Everything/Anything and…Chess…"Despite the documented evidence by chess historian HJR Murray, I've always thought that chess was invented by a goddess"–George Koltanowski: from the foreword to:"Women in chess, players of the Modern Age"
Norwegian camera teams may have been swarming around Magnus Carlsen before his meeting with world number two Levon Aronian, but the serious chess spectators had eyes firmly fixed on the start of Kramnik-Topalov, where the feud that began in their acrimonious 2006 world title match has resulted in permanently frosty relations.
by GM Jonathan Tisdall
Some of the games played today round 5. On this link you can follow the live games or play through games already played in previous rounds.
Tromso round 5: Topalov vs Kramnik
Round 5: Kramnik vs Topalov 1-0
Round 5: Ivan Cheparinov vs Peter Svidler 1/2-1/2 Round 5: Aronian vs Carlsen 1/2-1/2
Round 5: Barileng Gaealafshwe vs Kenny Solomon 0-1 On this youtube.com/watch?v=-xABHJdf31o link you can see Kenny as South Africa’s Chess Grandmaster and it’s strange that Fide still has him as an IM on his profile here: ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=14300192 Melissa Greeff is South Africa’s first Women Chess Grandmaster.
Chess art at Tromso
I’m glad about one thing: Aronian didn’t win. I was hoping that Kramnik would win, but a draw is good enough, for now.
I’ve been looking at the openings of the games played by Kramnik and Aronian, as I missed their games and could only follow game 6 on Saturday. It was interesting to see that both players did what I like to do – to capture my opponent’s Knight, as soon as I can. Well, maybe it was just them in these games, I can’t really say that’s how they always play. I love to keep my Knights for their unusual moves and that can come in very handy, especially with forks. Maybe in game 6 Kramnik decided with his Knight-move [move 7] that Aronian shouldn’t have his Knight – this time. When I played through their games, I found Game 3 quite a weird game! Some weird moves for Chess Grandmasters! [hehe] Maybe they were having fun. You can click on the images for a larger view. On this link HERE you can play through their games.
Kramink vs Aronian: Game 1
Aronian vs Kramnik: Game 2
Kramnik vs Aronian: Game 3
Aronian vs Kramnik: Game 4
Kramnik vs Aronian: Game 5
Aronian vs Kramnik Game 6
Rapid Game
This is the rapid game. Is it just ‘me’? Is this really a ‘great’ move? Aronian brought his Rook down to e1. He captures white’s Rook on a1. White moves his Bishop to d4. This is my question. Why did Aronian not see that move a few moves ahead. The King is pinned …with his Queen. – Is there a very good reason why he moved like he [Aronian] did. Why did he leave his King pinned? Why did Aronian not capture the Pawn on g6? Do I miss something?
Pleaseclick the image to go to the official site. The link will open in a new window.
Just saying: I hope Kramnik beats Aronian up, because Aronian thinks womencan’t play chess! [lol…I know Aronian has improved his chess over the past few years, but still…Kramnik, you go!]
Schedule Date Saturday 21 April – Saturday 28 April 2012 Venue Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville, Festsaal Rounds 6 (classical chess)
Rate of play – 40 moves in 120 minutes – 20 moves in 60 minutes – Rest of game in 15 minutes with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting after move 61
If a game ends within 3 hours in a draw, an additional Rapid Game will be played (which does not count for the overall result) Schedule
Fri. April 20: 19:00 Briefing Sat. April 21: 15:00 Round 1 Sun. April 22: 15:00 Round 2 Mon. April 23: Rest Day Tue. April 24: 15:00 Round 3 Wed. April 25: 15:00 Round 4 Thu. April 26: Rest Day Fri. April 27: 15:00 Round 5
Here’s the evidence: Two adult tickets – 11th December 2010. Anand, the moment of truth…and yes, this will be my second too. Watch this space for the photos…[click the image for a larger view] Anand is my favourite and I do look forward to seeing him in action. Edit: Sadly, I couldn’t attend the event due to illness!
