After a slow start with 7 consecutive draws due to illness, Magnus won his last two games to finish in a tie for 2nd place. He is also now the new #1 player in the world on the LIVE rating list, 0.6 point higher than Topalov! Let’s not forget about the fantastic performance by Kramnik in this tournament. He played aggressively and his preparation is superb.
Final crosstable (TWIC)
| 1. | Kramnik, Vladimir | g | RUS | 2772 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 6 | 2888 |
| 2. | Ivanchuk, Vassily | g | UKR | 2739 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5½ | 2846 |
| 3. | Carlsen, Magnus | g | NOR | 2801 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 2839 |
| 4. | Aronian, Levon | g | ARM | 2786 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5 | 2804 |
| 5. | Anand, Viswanathan | g | IND | 2788 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 | 2804 |
| 6. | Gelfand, Boris | g | ISR | 2758 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4½ | 2764 |
| 7. | Ponomariov, Ruslan | g | UKR | 2739 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2723 |
| 8. | Svidler, Peter | g | RUS | 2754 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 3½ | 2685 |
| 9. | Leko, Peter | g | HUN | 2752 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 3 | 2640 |
| 10. | Morozevich, Alexander | g | RUS | 2750 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 3 | 2640 |
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
King Magnus! His Royal Highness Kramnik!
I thought the world champion was #1.
No, Anand is number 3 on the last official list. He’s currently 3rd on the live list.
All hail Magnus, the new #1 via a test of fortitude, perseverance, and skill!
Nice to see “The world’s best Carlsen” on top of the roof of ratings!
Not obvious that Carlsen’s 7 draws were due to illness.
All you can say is that his illness didn’t help.
Don’t forget that Kramnik was also ill and won the event.
Blah Blah Blah.
When was the last time an 18!!! year old was ever world number 1?
Never!
Congrats Magnus.
ps: I love that he doesn’t care about the Fide title. Pure Justice.
3. Carlsen, Magnus g
Carlsen was 3rd in Tal Memorial no 1st.
Carlsen is first like marketing product.
Carlsen was #1 on the live list before. It’s unclear whether he will stay there until the end of year to officially become #1 for the first time in his life.
So I really don’t understand what all the fuss is about.
He doesn’t care about the FIDE title??? By that I assume you mean the title of World Champion.
I can GUARANTEE you that if you ask him (or any other player) if he could chose between being #1 on the rating list or being a World Champion, he would chose the second option without hasitation.
I honestly doubt the veracity of the “Fide” title and I think Carlsen does as well. Being a FIDE World Champion just aint what it used to be.
When an outfit like Fide runs things the way they do…making paper Champions..THink Kalifman…and that other guy who’s name I forget…The Fide title no longer is the litmus test for World Champion and it hasn’t been for a long time. I agree…Carlsen has plenty of great chess opportunities outside Fide. He’s got nothing to prove to Fide…as long as he keeps playing these great tourneys…he’ll make a killing financially anyhows…why bother with all the Fide BS?
From 1994 through 2005, the FIDE World Champion really wasn’t what it used to be. Since the 2006 Reunification Match, however, the FIDE WC has been the only game in town. The 2007 WC Mexico City Tournament being for the WC title instead of determining Kramnik’s title match challenger hasn’t helped the reputation of the WC title, and neither has the wimpy 12-game championship matches instead of the time-honored 24-game WC format.