Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik Wins World Chess Championship
Friday, October 13, 2006
AP
ELISTA, Russia — Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik won a match against Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov in a tiebreaker Friday, becoming the first universally recognized world chess champion since 1993.
Kramnik won the tension-filled match by a score of 8.5-7.5 in a final day of quick, time-limited games.
Each of the 31-year-old players was to receive US$500,000 for taking part in the match, which was arranged to heal a 13-year-old schism in the chess world dating back to World Champion Garry Kasparov’s withdrawal from the World Chess Federation.
Kramnik secured his victory in the fourth game Friday, which Kramnik won with White. Friday’s score was 2.5-1.5.
Kramnik is world chess champion
The chess world has an undisputed world champion for the first time since 1993, after Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik won a reunification match in a tie-break.
His match with Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov was tied 6-6 at the end of the scheduled series.
In a tiebreaker series of four rapid-play games, Kramnik won the final one to beat his rival 8.5-7.5 overall.
The match reunified two rival chess organisations which split apart 13 years ago.
The dispute dated from the occasion when Garry Kasparov withdrew from the World Chess Federation.
Veselin Topalov was recognised as the World Chess Champion, and Vladimir Kramnik the Classical World Champion.
As Topalov resigned in the final game, Kramnik stood up and celebrated his victory by clutching his hands above his head, as his team erupted in joyful cheers.
“We are planning to get drunk with my friends today,” he said.
You can read the rest here.
Townhall.com has this…
Topalov, who is known for aggressive play, won his title of World Chess Champion in October 2005. Kramnik, whom enthusiasts liken to a boa constrictor for his slow but deadly play, has been the classical world champion since 2000, when he defeated Kasparov.
Now the two championships have merged under the aegis of the World Chess Federation, known by its French acronym FIDE.
“Life goes on, I am 31, and I still have a chance to fight for the champion’s title,” Topalov said.
The rest can be read here.
So now Anand will be facing Kramnik at Mexico….not Topalov anymore. Hope those matches will be equally interesting….
World Champion Kramnik Rules the chess world! Ban Cheater Topalov for one year!
Congrats to both competitors for entertaining games. Well done to Kramnik whos win can be called a kind of natural justice.
Both players continue to have long careers ahead of them… though a few management changes at this time would not go amiss.
Mig said it:
“Anyone else ever beaten the clear world #1 in match play twice in a lifetime? Mebbe Botvinnik’s rematch wins over Smyslov and Tal? Anyway, phenomenal achievement.”
Veselin who?
Go Kramnik!
ITS VASELIN TOILETOPOV…
Is it something we apply?
http://www.fatcitytattoo.com/vaseline.jpg
Suzan When you get a chance come check us out we are a new chess server very small. Its more like a chess club but with lot of good people. Address is http://www.infiniachess.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
aweosme! Kramnik deserved it!
The better player and the better sportsman won this.
It’s a shame it ended in tie breaks, but it was the only fair result. IMHO, Kramnik had already won this, so it would have been a great injustice if he had “lost” in the tie breaks.
Krapniks trophy should be a porta potty.
>>Krapniks trophy should be a porta potty.
>>
Even Topalov admitted that Kramnik wasn’t cheating. You’re probably just a bad sport.
Not complaining, though! Do it some more! Hee hee. It’s cute.
Kramnik didn’t have to cheat with all of the blunders Topalov made in winning positions (even drawn positions).
@Ben,
Do you mean a one-year ban on Danailov? I prefer a lifetime ban on the swine.
Kramnik to BBC :
“We are planning to get drunk with my friends today,” he said.
Is Susan a friend of Kramnik ??!!!!
@irishspy
Still seems rather lenient to me…
Let this be the first and LAST time that short time control games (Rapid or Blitz) are used to tie-break a proper World Chess Championship match.
G
[Let this be the first and LAST time that short time control games (Rapid or Blitz) are used to tie-break a proper World Chess Championship match.]
Hopefully FIDE will wake up and stop tournaments from picking WC’s and go back to match play, the only TRUE way to choose a WC!
“World Champion Kramnik Rules the chess world! Ban Cheater Topalov for one year!”
Maybe they should name Topalov Vice-World Champion.
Cause whenever I think of his behavior in this match, I think of vice.
Krapnik vs Toiletov, what a match.
I do not get it.
Why the morons here are so jubilant about the next KGB victory???
Are russian commies posting here?
Next thing you know they will be rooting for the Chi-Coms
Botvinnik was a cheater, from time to time (yes, yes, toillet).
I do not see a clear reason why Kramnik could not be a cheater.
Well you are the only person who seems to think so.
Can you explain how he cheated in the rapid games?
It’s time you just accepted the result and moved on.
In the end it came down to nerves, and Kramniks experience paid off I think.
I sincerely hope we see another match with these two, but without Danailov…
“We are planning to get drunk today.”
Now there’s a world champion for you…perhaps I will withdraw my support for him…
Why would you withdraw your support for getting drunk? Actually, it’s a pretty natural way to celebrate the victory after so many days of tensions 🙂 I hope they will have a great party 🙂
Exactly Marcin! After an event of such tremendous tension, a proper drinking party is just what the doctor ordered!!! I know for a fact that Volodija is especially fond of GIN & TONIC-cocktails. I hope he gets a few!!!!!