FIDE World championship 2024 worth anything ?

So I have been watching all the big tournaments for several years - and love it! Something I look forward to every single time. Now the time has come for Gukesh and Ding Liren to fight to become FIDE World Champion - but is it worth anything what so ever ?

Everyone who follows chess knows very well that there is a person walking around who dominated chess on all levels - and who simply does not want to play. In addition to Magnus, there are 3 other players ranked higher on the FIDE Rankings - so what does it mean that number 5 plays for the world championship against number 22?? Isn't that a joke... Regardless of who comes out on top - he is hardly the best in the world...

Personally, I don't care, and it doesn't mean it's a world championship match for me - but just a match between two of the world's best, which honestly doesn't mean much.

What do you think?

https://ratings.fide.com/top.phtml?list=men

I agree they earned their way - but calling it "world champion" - is that not a bit off ? Any other sports they call it world champions they had to beat the worlds best - but here is more the lack of the best...

edited moderator AndrewSmith 

It is irrelevant who the "best" player is. You play to earn the right to be World Champion - that's the competition.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_2012

World #4 vs #20

Progress for the underdogs! We must care, think of the children!

Okay. I disagree whit most of you. Being called "World champion" in a game of chess (of all games) were your under-ranked compaired to other players - makes the title "nothing". I know you ern the title, and get the prize money - but no one really think he is the worlds best when sevel others are above - that what makes no sense to me.

Back in the day - when G.Kasparov og B. Fisher there was NO one better - today and for years counting the one winning is in this case either nr 4/5 or 22 ... Again it is not even number 2 vs number 3... Thats not what world champion means to me.

So I dont feel like I wanna follow the games for the tilte anymore - just gets updated after they are done. And that makes a bit sad for chess. As fare as I read Magnus dont agreen on format - only said he will never play whit this format..

It's a match between a player who peaked #2 in classical and was very dominant, and an up and coming prodigy who is currently #4 in the rating list. You saying Ding being #22 making the world championship bad doesn't make sense because he was #2 once and that's how he won the world championship. Gukesh also won the candidates with a very high level of play so how is he not fit to be the challenger?

I agree Gary Kasparov said that Magnus was the Last real world champ on record. And he will remain the Champion as far as the legacy of Chess is concerned ; until he is defeated. The FIDE should modify its format to Magnus's suggested hypothetical plan. Then we would witness a real world championship contest. This is a formality; for an interim Champ.

Carlsen is not world champion because he refuted to defend his title, and FIDE definitely should not change anything because some coward would like to. Carlsen was not first one, first was Lasker, who was clever enough to know that Capablanca will crush him and did not want to play him. Eventually he agreed to play match because he got a lot of money, but after reaching 0:4 score he resiged the match complaining about weather conditions. Another such wretch coward was Fischer.

Jooo don't want to DetEr the best players inFinitely.

First: It is great entertainment! Very exciting games.

Second: Yes. Carlsen is the worlds best human chess player. By far. But in other sports it is quite common that the best is not World Champion. Why shouldn't we also accept that in chess?

Third: The best chess players in the world are not human. That means a lot. The magic of the World Champion title is not there anymore.

So let us just be happy that Carlsen is still playing. And let us enjoy the very exiting chess games played by Ding and Gukesh.

Tolsstead: very well said.

In the fifa World Cup for instance do you always see say Brazil vs Argentina in the final? Do always the No 1 and 2 fight it for becoming the world champion? No right! There have been many underdog stories. For eg Croatia reaching 2018 final. Why? Because they played well defeated teams like Argentina and Denmark England etc. It's not necessary that the top ranks will make it to the finals. Similarly here Gukesh and Ding have earned their spot especially Gukesh he had to finish higher than likes of Firozja,Hikaru , Praggnanandha, Ian to qualify. So obviously this is not a joke and is as important as any other world Championship.

Probably not everyone agrees on that. Ask a group of players which they would rather be, the best in the world or world champion, and you probably won't get a clear majority answer.

They are playing in a tournament, which has a title of world championship. Both earned the right to play in this particular tournament. But probably almost everyone agrees neither are the best player in the world.

I agree with the OP, having the best player in the world sit out this tournament does in fact make it "worth" less.

@JoooDetErFint

"so what does it mean that number 5 plays for the world championship against number 22??"

I take it from this that if the current world champion rating slips then they should not defend their title and the currently ranked #1 and #2 should then play for the title?

Maybe there shouldn't be a candidates match at all. Just pick the top two players at a given date and they play for the world chess championship.
Maybe they don't have to play each other if their rating are not that close just give it to the guy with the highest rating because obviously he would win.

So where is the fun in that.

I agree with @Toldsted it's a match for a "Title" not to me taken too literally by thinking as long as they have the title they are the "best" chess player in the world.

If the best player refuses to play, do we have to wait for him to officially retire or die before we can once again have "worthy" World Champion? No, the world cracks on without him, we note his exceptional abilities but we still have a competition for the title. Whoever wins the match is a World Chess Champion, a title Magnus chooses to no longer compete for.

If the OP thinks the competition is "worth" less than that's on Magnus and not those who are in the final or FIDE.

Worth isn't determined by those who are "selling". Worth is determined by those who are buying. It isn't up to Magnus to decide if the title is worth less this time. Worth is decided by people like us here. The buyer.

Magnus is the best player in the world. I think most people would agree on that. The world championship is being played by two people who are very good, but not the best. They are playing for a title, not to decide who is the best. Therefore, the value, or worth of the tournament is less than it could be. So it's "worth" less.

In golf sometimes very good players are paid to play in the tournament even if they don't do well. Just having them play makes the tournament "worth" more. Any competition is going to be that way. The more competition and the higher quality competition the more it's "worth". There is no doubt these players earned the right to play and the winner will be the undisputed world champion. But they won't be the best. Because the higher quality competition is not there.

I completly understand - that Magnus choose NOT to play - and the players who do have earned the spot. BUT - and thats the big BUT for me - it means NOTHING who wins - when we all pretty much can agree that someone ect Magnus problerly WOULD win IF he wanted to play.. And the fact that he did not LOOSE the crown makes it worse. Sure I´ll agree Magnus CAN loose but overall in fare most games he is the farvorit - so that he tops the FIDE list but someone else can call them "FIDE world champion" just dosnt ring a bell to me... Dont like it. They should let the format stay so Magnus one day could loose in a match - or get so old that he just couldnt preform anymore - but as of today he most still be the best player in the world. Many of they top players names Magnus the best if asked.

Quastion: If someone ask YOU - who is the best in the world ?

Would you say: "The FIDE World champion" - or Magnus ?

I remain stuck on the word "World Champion" -should have a meaning besides who on the list regardless were on the list- can claim those words.

@JoooDetErFint How would _you_ determine who plays in the World Championship? If the reigning World Champion and/or highest rated player decides not to play in the championship, then what?

Carlsen isn't a coward for not playing, but he disrespects the game by not playing. His actions will forever be a black mark on his chess career.