slow death spiral.
However, now it has become even easier to be world champion. You no longer have to win a 1-on-1 against the current champion. You merely have to win a single round robin tournament to hold the crown. I think this will make the championship more dynamic and exciting. From Steinitz to Kramnik, there were only 14 world champions. Now we should have a different world champion every two or three years.
It's a very interesting change in the world of chess, but one it needs to breathe some life in to a game that I feel is in a slow death spiral.
- Sam