The above is the playing venue – Courtesy of ChessBase
Kramnik is ready to play game 5 and he wants the forfeit not to count. In addition, he does not agree to any change. He also wants to get rid of the Appeals Committee as he claims that they are on Topalov’s side.
No one knows what will happen from this point on. I truly hope that both players will put the best interest of chess first. This incident is making both players look very bad.
The following has been reported by Misha Savinov. Misha Savinov is a ChessBase correspondent in Elista.
15:00h: The start of the game has been delayed to settle the controversy between the two sides.
15:30h: Topalov is sitting at the board, Kramnik’s clock is running. The “game” was started at
15:22h Elista time.
15:45h: Kramnik is in his rest room, and is waiting for his toilet to open. The press conference of Makropoulos is about to start. So far it seems the game is not going to start unless the toilet is opened…
16:15h: We do not know whether the forfeit is official, but by normal rules Kramnik has lost game five on time. Kramnik appeared at the Makropoulos press conference and made a statement, saying that the Appeals committee is clearly biased. Kramnik demands replacing all members of the Appeals committee, and said he is prepared to play the fifth game of the match tomorrow, according to the rules accepted prior to the match.
17:00h local time: Chief Arbiter Geurt Gijssen confirmed that Kramnik has forfeited the 5th game.
17:45h: Kramnik appeared at the Marko’s press conference and made a statement. Here are a few exerpts from it:
“Makropolous and Azmaiparashvili are very good friends of Danailov. Their actions are clearly biased in favor of Topalov. The decision to grant Danailov full access to videotapes is incorrect and outrageous. I did not sign the contract for acting in a reality show. This goes against all ethical norms and violates my privacy.
I am ready to continue the match and play the 5th game tomorrow on the conditions that were accepted prior to the start of the match. My dignity does not allow me to stand this situation. Now I am going to return to my cottage and rest.”
17:50h: Savinov: “I have no idea how the situation will develop, but the atmosphere is very tense. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is in Sochi with Russian President Vladimir Putin right now, so he can hardly intervene…” 
Why do you keep saying this makes both players look bad?
Kramnik has been treated very unfairly (direct harassment) and has had no reasonable alternative than to demand the agreed prematch conditions upheld.
The shame is on the Topalov team, the Appeals Committee, and whoever started that clock today. Starting the clock before you had agreement to play from both players was the biggest blunder of the century, probably losing the match on the spot.
Get on with events, and stop acting like it’s impossible to keep moral focus.
I think Kramnik has to challenge this – Topalov’s camp can’t get the initiative in the match over the board, so they attack Kramnik’s character, privacy, and freedom. It’s just a psychological trick, and shame on the appeals committee for playing along.
On the whole, I think Topalov looks a lot worse. He raised an unbelievably petty complaint, instead of just focusing on the chess board, where his play so far has been inferior.
But Kramnik agreed to the rules of the match. One of the rules is that a decision of the Appeals Committee is final. Just as in any sport, you need to comply with the officials’ rulings even when you disagree with them. Kramnik knew who was on the Appeals Committee in advance; their identity was not a surprise.
The Chief Arbiter did what he had to do: he started the clock. The rules say that players must appear at the appointed time. They don’t say that the arbiter waits until both players have decided they’re ready.
The arbiter of this match, Guert Geissen, is a class act. He is following the rules.
The appeals committee report said that the number of times Kranmik visited the loo was “exagerated.” Does anyone have a firm count of how many times he went during game 3?
Also, the appeals committee’s response to Topalov’s request seems to be in line with the original match agreement, as private loos weren’t guaranteed.
Topalov is not showing behavior befitting a gentleman of the sport. Unfortunately, his tactics have unhinged Kramnik, who is hanging on a nonsensical argument, and had better agree to play game 6 tomorrow if he doesn’t want his legacy to be centered around a restroom. Any man on the street in the US thinks “Deep Blue” when they think Kasparov. Now they’ll think “potty” when they think Kramnik when this story is re-told in 50 years.
Guys, let’s shake hands and play game 6 tomorrow. Whaddaya say?
Although I prefer watching Topalov’s aggressive play, I have to side with Kramnik on this one. Topalov is acting like he’s in scholastic chess, blaming someone for cheating based solely on bathroom visits, with no concrete evidence; he has already resolved in his mind that Kramnik is a cheater and will not shake his hand! Unbecoming of a chess player and definitely unbecoming of the World Champion.
Kramnik is upset over principle based on his reaction, which currently suggests that he is most probably not cheating. Put yourself in Kramnik’s shoes. How do you proceed when you have to sit across the table from your opponent who won’t shake your hand and sees you as a cheater?
Remember, it is not a foregone conclusion that Kramnik has cheated.
This has certainly tainted Topalov’s character and his title.
I think the forfeit is going to be the main sticking point. Take that out of the picture, and I’m sure a compromise would be possible.
But as things now stand, either Kramnik has to forfeit a game, or Topalov/FIDE have to accept a “do-over.”
Kirsan isn’t there???????????????
The most important match in 13 years and he’s not there?????????
Shame on you Mr.President 🙁
Perhaps Topalov was worried that Kramnik doesn’t wash his hands when he goes to the bathroom?
Now we know this is the REAL World Championship, just as funny as Fischer-Spassky.
“Perhaps Topalov was worried that Kramnik doesn’t wash his hands when he goes to the bathroom?
Now we know this is the REAL World Championship, just as funny as Fischer-Spassky”
YEA;)
I hope that they will continue playing next games like Fischer-Spassky and the match is not finished already:(
Topolov, of all people should not be the one to allow unsubstantiated slanderous attacks to come from his manager after what he went throurgh in San Louis.
Kramnik has now changed from one of my least favorite players to one of my favorite. It wasn’t easy for him to stick to his principles. But as we know FIDE has wronged many chessplayers in the past. They’ve been sued before and it looks like they will be sued again.
How is it possible that Kramnik is cheating? Mr. Topalov: how do you explain you missing Rg4+! Maybe Kramnik is using the talents of that guy in the Karpov_korchnoi match?
no one read my “smokers” post… cheating, cheating, cheating … why not take simple explanations when there are complicated ones … ok!
it is a chess WC = restroom = bathroom = sh**t!
i wonder why the Kramnik side did not protest against a 2 million dollar chip – directly implanted to the “danilov daisy duck Topalov” brain… and what the heck made Mr. Kramnik missing the opportunity to mock his opponent by playing 1.a3 – and leave the board whispering “one more game to catch up (oVERHAUL… VERHAUL…VORHAUL… VOHAUL ….)”
nauseated by chess prima donnas, yours Vohaul – still a smoker, still fat, still a chess player and still with god’s help none to model oneself on …
*twinkering
That Kramnik spent eighty two minutes in front of a bathroom door without entering and without having to go to another restroom proves that his “need” to go 50 times per game to the bathroom is false. Furthermore, he is suspected of using a small chess set to make moves physically while in the bathroom (the only place sans cameras) which gives the palyer a minimum of 300 Elo points of advantage. This is serious since neither player is searched for non-electronic devices.
Don’t feed the troll-hoaxmaker!
Obviously this Kramnik is a cheating weasel, otherwise he would not be so adamant about defending his excruciatingly abundant toilet visits. I mean really, while you are playing chess how can you NOT be cheating when you break your own concentration by physically leaving the table so often? I firmly believe this man should be forced to sit his little chess-diva butt down and play a game without getting up. Players should show up having already s*it, showered, and shaved and be READY TO PLAY so chess, after all they both friggin get a half a million bucks to play chess to begin with! GEEZ!