Published on March 01, 2009 at 6:21 PM BG
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Bulgarian chess Grand Master Vesselin Topalov put an end on February 26 to the semifinal match of contenders for the chess crown conducted in Sofia. With his victory in the 7th party of the match against American Gata Kamski, Topalov collected 4.5 points against 2.5 for Kamski and won the game.
In the last party they played there was no drop of any doubt as to who was better. So Topalov will head in autumn in a bid for the chess crown currently in possession of World Champion Vishvanatan Anand from India, with all chances of becoming world champion for the second time.
Experts and analysts from all over the world are unanimous in their comments on the match, namely that Vesselin Topalov won logically and deservedly, showing a higher class than his American adversary. They point out that throughout the entire match the Bulgarian was dominating over his opponent and duly qualified for the match against Anand. Topalov and Kamski will share an award fund of 250 thousand USD.
Who is Vesselin Topalov? On March 15 he will turn 34. He is world champion of 2005-2006 of the FIDE version. In April 2006 he headed the FIDE list with a chess coefficient ELO 2804 points after great Russian master Gary Kasparov withdrew from active sports career. In April 2006 Topalov is still first with his top achievement of 2813 points. That places him second in the all-times list of only 4 masters having ever reached an ELO above 2800.
He is also one of the six chess masters to have topped the world rank list after 1970 when FIDE officially took up the ELO as a measure of chess players achievements. The other five are Bobby Fisher, USA; Anatolii Karpov, Russia; Garry Kasparov, Russia, Vladimir Kramnik, Russia and Vishvanatan Anand, India.
Author: D. Ushev
Source: http://www.bnr.bg
Having the match in Bulgaria was a big mistake. It is possible Danialov set-up some mind ray that brought Kamsky’s thinking to a standstill in game 2 then unfroze it and then maybe a quick zap caused the NB4 disaster. But only Danialov knows the truth.
A bit odd, to say the least, how this Bulgarian source claims to speak for the entire world … all of the following statements are not quite confirmed by what I read here and elsewhere – including Chessvibes, a neutral (Dutch) source:
“In the last party they played there was no drop of any doubt as to who was better. “
“Experts and analysts from all over the world are unanimous in their comments on the match, namely that Vesselin Topalov won logically and deservedly, showing a higher class than his American adversary. They point out that throughout the entire match the Bulgarian was dominating over his opponent and duly qualified for the match against Anand.”
Well, maybe (probably) if one looks only at the final result ….
THE REAL question is:
Why did he need a FREE-LUNCH candidates-final match if he is such a good player?
This was simply a negotiated ‘Danailov-thing’ where FIDE was blackmailed by a lawsuit because of the scandals of Elista 2006 that DANAILOV himself had created.
What a brilliant coup by Danailov!
The question remains: why don’t the other players simply refuse to accept this?!
In my opinion Anand should simply refuse to play Topalov, saying he already granted a re-match to the winner of Elista 2006 and that he will not grant another match to the loser of Elista 2006, but that he will take on any RIGHTFULLY qualified challenger, but Topalov simply DIDN’T qualify. Period.
I completely agree!
Two of the best players on the world should under no circumstances play a world championship match!
What the Bulgarians did in 2006 will stain Topolov forever
Absolutely! It is a disgrace that the world N1 and N2 will play a championship match! This should under no circumstances be allowed in the future. We should also make sure that Kramnik plays in all world championship matches for the rest of his life – after all, unlike Topalov, he never got a free lunch, but deserved 100% to play against Kasparov in 2000 based on losing the candidates match to Shirov!!
“…This should under no circumstances be allowed in the future. We should also make sure that Kramnik plays in all world championship matches for the rest of his life…”
Agree 100%!!!! We want Vladimir “The Man Who Lives In A Toilet” Kramnik !!!!
The biggest difference between Kramnik and Topalov is the fact that Russian was a world champion, while the Bulgarian was not.
Then why did they play “reunification” match if just one of them was world champion???
Yeah. What was there to re-unite?
Topalov just wanted to play some chest. But, Kramnik claimed the toilet, refusing to close the door, attacking Topalov with hemical warfare agents.
To preapre against Kramnik
“We should also make sure that Kramnik plays in all world championship matches for the rest of his life”.
Could we do it only in Elista – Russia, please?
The journalists covering the event should be also properly selected:)
“Then why did they play “reunification” match if just one of them was world champion???”
Before the match none of them was a world champion, because there can’t be more than one champion in one moment. After defeating Topalov in Elista Kramnik became the fourteenth world champion.
So you are saying that between 1993 and 2006 there was no world champion?
Yes :]
Of course between 1993 and 2000 Kasparov was obviously the best, but his status of world champion was not clear.
Do you have different opinion about it?
Yes :]
Of course between 1993 and 2000 Kasparov was obviously the best, but his status of world champion was not clear.
Do you have different opinion about it?
I don’t recognize Kasparov as anykind of champion after PCA collapsed in 1996. He was FIDE world champion from 1985 to 1993 and PCA champion from 1993 to 1996, and then the PCA title ceased to exist. I don’t recognize “private” titles because a title is not something any individual could own. Like it or not, FIDE was and is the only worldwide chess organization (with exception of 1993-1996 period) that can crown a world champion.
That’s why my list of world champions is following:
Botvinnik – 1948-57, 1958-60 and 1961-63
Smyslov – 1957-58
Tal – 1960-61
Petrosian – 1963-69
Spassky – 1969-72
Fischer 1972-74
Karpov – 1975-85 and 1993-99
Kasparov – 1985-93 + PCA champion from 1993-96
Khalifman – 1999-2000
Anand – 2000-02 and 2007-present
Ponomariov – 2002-04
Kasimdzhanov – 2004-05
Topalov – 2005-06
Kramnik – 2006-07
Everything before WW2 was on informal basis and thus unofficial. There is nothing wrong with that (most sporting competition started on informal basis) but can not by any means be counted as official.
P.S.: You think that Kasparov was not the best after 2000?
In my opinion he proved he was the best right until he retired.
UNDISPUTED world champions are:
Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Euwe, Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosjan, Spassky, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand.
There is no reason to place players like Khalifman, Ponomariov or Kasimdzhanov in row with ones like Capablanca, Botvinnik, Tal or Fischer.