I would go with Caruana because he is higher rated but like you said, the World Cup will clarify things greatly.

Is this really helpful in popularizing the game? I think they all probably need Susan Polgar.

Let's see if Grischuk decides to draw his games against the better opponents to play Rapid and Blitz.

How does that help his compatriot?!?

One must participate either in the World Cup or the Grand Prix series to earn qualification to the Candidates Tourney by ratings. It's a rule change compared to last year and I believe it's a good one.

Mamedyarov finishes 2nd in the GP *unless* Grischuk or Caruana takes clear first.

I would have prefered to add players who have to compete there, not those who just sit out some time.

I sure hope there won't be a situation where Radja could "help" his compatriot by losing against someone who's competing for the tournament victory with Grischuk or Caruana...

But that strategy would cost them rating points, and as it was their ratings that freed them of needing to deliver a result in the first place, they probably won't want to give them away that easily.

lmao...

I brought it up since the poster seemed to be encouraging "hanky panky" which, I assume, everyone would condemn.

I thought you need to enter a rigorious prequalification tourney to reach the finals - much importantly, <all> chessplayers be given their fair share to partipate. This is the norm in every sport events ...why would chess events be treated differently?

So, if rating doesn't meaure playing strength, why do rating qualifiers rule the series? :D

Ponomariov: qualified as the fourth of the World Cup 2011, to which he qualified as a finalist of the World Cup 2009, to which he qualified by rating.

I am quite sure, that the wildcard will go to Caruana or Karjakin, unless the wildcard was giving away a bait for China to host the Grand Prix in Beijing. That would give Wang Hao the Wild Card (as the only Chinese to be above 2725 now). But in all fairness, anything but a Wildcard to Caruana or Karjakin would surprise me (assuming they won't make it through the World Cup). Though it would be funny, if they gave it to Radjabov over Caruana and Karjakin, after his candidates fiasco this year.

Maybe Rex Sinquefield opens his purse to host the candidates in the US and Nakamura gets the buy in. I refrain from making a joke about whom he might cite during the opening ceremony.

Agree. The use of Azeri oil money smells, it's enough for a while. I wonder why AGON couldn't collect more money from a much wider group of sponsors, or is AGON out? Besides, I think Radja needs a break to recover from whatever trouble of life and/or chess that hit him. Now Mamedyarov is closer to the Candidates, all by himself

Only in chess this seems to be a prime commodity. Yet not relied upon in all other sports...they need to qualify to the finals by playing in preliminaries. It is in this light that Efren Bata Reyes will be a greater sports hero than Magnus Carlsen can ever dreamed to be.

Lol, what are you talking about? I was merely pointing out that Radjabov who withdrew from two Grand Prix tournaments already, might be willing to play in the final one, because if he <wins> that tournament, he might help Mamedyarov, or even himself* (though <alexmagnus> hinted that that's not the case). If you read it as "hanky panky," then that's your problem. I personally don't see anything wrong with what I said. Sure he might not win, and yet decide the outcome for the others, but if there is something suspicious I'd be the first one to call it out. However I've seen nothing from Radjabov to hint that he'll be dropping games on purpose. And if players were to be encouraged for "hanky panky" by my posts, then Grischuk would be the one to benefit, as both Svidler and Karjakin will be playing, too.

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