Here's another high-profile figure weighing in on The Match: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave on the Carlsen-Caruana match. (HT: Hal Bogner) For those who followed the match, his comments about the games will offer few revelations (if any). But he joins in the chorus suggesting changes to the format of the World Championship. His suggestions are sensible and lean in a conservative direction. They are:
1. Play 16 games rather than 12.
2. Have rest days after four games rather than two. (The four on, one off pattern is typical of international tournaments, and would allow for 16 games to be played almost as quickly as 12 on the current pattern - especially with the extra day off between the 11th and 12th games.)
3. Speed up the time control to 90' + 30", with a 30' bonus after move 40. (He doesn't explicitly say move 40, but it seems to be assumed.)
He adds a preference that squares with my own, that mixing time controls should be avoided as much as possible. He's not in favor of various suggestions that make rapid play a mandatory part of the match, though he understands the impetus for it.