In praise of… Vladimir Kramnik Leader
Friday
October 13, 2006
The Guardian
For the past three weeks, chess aficionados have been gripped by the most dramatic world championship match for 20 years. After yesterday’s 12th game, the contenders for the title, the Russian Vladimir Kramnik and the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, remain locked at 6-6. The battle to reunify chess’s world title after 13 years of infighting goes on. The title will be settled today by “rapid-play” and then “blitz” chess – shorter games relying on instinct as much as calculation.
But there is already no doubt who the moral victor in this struggle is: Kramnik, the tall, understated Russian who forfeited game five when the now discredited appeals committee ruled against him in the great toilet dispute. His opponent, with no evidence, implied that Kramnik was making visits to the loo to consult a computer; Kramnik refused to play, and it was awarded to Topalov. Everyone thought that would be the end of the match, an outcome that would have been devastating for chess.
The rest of the article can be read here.
Great Article. Simple and to the point.
You don’t need to be a lawyer to figure out what went wrong.
Kramnik may not be the greatest player the world has seen, but he has certainly shown real class in this match.
REPETITIVE WAFFEL
Kramnik’s not only the moral victor, he’s the actual victor. He beat Topalov 6-5 in the chess. The chess is all that matters to telling us who the better chessplayer is.
“His opponent, with no evidence, implied that Kramnik was making visits to the loo to consult a computer”
That’s just a lie. Never did Topalov accuse Kramnik to cheat.
This article of the Guardian is as bad as are usually the Guardian’s articles.
The Guardian was known for his rabid anti-americanism and antisemitism, now it will be known too for his anti-topalovism and anti-good-chessism.
hola … yo creo que Topalov tiene ventaja en este match a 4 partidas … debido a que a pesar de Kramnik ser un jugador exelente en rapidas … el estilo de ataque y presion de Topalov es muy dificil de contener sin tomarse el tiempo necesario … yo creo que si Topalov entra en alguna novedad o saca de la galera alguna vieja jugada complicara mucho a Kramnik.
Never in the history of chess has so much been written about so little and so divided the chess world. May such a situation continue so that chess gets the public attention it deserves.
Topalov is the man. Kramnik is the spoilt brat
Go, Topalov!!. Go, man, go!! The real champion of Caissa.
Kramnik has no class. To sit out Game 5 shows his lack of class.
I think the comments about Kramnik winning 6-5 or replaying the 5th game are rubbish for the simple reason that Topalov played game 6 under the assumption that he had that extra point. You cant suddenly retrospectively change that because Topalov’s entire match strategy has been based on it, that is why I think any Court would be very reluctant to overrule the forfeit. If you do overrule the forfeit you also have to play all the games again so that Topalov can have a match strategy which accounts for the actual score.
Many people keep saying that Kramnik won 6-5 on the board, but I dont think Kramnik deserved a full point for game 2 – he was totally outplayed and only the multiple blunders of Topalov saved him from a spectacular loss. A true champion should outplay the opponent, and this was not the case with Kramnik nor with Topalov, so 6-6 is in some sense the just result so far.
To the person who listed those who supported Kramnik, you forgot many others, most of them with no vested interests.
It would have been much easier for you to list those who have supported Topalov. You would run out of names after 3 lines.
The whole strategy of Kramnik in this match is to win by contract. His managers hired very good lawyers who made a contract with super favourable conditions for him. The match played in Russia, with timing to Kramnik’s liking, private unmonitored bathroom … No wonder that Kramnik wants the match to be decided in court. The basic standpoint for him and the organisation that supports him (ACP) is to make chess a business, complete with contracts and law suits. Kramnik is an outstanding proponent of business chess, a philosophy that Kasparov follows for over 15 years. However, Kramnik proved better than Gary in this off-the-board contractual business battle.
No byline for this short, silly editorial. I assume Barden. One-sided and doesn’t either tell or understand the complete story. Typical of the Guardian, which has earned itself a similir reputation in the world of journalism.
Guardian? Anti-semitism? Doubtful.
This is crap! There are rules set, and they were waiting for Kramnik 1 hour to start the game 5. Well, he dicided to stay in his restroom… This was stupid and childish.
I’m not supporting any of them, however the truth must be said – Topalov played for victory, offensive and attractive. Kramink… one word – boring! Defense, defense, defense…