Kramnik was never as strong as Anand but....................

[pichy]

Kramnik was never as strong as Anand but diring Kasparov reigning time Anand was not giving a fair chance to compete, instead Kramnik was chosen to play vs Kasparov since he was weaker than Anand.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4975

[AdminX]

Kramnik was never as strong as Anand but diring Kasparov reigning time Anand was not giving a fair chance to compete, instead Kramnik was chosen to play vs Kasparov since he was weaker than Anand.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4975

Or it could be that Anand got tired of having the cheese put before his face and then having it snatched away from him just as he was about to nibble on it. Now he snatching the title in no matter what format (Match or Tournament) you have it in! As long as it has World Chess Champion on it he's taking it.

[pichy]

Kramnik was never as strong as Anand but diring Kasparov reigning time Anand was not giving a fair chance to compete, instead Kramnik was chosen to play vs Kasparov since he was weaker than Anand.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4975

Or it could be that Anand got tired of having the cheese put before his face and then having it snatched away from him just as he was about to nibble on it. Now he snatching the title in no matter what format (Match or Tournament) you have it in! As long as it has World Chess Champion on it he's taking it.

Also he is the second stronger Chess960 player in the World according to this IPS TOP Ranking List. As a matter of fact where is GM Hikaru Makamura on this IPS List

http://www.hessischer-schachverband.de/ ... nking.html

[glorfindel]

Of course Kramnik was as strong as Anand. They have always been of approximately equal strength for more than a decade. Everyone knew they were numbers 2 and 3 but nobody could objectively tell who was stronger.

It seems that I need to remind to you that Kramnik, with a peak rating of 2809, was the second player ever to break the barrier of 2800 elo. He has scored many victories against Anand.

The following game was voted the best game of Informator 82. I happen to have this issue and, though I have studied the game and the analysis, I can't understand how Black lost. According to the annotations, Black made one dubious move only 14...Bb7?! (Anand suggests 14...Rc7). White then gets the advantage and wins almost by force.

[Event "Sparkassen Cat XXI"]
[Site "Dortmund GER"]
[Date "2001.07.21"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2802"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[ECO "D27"]
[EventDate "2001.07.12"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6 7.Bb3 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Bg5 O-O 11.Qd2 Na5 12.Bc2 b5 13.Qf4 Ra7 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.d5 Bxd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Qh4 h5 18.Rfe1 Nc6 19.g4 Qd6 20.gxh5 Qb4 21.h6 Qxh4 22.Nxh4 Ne4 23.hxg7 Rc8 24.Bxe7 Nxe7 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Rxe4 Kxg7 27.Rd6 Rc5 28.Rg4+ Kh7 29.Nf3 Ng6 30.Ng5+ Kg7 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Rdxg6+ Kh7 33.R6g5 Rxg5 34.Rxg5 Rc7 35.a3 b4 36.axb4 Rc1+ 37.Kg2 Rb1 38.Ra5 Rxb2 39.Ra4 1-0

This victory from last year's Corus is also brilliant and there is a video from Chessvibes on youtube with Kramnik analysing the game afterwards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aedY6zEcn1A

[Event "Corus A"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2007.01.19"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2779"]
[ECO "E05"]
[EventDate "2007.01.13"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Ra7 11.Rc1 Be4 12.Qb3 Nc6 13.e3 Qa8 14.Qd1 Nb8 15.Ba5 Rc8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Nbd2 Bd5 18.Qf1 Nbd7 19.b4 e5 20.dxe5 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.f3 Nc4 23.Nxc4 Bxc4 24.Qf2 Re8 25.e4 c6 26.Rd1 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Rd1 Qb7 29.Rd6 f6 30.f4 Re6 31.Rd2 Re7 32.Qd4 Nf8 33.Qd8 Rd7 34.Rxd7 Qxd7 35.Qxd7 Nxd7 36.e5 fxe5 37.Bxc6 Nf6 38.Bb7 exf4 39.gxf4 Nd5 40.Kf2 Nxf4 41.Ke3 g5 42.Bxa6 Kf7 43.a4 Ke7 44.Bxb5 Bxb5 45.axb5 Kd7 46.Ke4 Ne2 47.Bb6 g4 48.Bf2 Nc3+ 49.Kf5 Nxb5 50.Kxg4 Ke6 51.Kg5 Kf7 52.Kf5 Ke7 53.Bc5+ 1-0

[pichy]

Of course Kramnik was as strong as Anand. They have always been of approximately equal strength for more than a decade. Everyone knew they were numbers 2 and 3 but nobody could objectively tell who was stronger.

It seems that I need to remind to you that Kramnik, with a peak rating of 2809, was the second player ever to break the barrier of 2800 elo. He has scored many victories against Anand.

The following game was voted the best game of Informator 82. I happen to have this issue and, though I have studied the game and the analysis, I can't understand how Black lost. According to the annotations, Black made one dubious move only 14...Bb7?! (Anand suggests 14...Rc7). White then gets the advantage and wins almost by force.