Viswanathan Anand became the undisputed world chess champion in 2007 and has since defended the title twice in matches with Vladimir Kramnik in 2008 and Veselin Topalov in 2010. In an age when more and more players are playing professional chess, with infinitely more sophisticated training resources and information available to them, his achievement in defending the top spot from all comers is as impressive as any of the successes of his championship predecessors.
Vishy, as he is affectionately known to colleagues and fans, is a hero in his native India, putting him on a par with the nation’s top cricketers. From Tamil Nadu, he was taught the game by his mother when he was six and made rapid progress. His intuitive sight of the board and super-fast speed on the move marked him out as a future champion from his mid-teens. He became national champion in 1985, world junior champion in 1987 and a grandmaster in 1988.
Anand joined the chess super-elite in the early 1990s and he qualified to play Garry Kasparov in the PCA World Championship of 1995. Against all the odds he took the lead in the match in the ninth game but eventually ran out the loser by 7½-10½. Vishy pursued the FIDE version of the title and had a near miss in 1999 against Anatoly Karpov despite some unfortunate tournament scheduling which required him to play the final match immediately after a gruelling qualification event. In 2000 he won the FIDE version of the title in Tehran and held it until 2002.
Following the reunification of the chess world championship in 2006, Anand won a world championship match-tournament in 2007 ahead of the reigning world champion Vladimir Kramnik. Though the latter graciously ceded all claim on the title to his rival, many purists amongst pundits and fans longed to see the championship decided under traditional matchplay rules. Their wish was granted in 2008 when Anand and Kramnik played a match in Bonn. The Indian made no mistake, defeating his Russian opponent fair and square, and thus becoming only the second world champion ever to have won the world title in both tournament and match formats. Anand duly defended his title in a match in 2010 against world number two Veselin Topalov, on his opponent’s home ground in Bulgaria. His next challenge is due in 2012, when it is hoped that the match will be played in London.
Some past world champions have become known to the general public for their off-board eccentricities and personal rivalries but not so Viswanathan Anand. Throughout his career he has shown himself to be the perfect Indian gentleman who dispels attempts to provoke or upset him with a disarming smile. Indeed, one of the major difficulties facing his rivals is that he is simply impossible to dislike! For example, when preparing for his 2010 world title match, his behind-the-scenes assistants included the previous champion Vladimir Kramnik, whom Anand had defeated two years earlier, and Magnus Carlsen. With the charm of Capablanca, the industriousness of Botvinnik and the natural talent of Kasparov, Anand will be a hard man to beat in London in 2010. He lives in Spain with his wife Aruna, who is also his manager. Please click HERE for the Official site and to read about the other players. The Players:
Chess is Free for Children at the London Classic 2010 [Read on the link of the Official site more about it – on their homepage]
London Chess Classic 2 – Date: 8-15 December at Olympia.I attended the London Classic I last year in December and will definitely not miss this one too as Anand [my favourite] will be playing!You can read my entry about the 2009 Classic HERE on the 12th December 2009.
Image: londonchessclassic
Heading the line-up is the world chess champion, Viswanathan Anand from India; the teenage sensation who currently outranks him on the world chess rating list, Magnus Carlsen from Norway; and Anand’s immediate predecessor as champion, Vladimir Kramnik from Russia.
Vishy Anand is the one addition to the field that contested the first London Chess Classic in December 2009. Though undisputed world champion, Anand is currently not the highest rated player in the world, but he recently wrested back third place from Kramnik, so is considered the man most likely to stop Carlsen making it two London triumphs in a row. Anand has recently stated that his ambition is to regain his number one status, so it sounds like he already has plans for his clash with the prodigiously talented Norwegian in London.
Kramnik and Anand
London Chess Classic 2010 lineup
Carlsen, Magnus NOR 2826
Anand, Viswanathan IND 2800
Kramnik, Vladimir RUS 2780
Nakamura, Hikaru USA 2733
Adams, Michael ENG 2728
Short, Nigel D ENG 2690
McShane, Luke J ENG 2657
Howell, David W L ENG 2616
Clickherefor entry forms – to take part in the tournamnet [yes, you can play there too] andherefor tickets.
