I don’t disagree with any of that, Jonathan, but I would not relish a return to that era, where the chess public were split about who was world champion. I can foresee a situation where Carlsen is the strongest player, but Nepo/Ding is world champion but not really recognised as such. Let’s hope he continues, and it doesn’t end up like boxing.Jonathan Bryant wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:35 pmI agree it’s not the best of all possible worlds. But it is not disregarding. Just facing reality.Graham Borrowdale wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:26 pmThis is the thing that would worry me most, that we go back to the dark days of the best player trying to hand pick challengers, or bypassing the official qualification cycle, and people disregarding the official champion by using “ ”.Jonathan Bryant wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:23 pmNot that Carlsen will need to play in the candidates'. If at some point after he gives up the title* he wants a match against a "World Champion" he'll get one. FIDE World Championship or otherwise.
The title of World Champion means little to nothing if it is not held the established best player in the World
It’s not much different to the time I won our club championship. The first team players never entered and one year I won it. It was an achievement (by my standards), sure, but it meant nothing to anybody else. It certainly had no relevance to the question of who was the best player in the club.
Trust me when I say nobody - not even me - remembers which year it was that I was the “club champion”.
I do think that everybody deserves a shot at being club champion at least once, though, but I do remember exactly when I won mine!