[Event "Sparkassen Cat XXI"]
[Site "Dortmund GER"]
[Date "2001.07.21"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2802"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[ECO "D27"]
[EventDate "2001.07.12"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6 7.Bb3 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Bg5 O-O 11.Qd2 Na5 12.Bc2 b5 13.Qf4 Ra7 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.d5 Bxd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Qh4 h5 18.Rfe1 Nc6 19.g4 Qd6 20.gxh5 Qb4 21.h6 Qxh4 22.Nxh4 Ne4 23.hxg7 Rc8 24.Bxe7 Nxe7 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Rxe4 Kxg7 27.Rd6 Rc5 28.Rg4+ Kh7 29.Nf3 Ng6 30.Ng5+ Kg7 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Rdxg6+ Kh7 33.R6g5 Rxg5 34.Rxg5 Rc7 35.a3 b4 36.axb4 Rc1+ 37.Kg2 Rb1 38.Ra5 Rxb2 39.Ra4 1-0

This victory from last year's Corus is also brilliant and there is a video from Chessvibes on youtube with Kramnik analysing the game afterwards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aedY6zEcn1A

[Event "Corus A"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2007.01.19"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2779"]
[ECO "E05"]
[EventDate "2007.01.13"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Ra7 11.Rc1 Be4 12.Qb3 Nc6 13.e3 Qa8 14.Qd1 Nb8 15.Ba5 Rc8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Nbd2 Bd5 18.Qf1 Nbd7 19.b4 e5 20.dxe5 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.f3 Nc4 23.Nxc4 Bxc4 24.Qf2 Re8 25.e4 c6 26.Rd1 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Rd1 Qb7 29.Rd6 f6 30.f4 Re6 31.Rd2 Re7 32.Qd4 Nf8 33.Qd8 Rd7 34.Rxd7 Qxd7 35.Qxd7 Nxd7 36.e5 fxe5 37.Bxc6 Nf6 38.Bb7 exf4 39.gxf4 Nd5 40.Kf2 Nxf4 41.Ke3 g5 42.Bxa6 Kf7 43.a4 Ke7 44.Bxb5 Bxb5 45.axb5 Kd7 46.Ke4 Ne2 47.Bb6 g4 48.Bf2 Nc3+ 49.Kf5 Nxb5 50.Kxg4 Ke6 51.Kg5 Kf7 52.Kf5 Ke7 53.Bc5+ 1-0

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

[Graham Banks]

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

Some players go into decline earlier than others. Perhaps this is the reason why he's never topped the same heights since his match victory against Kasparov.

[Dave McClain]

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

Some players go into decline earlier than others. Perhaps this is the reason why he's never topped the same heights since his match victory against Kasparov.

Graham,

I like Anand because he rarely if ever gets into derogatory remarks about anyone, or boastful chest thumping, or excuses. He has waited patiently for his time to finally come. It's finally here and he should get his due recognition.

I think most will agree that there isn't a great difference in the very top players although Kasparov certainly proved his was the best overall during his time. On any given day of any given tournament, one can beat the other and this is evident in this world championship.

[Graham Banks]

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

Some players go into decline earlier than others. Perhaps this is the reason why he's never topped the same heights since his match victory against Kasparov.

Graham,

I like Anand because he rarely if ever gets into derogatory remarks about anyone, or boastful chest thumping, or excuses. He has waited patiently for his time to finally come. It's finally here and he should get his due recognition.

I think most will agree that there isn't a great difference in the very top players although Kasparov certainly proved his was the best overall during his time. On any given day of any given tournament, one can beat the other and this is evident in this world championship.

He's certainly playing well, and in a very attractive manner too. No grizzles from me.

[S.Taylor]

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

Some players go into decline earlier than others. Perhaps this is the reason why he's never topped the same heights since his match victory against Kasparov.

I think that at one time, if I had really wanted to, I could have reached GM level.
If I had, i might have declined 100elo.
But if I REALLY wanted to now, I think I could reach 50 elo more than what I would have declined to, had I become a GM. I.e. I would reach strong IM.
However, it's not going to happen anyway now. i don't REALLY REALLY want this anymore!

I mean, if I was now going to be on the way up, I would be fighting with all my metal, and would reach higher than what I would decline to, having already been at my peak.
Who knows, I might reach the same now as I WOULD have then, except that I assume I'm above the age of a normal beginning GM which is about 20. But besides, I can't stay in dream land so many years just waiting for the freedom to do what I would like to! Now, even if I DID get into that circumstance (which I only WISH), my dreamland hobbies are now a little different. My conscience will not let me throw away all concern for hgher things, and helping others, which selfish devotion to chess would require.

[Tord Romstad]

So what happened to Kramnik rating it went down from 2802 in 2001 to 2766 in 2007. Was it that Kramik rating was higher in 2001 since he was avoiding to play stronger players and now the competition is much harder

The difference is completely insignificant, and does not allow us to make any conclusions whatsoever about the relative strengths of Kramnik in 2001 and in 2007. I can understand that average chess players can make the mistake of attaching such significance to ratings, but I find it astonishing that computer chess enthusiasts draw conclusions based on a rating difference of less than 40 Elo points. We all know that in order to reliably measure the strength of a chess program, we need hundreds (preferably thousands) of games. For humans, we would probably need even more games to measure the strength to the same degree of accuracy, because human players play much less consistently. Of course, we don't have hundreds of games played by Kramnik version 2001 and Kramnik version 2007. The Elo difference is obviously well within the margin of error.

It's even more surprising that people attach so great importance to the result of a short tournament or a world championship match. Anand and Kramnik have played 8 games so far in their match, and Anand has a +3 score. Does this mean that Anand is a stronger player? Of course not! Being computer chess enthusiasts, we all know that a +3 score after 8 games means almost nothing. All we can say is that Anand has been playing better than Kramnik in these 8 games.

Tord