On the way to the Olympia Centre – where the London Chess Classic is being held
Black bird in a tree
Hammersmith-area – traffic and weather
The players…
Kramnik looked away shyly when I winked at him [hehe] and Nigel suddenly said to Michael Adams…you know what, she’s the only woman around here![NOT – there were many others]
aha! got him smiling!
The stage
And everyone wants the best shot
And I got mine too
Kramnik watching the electronic board
The electronic board, we were allowed to click-click only the first 5 min into the games
A Semi-giant set in the foyer – a lovely set
Art in the foyer, do I see a pawn’s head in this piece of art – or is it my chess-brain working overtime?[hehe]
bikes outside
Headless London pawns lined-up – standing vigilant – for McShane’s and Howell’s game?
Into the night
My impression/opinion of the London Chess Classic
It was great to see these GM’s in real life, they are all great people and great players. It was great to see them playing live on the stage, to see how they respond and their reactions during a tournament. I was very excited to see them as Kramnik is one of my favourite players. Carlsen too, as he’s young and many students can associate with him and he can be of an inspiration to many young players wanting to reach their goal of becoming a GM too?
The venue was great, it wasn’t my first time at the Olympia. If I can have a moan about a few things and maybe, just maybe someone will pick it up and do something about it. Firstly, the Ladies’ toilet near the auditorium was changed into a Gents room. The nearest Ladies was in the East Hall in a maze of corridors with doors enough to take 6mil people to heaven at any one time. I waited for an old lady as I knew she wasn’t going to find her way back. She was already stressed out when she saw me, saying she found it hard to find it – despite the little arrows you could follow. Secondly, the T-shirts were all in sizes Large -and up and then in a small, but no medium-sized-shirts. I was told by Philippa – the wife of Malcolm Pein [organiser of the tournament] – she’s an ex Saffa and spoke to me in Afrikaans, how nice! – that these shirts were not available in a medium-size- as they reasoned that females were not really going to buy it – duh! Was I going to be the only female wanting a shirt? Then I must be of a very rare specie! I did buy a large though, a mug and a pen. I think I will sleep in this large, baggy shirt.[lol]
The games. The chess games were great – sort of. I was very annoyed with Howell and McShane’s game. They didn’t have a good game, it was a boring game, right from the start. Later on I didn’t even follow their game on the board. Magnus played a good game up to a point and I lost interest. Kramnik’s game wasn’t up to the standard I expected from him and I didn’t follow his game – they finished first and quite early too. I was still thinking how to go about to get some autographs when Kramnik disappeared from the stage. One guy was lucky, he was near the exit on Kramnik’s side. You would think they would go to the foyer to mingle with the common chess players and where you can grab them for an autograph. I lost interest in all the games that were left and we left about 6pm. Our parking ticket was £25, all worth it, but will I do it again to see my favourite players in action? I don’t know, maybe. Maybe if us women don’t have to walk two miles for a ladies room, the chess games worth it and t-shirts in medium size [lol] [I must add, the first time I did use the toilet for disabled people, but I was given the look when I wanted to use it again]
On this photo I’m sitting on the right at the far end – you can’t see me! but you can see hubby on the left. The photo is from the official site. We played three games. We arrived at about 12:15-ish and played till about 13:40.
Denise Frick – South African-player taking part in the Women’s Invitational – image: Official site
Fortress Gate – image: wikitravel – a different view
Image: Wikipedia The two teams’ photos in the glass front of the theatre where they’re playing
Image: Chessbase
Azerbaijan vs Fide World 7-9 May 2009 in Baku
How is it possible to mis good chess! The world’s big champs play in this tournament and Baku is my favourite chess city! Braam…I hope you’re reading this…I know you live in Baku!
Please click hereto follow the games LIVE. For the official site, click here, links will open in new windows. Click on images for a larger view and follow the official site to see more player-info of the players that are taking part in this tournament. All images are from the official site.
The opening ceremony of “President’s Cup” tournament, that is devoted to great national leader Heydar Aliyev’s memory, will hold in “UNS” (creative stage) theatre at 05:00 p.m. in 07 May, 2009, the tournament will also hold there from 07 May till 09 May 2009.
