You could be forgiven for not knowing that the World Chess Championship begins tomorrow, in Moscow.
For several reasons the game doesn't quite seem to have the edge of the Fischer-Spassky match of 1972 that captured the attention of many of us at the time.
It's difficult even to find a quote from a bookie on the internet, interest in it seems so low, but if the 9/10 I did see about Vishy Anand is really available, then if you can get on, I would.
He hasn't been recording big scores in recent tournaments but I think that is not because he's past it and clapped out but because he has been preparing for this match and is not giving away any of his preparation.
I like him a lot. He is not one to wander off or about the stage when I've seen him but he stays, looking at the board. Why wouldn't you want to look at your own position rather than see how everybody else is getting on. He is hard to beat and in a match rather than a tournament, that is a very important thing.
This seems to be a place one can watch from, http://www.anand-gelfand.com/games. It doesn't look like it is going to be front page news.
But with Ronnie O'Sullivan quite a class apart in the snooker last week, finding a mental equilibrium to complement his massive talent; with Mark Cavendish as World Road Race Champion; with Spain, the best football team since at least Brazil 1970, as champions of that and England somehow statistically miraculously still World Champions of test cricket then it would be proper for Anand to retain the chess title so that at least 5 sports have the right people in place.
