I think that all the points you mentioned against the WC-match were valid, but it seems like the main reason for Magnus is the time and energy that he needs to put into something that he is not even enjoying.

Thinking about it, as time goes by and preparations with engines become deeper and deeper, classical chess is becoming more and more problematic. So faster time controls and chess960 become more popular.

The more you know about your opponent, and the more time you have to prepare for him these days, actually makes things <worse>, because there is no end as to how deep u can go with engine analysis and how much u will need to remember.

We don't feel it, but sometimes we hear about super computers preps in top level chess, and it gives a hindsight about the amount of work and memorization, these guys have to put in order to keep up with the rest of the field.

Having that in mind, the <WC match is the worst> as it can get, because you know who is your opponent months before the match, and you have a very long time to prepare for him. That means that you will need to analyze and memorize gazillion engine lines just to make sure you won't lose due to (super) engine prep of your opponent.

So maybe WC match is indeed becoming a very problematic format in our engine-preps era.

Good post.

<So maybe WC match is indeed becoming a very problematic format in our engine-preps era.>

'...with hopes of not provoking the fury of Sally Simpson.'

Not at all. I like the song, I chose the name.

I agree, the final match should take place in the wake of the tournament.

<but then the champ would have had the advantage of coming fresh while the challenger is tired>

Lasker vs Capablanca, 1935

The original idea of our ancient beloved game was to challenge the HUMAN mind. In the beginning the computer programmes (cp) were assistants to the players, now it seems to me that the players have become assistants to the cp's.

Independent pure human thinking is up against those who are best at transporting the perfection of cp's to the board. What has become of human ingenuity and original thought? The drivers and motivation of the original game. All shred in favour of the cp's perfection.

Good for the game? Yes, if you regard chess as an intellectual puzzle, a problem that should be solved. No, if you regard the game as a battle between humans of flesh and blood, with all their imperfection and shortcomings.

Even the fastest runner on earth can't compete with the physical most incapable motor cyclist. But this analogy is not accepted when it comes to mind aid - why?

Of course there is lot more to it than simply memorising computer opening variations but computers, and they are not going to go away, are having a say in what is going on at the very top level.

FIDE are trying to address the problem with no increment till move 40.

If it has to be a World Championship Tournament with the top 10 then how about borrowing the idea from New York 1924 (even back then they had the so called opening prep problem.)

The players did not know who they were playing or indeed what colour they would be playing with till 15 minutes before the start of the game.

See; New York (1924) (kibitz #66)

Your idea of revitalising the rules of the famous NY 1924 tournament appeals to me. It is already one of my all-time favourite tournaments, also because one of my all-time favourite players won it in front of Capa, Alekhine and the rest of the bunch.

There have been numerous discussions about the extent of world champion privileges. I have always protected the present privileges because I treasure the prestige of the WC title.

But perhaps the whole idea of a match between the champ and the challenger should be abandoned and replaced with a big double round robin between the 10-12 best players - INCLUDING the reigning champ.

The WC should have these privileges:
1) he keeps the title for 3 years.
2) he automatically gets a spot in the next WC tournament.

This should offer enough motivation to strive for the title, it should maintain the prestige of the title, and it would integrate the WC much more in the elite group of players. In a long double-robin tournament with 12 players, there is no excuse for not winning it - as there can be no doubt about the absolute legitimacy of calling the winner the champion of the world.

Voila! Get movin' FIDE!

PS: There should be no risk of conspiration like in Curacao. Not your countrymen, but the cp would be your best sparring partner.