The World champion Vishvanatan Anand (Indian), vice-champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), the finalist of the latest World’s Cup – Aleksey Shirov (Spain), and the winner of the latest authoritative tournament Veyk-ann-Zee – Sergey Karyakin (Ukraine) have taken part in the world team which will be hold by the “Sheveningen” system.
Teymur Radjabov, Vugar Hashimov, Shahriyar Mamedyarov, Gadir Huseynov and Rauf Mamedov will compete in the Azerbaijan team against them. The first day of the biggest chess event in the history of Azerbaijani sport – the Presidential Cup tournament in commemoration of Haydar Aliyev, the National Leader of Azerbaijan, left behind. Two rounds of the match between FIDE’s World picked team and Azerbaijani picked team were played in the building of Uns theater.
The impression from the first round was very positive. Teymur Rajabov tied with Vishvanatan Anand, and Vuqar Hasimov tied with Ex World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. The only win of the day was signed by Shahriyar Mammedyarov. He defeated the Spanish grandmaster Alexei Shirov. Qadir Huseynov who found himself in a very difficult situation has managed to take half point from the Ukrainian Sergey Karyakin due to right moves in the endgame.
The picked team of the world showed itself in the second round. Qadir and Vuqar were defeated by Shirov and Anand respectively. Teymur who played agains Kramnik and Shahriyar who played ahainst Karyakin gained half point each.
There is no doubt that Vishvanatan Anand and and Shahriyar Mammadov were central figures of the first day.
Both players have managed to gain 1.5 points each – more than their colleagues. Shahriyar will also be remembered as the author of our first victory during the first round. He also put his sign under the only victory of our players.
Round 3. Kramnik defeat Huseynov
Round 3 was played today at the ” President’s Cup” international chess tournament dedicated to the memory of nationwide leader Haydar Aliyev. All the opponents, except Gadir Guseynov who lost to Viswanathan Anand, reached an accord amongst each other. Hence, points were shared in the games between World Champion Vishvanatan Anand vs. Shahriyar Mamedyarov, the leader of team of Azerbaijan Teymur Radjabov vs. Aleksey Shirov, and Sergey Karyakin vs. Vugar Gashimov, respectively. After the Round 3 FIDE World Team is leading with the score of 7-5.
Round 4. FIDE improve the margin
FIDE World team increased the points of margin in the round 4 through the performance in the “President’s Cup” international chess tournament dedicated to the memory of nationwide leader Haydar Aliyev. There was a substitution in this round in the team of Azerbaijan. Rauf Mamedov substituted by Gadir Huseynov who shared points equally with Indian Grand Master Vishwanatan Anand. The leader of the team of Azerbaijan Teymour Rajabov lost to the latest winner of the Veyk An Zee tournament –Sergei Karyakin. The same result was destined for Shahriyar Mamedyarov. The hero of the yesterday, Resistance pursued by “Shah” against Kramnik turned out to be a disappointment. The game played between Vugar Gashimov vs. Aleksey Shirov ended with “peace”. Winning by 1-3 in the round 4, FIDE World Team secured the points to 10, totaling 10 – 6. – Report from the official site.
Kramnik – Fide World Team
Anand – Fide World Team
Radjabov – Azerbaijan Team
Shirov – Azerbaijan Team
Schedule
Azerbaijan vs Fide World…round 4 – click on chess graphics for a clear view
Round 4: Karjakin vs Radjabov 1-0
Round 4 Gashimov vs Shirov 1/2
Round 4 Mamedov vs Anand 1/2
Round 4 Kramnik vs Mamedjarov 1-0
Results after the 2nd day of the tournament
Round 6: Gashimov vs Anand 0-1
Round 6: Kramnik vs Radjabov 1/2
Round 6: Guseinov vs Shirov End position 1/2
Round 6: Karjakin vs Mamedjarov End position 1/2
Results: Round 6
Anand vs Mamedov round 8 – End position 1-0
Radjabov vs Karjakin Round 8 End Position 1-0
Round 8 : results
Final standings: Fide World Team – 21,5 Azerbaijan Team – 10,5
Please click HERE to play through the games of Anand/Kramnik on the site of nytimes(gambit). The link will open in a new window.
