2011-07-29 23:03:41>

Actually, the outcome well reflects the status of those players who actively tried to become world champion. Aronian failed, due to nerves, a bad matchup of styles, or just a slow start in what is a very short match. He was the top seed.

Magnus Carslen didn't play, because the quality of opposition was such that if MC had a bad day and lost an early game, he could lose the match.

Carlsen's status is well seen here. He is always the favorite, but can lose games against such strong opposition. Rather than take such a simple risk, he took himself out of the equation.

Whilst I wasn't impressed with the tendency towards short draws in the recent WC playoffs, the format of short knockout matches merely encourages nervy play, plus the lack of willingness to take any risks.

In such a lottery, the player with the strongest nerves is by far the most likely to survive, but when it comes to the title match, he's blown out of both ideas and nervous energy: we saw this in Anand-Karpov in the late 1990s.

The result shows that Magnus Carlsen lacks the emotional fortitude to hold the world title."

Seriously, what we say about lousy FIDE has little to no impact compared to antics like that. To think Karpov might have been president, that would have been a bit like having someone everybody respected like Euwe in the saddle again.

Hehe, yes and so what? Did the chess world destroy or something like that? I say again maybe he will never play for it and so what?

In my opinion yes, because of his achievements, his style sometimes arrogance, his wins an losses. At the moment I'd compare him with Morphy(is he the legend for you), others like Kasparov are in another league because of durable of his play.

Carlsen is a bit young to be considered a "legend". Huge potential. But, he has to accomplish a bit more.

While not a GM by any stretch, I can tell you that there is a difference between the two, from my own experience.

<pawn to QB4: ....Only view I'm familiar with on the subject is Korchnoi's: "there are strong players and weak players, anything else is a contrivance".>

Carlsen is still playing in top tournaments, very often he wins, even if he loses a game or two. Sometimes he doesn't with a tournament , but still is in the top 3. If he lost a candidate match so what? He can still try again next time like he will have to do now. Your claim that he is afraid of losing is just speculation you have no evidence at all.

I would think most great players have a healthy ego. Certainly Karpov and Kasparov did not lack for big ego and confidence. The difference between people like that and Magnus Carlsen (or, say, Bobby Fischer) is that a Karpov or Kasparov can control this volatile quality and accept the challenge of chess at the highest levels, even when playing conditions are not 100% of what one desires. Korchnoi's whole family was barred from emigrating to the West. Did he walk out? No, he played a great match with Karpov in the Phillippines.

A lot of people feel the same way I do. This is an old argument, isn't it? I've followed the careers of fighters like Korchnoi and Kasparov my whole life. Such people would never refuse a chance to play match(es) for the world championship.

If MC plays the next cycle, and wins it all, then this non action of his will mostly be forgotten. But, for those who feel world chess has grown stagnant and sponsorship is weak, you can look directly at Magnus Carlsen for walking out on the world championships.

He turned his back on the sport that has made him a wealthy man, at a very young age. The Candidates matches are the olympics of chess, the very apex of this game/sport.

Regarding the WC cycle, let's review what Carlsen himself said after the big announcement in November 2010:

Q: Magnus, you've got to feel a bit uneasy about this momentous decision?

Magnus Carlsen: It's been a difficult process. But now that the decision has been taken, I actually feel relieved.

Q: Even if that means you will be missing an entire World Championship cycle?

MC: The World Championship cycle will last for almost five years, and with constant rule changes. It takes too much effort to deal with the political part of the process. I would therefore like to focus my energy on developing my skills as a chess player, and to defend my position as number one in the world rankings.

Q: How do you think the chess public will react to your action? Many may think you are throwing away a golden chance.

MC: Well, I understand if they are a bit puzzled, but I have to make the decision that I think is best for me and my career.

Q: Does this mean that you will not participate in a World Championship in the future?

MC: No, no, absolutely not. I hope that there will be changes in the future. It is clear that I will be back in it then. The decision now applies only to the current world championship cycle.

Q: With your decision are you making a special point against FIDE?

MC: No, it is a personal decision based on what I think is best for me.

*****