Update 2: The players at the press conference said they simply forgot to shake hands at the end of this game. No big deal. It happens. They shook hands during the opening ceremony and during every game so far.
No handshake in Anand – Topalov game 3
News from the playing hall in Sofia
Source: Chessdom
Audience in the playing hall of the match Anand – Topalov saw a normal start of round 3 with a full house of journalists and many interested chess fans ready for a battle. The game entered into a well known Slav variation, where white plays with slight advantage and black can draw with precise moves (replay game here). Exactly this led to theoretical discussion not on the board, but rather on the rules of the World Chess Championship.
Before the start of the match, Topalov said that he will play the match according to the Sofia rules, despite the fact they are not official part of the regulations. Anand answered him during the press conference saying, “I have come to Sofia not to play Sofia rules, but World Chess Championship rules.”
After the bishops were exchanged at move 33, the game entered a dead draw position. Topalov and Anand kept on playing. After the time control on move 41, Topalov went to get the arbiter and according to the audience in the playing hall seemingly requested a draw. The arbiter went to the board, but Anand did not look at him and executed his next move, thus continuing the game. The arbiter stayed until the threefold repetition.
Observers from the hall confirm there was no handshake at the end of the game.
Update:
Chessdom.com journalists and the players themselves confirmed there was no handshake after the game.
Stay tuned for news from the press conference. Our journalists will return soon from the playing hall with the full story and the details.
This is so sad and petty, that in something like chess, especially in chess, people would act like that. I don’t want to insult some chess players, but after all, it is really only a game. Sophisticated, complex, mental, mathematical, call it what you want, but it is “only” a game.
On the other hand, it is intellectual enough, that one would expect people who play it, especially on this level, would be intelligent enough to rise above whatever petty grudge, or whatever they have about the opponent, or whoever else.
How can we expect peace in other, far more important matters people to understand each other, if they can’t do it even in chess.
And I had no intention to put down chess in any way, I love chess.
This stuff about involving the arbiter in a draw offer is time-wasting rubbish. It seems we are regressing to the bad old days of mirrored sunglasses, putting a parapsychologist in the audience, and so on. Professional chess always finds some way to shoot itself in the foot.
Yeah Um with yall on this one, UM changing their datasbase now,just to get rid of their old games.Um forcing them to see chess in a different light, but Um sure they gunna keep their front up for as long as possible, just saw a few games in their russian championship, funny stuff.Oh Susan if ya listen to Fischer interview with W.Kronkite he called them the “best guys” , i just flipped it on them and call them the “top guys” but really its from the same school, UM, tricks.
This obsession with Sofia rules again.
The no-handshake biz seems to be a common factor when Topalov’s involved – reserved for WC matches / those who offer him real competition.
What are the details on this? Did Topalov deem something Anand did as a slight?
If this is the world championshop I assume you play by world championship rules. Sophia rules are not relevant. In life, most times there is no way to have ‘your own way’. Most of us learn to deal with this.
I like both Topalov and Anand. I think their level of accomplishment is staggering. However I have yet to hear anything negative from Anand.
I have heard quotes from Topalov as to how an organization has ‘imbecile rules’ (http://www.anand-topalov.com/en/interviews&article_id=10.html) and so on and this is just very sad. I hope this is not true. Agree with Gabor that how can we expect peace in more important matters when we can’t even get this right.
Also agree with Finegold.. involving the arbiter is odd. Topalov got up.. he could have left his seat to visit the bathroom.. you can not expect the other player to just hang it up while his time is running down…
I don’t think this is an isolated incident. Magnus did it too.
Shame on those idiots who jumped all over Topalov because of their bias. Both players admitted that they simply forgot to shake hands in the heat of the moment.
Sounds like a simple mistake. People are reading too much into this.
I dont think both players admitted, its only Topa who said that Anand joked about it and forgave
“Those idiots” simply predicted this behavior of Topalov, so no surprise there. There’s nothing, absolutely nothing, not purposely done. It’s all well thought out.
One participant should not be allowed to dictate the rules.
I did find it odd that Topalov made the draw offer through the arbiter. However it seems the non-handshake occurred because the arbiter was relaying the offer and acceptance.
It looked as though both players were more focused on the arbiter then each other. I suspect if the draw offer was made directly, a handshake would have occurred upon agreement to the draw.