Images: Official site
Follow THIS LINKon my blog to see the results of all their games, move-by-move, also to follow many other links to sites with games played previously, including a link to the Official site…and…on THIS LINK ..also on my blog, you can go through annotated movies of their games played through the WCC 2008. Enjoy! Links will open in a new window.
News Article from the BBC:
Anand retains world chess title
Anand said he had given one of his best-ever performances
India’s Viswanathan Anand has retained his FIDE World Chess Championship title by beating Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik in the German city of Bonn.
Anand won three games, drew seven times and lost once en route to winning the competition by 6.5 points to 4.5.
He and Kramnik will share the total prize fund of 1.5m euros ($1.94m).
Anand became FIDE world champion last year by winning a tournament in Mexico, where Kramnik was again runner-up. Anand first won the title in 2000.
Kramnik, the Classical World Chess Champion, had competed in the 2007 World Chess Federation (FIDE) world championship with the understanding that if he lost, he would get a chance to reclaim the title by playing a match against the winner in 2008.
“Vladimir pushed me into giving my all. I’ve given one of my best-ever performances here in Bonn,” Anand, 38, told the AFP news agency after his victory on Wednesday.
“I tried everything, but it just wasn’t enough. Life is like that and defeat is part of it,” Kramnik conceded.
Anand, who was born in the southern Indian city of Madras (Chennai), divides his time between India and Spain.
Known as the “Tiger from Madras”, his achievements have triggered huge interest in the game in India with chess clubs mushrooming in many parts of the country.
Annotated Videos of Anand and Kramnik ‘s games can be played through on this link, it is on my blog (the “movies” page) and the link will open in a new window. You can also click on that page (top of my blog)
Game 1…Kramnik and Anand…
Image: Official site…Anand vs Kramnik
The World Chess Championships 2008 has started! Anand vs Kramnik! The two Chess Engines of the World! 1. Please click HERE to play through their 2008 World Chess Championships games on chessgames. The link will open in a new window. 2. Please click HEREif you want to read more about the two players, play through more games or if you want some games in algebraic notation. The link will open in a new window.
3. Please click HEREif you want to play through previous games of Anand and Kramnik on the Official site. The link will open in a new window.
4. On The Official site you can follow the games LIVE. The link will open in a new window. If you click on the top image/logo in this post, it will take you to the Official site’s homepage. The link will open in a new window. 5. If you click HEREyou can view a list of games played by Anand/Kramik..it’s a Wiki-link and it will open in a new window. Find similar links in the second link of this post where you can also find some games in algebraic notation.
Games start 2pm for UK local time, 9 am Eastern USA time
Standings: After Game 9 Results of the games between Anand and Kramnik Game 1 Kramnik vs Anand…1/2
Game 2 Anand vs Kramnik…1/2
Game 3 Kramnik vs Anand…0-1
Game 4 Anand vs Kramnik…1/2
Game 5 Kramnik vs Anand…0-1
Game 6 Anand vs Kramnik…1-0
Game 7 Anand vs Kramnik… 1/2
Game 8 Kramnik vs Anand … 1/2
Game 9 Anand vs Kramnik … 1/2
Game 10 Kramnik vs Anand..1-0
Game 11 Anand vs Kramnik.. 1/2
Kramnik vs Anand…game 1…opening
Kramnik vs Anand…game 1 move 11
Kramnik vs Anand…game 1 move 21
Kramnik vs Anand…game 1 end position
Game 1 move list
GAME/Round 2…Anand vs Kramnik….
