Closing the Blog...but Linares is still pathetic

So I am working a lot now, I barely have time to study chess much less write about it, so this will be the last post.

I am not going to post any games. I have been playing badly, and I don't think there's much to learn from my recent 'efforts'. Instead, a little bit of criticism of the chess world:

How far Linares has fallen. It used to be the superest super tourney of them all...winning Linares was the second best thing to winning the title. Up to 14 players playing, all the best, no Dutch hangers on (sorry Wijk an Zee) to lower the average rating...at most, one spanish GM who maybe shouldn't be there, though that hasn't been a problem lately with Pace Vallejo since he is pretty strong.

But this year...6 players. Very sad. No Kramnik (since Topalov is there), no Anand, no Carlsen...why should I care? I love Aronian, but that by itself isn't enough. Linares has become Sofia M-tel. A small tournament of good but uninteresting players set up for Topalov to win. Who cares? It's just sad that the site of two of the greatest chess tourneys of all time (1994 and 2000, though plenty of years at Linares could vie for that title) would be reduced to this.

I look forward to the world championship match. Go Anand. Kill that Bulgarian (and his asshole manager), and then figure out a way to get Carlsen in a match.

On that note, thanks for reading my blog when I still posted regularly. Chessx, good luck with your teaching.

Tom