North Yorker knocks off world’s No. 2
TIM FORAN |Oct 07, 2010 – 7:30 AM
Canada’s youngest ever grandmaster has knocked off a granddaddy of the chess world.
North York’s Mark Bluvshtein, 22, checkmated the world’s second highest rated player, Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov, in the seventh round of the recently completed Chess Olympiad in Russia. Topalov, 35, is the former world champion and only lost his number one ranking to Norway’s 19-year-old chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen at the beginning of this year.
“I always felt like I could compete with all the top guys in the world,” said Bluvshtein this week, days after returning from the western Siberia city of Khanty-Mansiysk.
The victory by Bluvshtein, leading Canada on “first board” for the second straight Olympiad, helped the national team achieve a surprising 2-2 draw with the eighth-ranked Bulgaria.
As “first board”, it was Bluvshtein’s job to take on the top player from each nation, including six higher-ranked grandmasters. Individually, he grabbed six of 11 possible points, with four wins, three losses and four draws. Overall, Canada finished the Olympiad with 13 points (four wins, five draws and two losses) in the 11-round tournament, good enough for 37th and higher than its pre-tournament ranking of 53rd.
Here is the full article.
Is he really better than Topalov??
“Is he really better than Topalov??”….Only way to find out is a six-classical game match and if they’re even after 6 games, a couple of blitz tie-breaker.
BFD
TOPO is a cheater. But his cheater buddy was not at the game to signal the computer suggested moves.
However TOPO is the strongest gay chessplayer in the world and was the world champion. I could care less that he is gay, I only dislike his cheating.
hehe, congratulations, well deserved! OPPS!!!
Is there really a New York in Canada??
Topalov can still win this!
Vishy is going to choke!
Checkmated?? Really? Or is this just another example of a journalist who doesn’t understand how master chess is played?
pathetic as pathetic could be !
Canadian? This fellow? Think again…