Game 2 15th October 2008…move 11
Anand vs Kramnik ….Game 2 move 17
Anand vs Kramnik game 2 move 24
Anand vs Kramnik game 2 Final position…1/2
Kramnik vs Anand..Game 3 move 7
Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 move 14 Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 move 20 Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 move 25 Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 move 30 Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 move 33 Kramnik vs Anand…Game 3 end position 0-1 Game 3 move list Anand vs Kramnik…Game 4 move 7 Anand vs Kramnik…Game 4 move 12 Anand vs Kramnik… Game 4 move 19 Anand vs Kramnik…Game 4 move 24
Anand vs Kramnik…Game 4 endposition
Game 4 move list
Kramnik vs Anand…game 5 move 7 Kramnik vs Anand…game 5 move 14
Kramnik vs Anand…game 5 move 21
Kramnik vs Anand…game 5 end position
Game 5 move list
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 7
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 14
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 20
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 27
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 34
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 move 39
Anand vs Kramnik game 6 final position
Game 6 move list
Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 move 7 Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 move 13
Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 move 19
Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 move 25
Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 move 31
Anand vs Kramnik Game 7 end position
Game 7 move list
Kramnik vs Anand game 8 move 7
Kramnik vs Anand Game 8 move 14
Kramnik vs Anand Game 8 move 21
Kramnik vs Anand Game 8 move 28
Kramnik vs Anand Game 8 move 36
Kramnik vs Anand Game 8 final position
Game 8 move list
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 7
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 14
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 19
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 27
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 32
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 move 41
Anand vs Kramnik Game 9 end position
Game 9 move list
Kramnik vs Anand Game 10 move 7
Kramnik vs Anand Game 10 move 18
Kramnik vs Anand Game 10 move 23
Kramnik vs Anand Game 10 Final position
Game 10 move list
Anand vs Kramnik Game 11 move 7
Anand vs Kramnik Game 11 move 13
Anand vs Kramnik Game 11 end position
Anand vs Kramnik Game 11 move list
On this linkof Chessgames you can play through Kramnik and Anand’s games where they played one another before. On link 1 in this post you can play through the current games of the championships in Bonn. A new window will open when you click on the link!
Please click HERE to play through annotated videos of the games of Anand and Kramnik, 2008. The link will open in a new window. It is also the “movies”-link on my blog..top page.
Images: Official site
The big day has arrived! Opening ceremony on today…Monday 13th October
LIVE CHESS…click on the link on the top right of my blog! Follow this new link with the games I blog and chess graphics about their games….
14th October – 2nd November 2008….Who is going to be the winner?? The battle for the highest Chess Title! You can find the OFFICIAL LINK on my side-bar in the “Admin”-section as well in the “Chess” section…look out for the same image as the image in top of this post…I will be following the Championships and blog about it too…you can also find a link underneath my “welcome” image…on the side bar of my blog..(right hand side- top – the link will open in a new window) Please click hereto look at statistics between the 2 players on Wiki…the link will open in a new window. Schedule for the World Chess Championship 2008:
All games start at 3pm! 2pm UK local time and 9am Eastern USA time. Game 1 Tuesday October 14 —1/2 Game 2 Wednesday October 15 Game 3 Friday October 17
Game 4 Saturday October 18 Game 5 Monday October 20
Game 6 Tuesday October 21
Game 7 Thursday October 23
Game 8 Friday October 24
Game 9 Sunday October 26
Game 10 Monday October 27
Game 11 Wednesday October 29
Game 12 Friday October 31
Tiebreak Sunday November 02
On this link of Chessgamesyou can play through Kramnik and Anand’s games where they played one another. A new window will open when you click on the link! If you slide down to Anand, you will find more games to play through and at the bottom of this post you will find more links on my blog…- with games to play through- that were all played during tournaments.
Where: Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn
Overall Prize fund: 1,5 Million Euro
The match will consist of twelve games, played under classical time controls, in the period from October 14 to October 30, 2008. If there is a tie at the end of these games a tiebreak will be played on November 02, 2008. The prize fund, which will be split equally between the players, is 1,5 million Euro (approximately 2,1 million US Dollars) including taxes and FIDE licensee fees.
V. Kramnik and V. Anand. World Chess Championship Tournament Sep. 2007, Mexico City
Image: Official Site
1886 – 1946
Wilhelm Steinitz (Austria/USA) was the first official World Champion in the chess history. In 1886, he defeated Johannes Hermann Zukertort in the first classical tournament for the World Chess Champion title. They played 20 games against each other – and Steinitz won by 12.5:7.5 points. Steinitz defended his title up to 1894. Emanuel Lasker (Germany) deprived Steinitz of his title and remained champion for 27 years – a unique record in the chess history. The next World Chess Champions were José Raoul Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine and Max Euwe.
1948 – 1993
Since 1948, World Chess Federation (FIDE) started to organize the World Chess Championships. After Alekhine´s death in 1946, the new World Champion had to be determined. Thus, there was a tournament with several players where Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR) became a winner. Since that time, the reigning Champion should defend his title in a match against a challenger. Vassily Smyslov, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrossian and Boris Spassky – all of USSR – were the next World Champions. In 1972, Bobby Fischer (USA) broke through the dominance of the Soviet players by defeating Boris Spassky in Reykjavik. In 1975 Fischer refused to fight for his title, and as a result his challenger Anatoly Karpov was appointed as new Champion. Karpov – who played two times against Viktor Korchnoi and once against Garry Kasparov – kept his title until November 1985. Then it was Kasparov, who defeated Karpov by 13:11 points and became the new World Champion. 1986, 1987, and 1990 Kasparov succeeded in reserving his chess crown against Karpov, before he broke away from FIDE in 1993.
1993 – 2006
In 1993 Kasparov refused to defend his title under the conditions provided by FIDE – and together with his challenger Nigel Short (England) the World Champion decided to leave FIDE by holding the Championship match under the auspices of the new founded “Professional Chess Association” (PCA). Kasparov won the match against Short and retained the title of “Classical World Champion”. Two years later he won the next title match against Viswanathan Anand (India) in the New York World Trade Center. Finally it was Thursday, the 2nd November 2000, when Kasparov’s era ran out: with 8.5:6.5 victory Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) dethroned Kasparov, who did not manage to win a single game. Kramnik, at that time 25 years old, became the 14th Classical World Chess Champion. In October 2004 the next Championship took place: In Brissago (Switzerland) Kramnik held out against the attacks of the Hungarian Peter Leko and kept his title. Leko was qualified for this match by having won the Candidates’ tournament in 2002 in Dortmund.
On the other hand, FIDE continued organizing its own World Chess Championships from 1993 on. The FIDE title holders between 1993 and 2006: Anatoly Karpov (1993), Alexander Khalifman (1999), Viswanathan Anand (2000), Ruslan Ponomariov (2002), Rustam Kasimdzhanov (2004) and Veselin Topalov (2005).
The split of the chess world into two competitive championships ended in 2006. The duel between the Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik and FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov took place in Elista from 23 September to 13 October 2006. In a historic battle this unification match combined both titles in one FIDE World Chess Championship. Having won this important event, Vladimir Kramnik became an undisputed World Chess Champion. Continue to read more on the Official site here: http://www.uep-worldchess.com/
Image: chessgames.com
VLADIMIR KRAMNIK
(born Jun-25-1975) Russia
Vladimir Kramnik was born in Tuapse, on June 25, 1975. In 1991 he won The World Under 18 Championship, and began a string of international success. At the Manila Olympiad 1992, he achieved a gold medal for best result on reserve board. Major tournament triumphs were soon to follow, such as Dortmund 1995, Tilburg 1997, and Wijk aan Zee 1998. Dortmund became a favorite stop, as Kramnik would go on to win seven more times, either as shared champion, or clear first. In 2000 Kramnik won his first Linares tournament, completing his set of victories in all three of chess’s “triple crown” events: Corus, Linares, and Dortmund. Kramnik would later capture additional Linares victories in 2003 (shared) and 2004.
In 2000 Kramnik reached the pinnacle by defeating long-time champion Garry Kasparov for the World Championship in London by the score of 8 1/2 to 6 1/2. Kasparov was reported as saying, “He is the hardest player to beat in the world.” The year 2002 saw Kramnik play an eight-game match against the program Deep Fritz (Computer) in Bahrain. The match ended in a 4-4 tie, with Kramnik and the computer each winning two games and drawing four. In 2006 the German organization Universal Event Promotion (UEP) would stage a return match of six games, which Kramnik lost, +0 -2 =4.
In 2004, Kramnik successfully defended his title by drawing a 14 game match against Hungarian GM Peter Leko in Brissago, Switzerland. His next title defense was in 2006, in a reunification match with the holder of the FIDE world title, Veselin Topalov. As part of his preparation for the match, Kramnik played first board for Russia in the 37th Chess Olympiad (2006), where he won the gold medal for best performance rating of all participants (2847). He also took part in the Dortmund Sparkassen (2006) supertournament, tying for first place with Peter Svidler.
The $1 million Kramnik-Topalov World Championship Match (2006), was played in Elista from September 21 to October 13, and drew record numbers of online followers on most major chess sites. After much controversy surrounding a forfeit in round 5, Kramnik won in the tiebreak phase, thereby becoming the first unified World Chess Champion since the schism of 1993.
Kramnik lost the unified World Champion title when he finished second to Viswanathan Anand at the Mexico City FIDE World Championship Tournament (2007). Kramnik will exercise his entitlement to a match for the World Championship against Viswanathan Anand in Bonn, Germany, starting 14 October 2008.
NOTABLE GAMES:
Kramnik vs Leko, 2004 1-0
Kasparov vs Kramnik, 1996 0-1
Leko vs Kramnik, 2004 0-1
Gelfand vs Kramnik, 1996 0-1
Kramnik vs Kasparov, 1994 1-0
Kramnik vs Kasparov, 2000 1-0
Leko vs Kramnik, 2004 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Anand, 2004 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Kasparov, 2001 1-0
Kramnik vs Morozevich, 2007 1-0
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Kasparov-Kramnik World Championship Match (2000)
Kramnik-Leko World Championship Match (2004)
Kramnik-Topalov World Championship Match (2006)
It is an almost senseless challenge to describe Vladimir Kramnik in only a few lines. His personality has too many facets; his areas of interests are too diverse. What is clear is that Kramnik is not solely fixated on chess. Current affairs interest him just as intensively as numerous sport and cultural activities, several of which he regularly engages in. The cosmopolitan would love to enjoy life ever more intensively, but his drive to succeed holds this inclination within limits. What is it that marks out a world chess champion in him even though he doesn’t focus exclusively on chess?
People close to Kramnik often claim that this has something to do with his creative nature and strategic gifts. Kramnik considers chess less as a sport and more as the art of carrying out a long-term plan. The harmonious interplay of his pieces and the beauty of his game are already legendary. He is always searching for creative and new solutions, particularly when he is playing.
In many games, they say, he sees things that no computer can calculate and no other grandmasters could discover. The ingenious ideas would come to him quite easily, providing him with moments of pure joy. The artistic vein in the 32-year-old Muscovite must have been given to him in his cradle. His father Boris is a well-known sculptor; his mother Irina a music teacher. No wonder that journalists all over the world have dubbed Kramnik an “artist” or “painter”.
Kramnik started to play chess at the age of five. At 12, his enormous talent was recognized in Moscow and encouraged. As a teenager, Kramnik got better and better – at only 16, he won the U18 World Championship. The list of his victories is long. He has already finished all major tournaments in the world as the victor. And he holds a record which made sporting history: Kramnik was unbeaten at the highest level in 86 classical games over 18 months up to July 2000. World Championship
Thursday, November 2, 2000, London: Vladimir Kramnik became the World Chess Champion with a brilliant 8.5-6.5 result against Garry Kasparov (Russia), who could not win a single game. After Garry Kasparov had congratulated him, the greatest dream of his life became true. Exulting, Kramnik threw his arms up into the air in triumph. The audience’s applause and the subsequent tumult will not be forgotten. It was a historic moment in the history of chess: Kramnik had not only won the lion’s share of the two-million dollar prize money; his victory had ended Kasparov’s 15-year-long reign on the chess throne.
First Challenge
In 2004, he faced off in another World Championship Match, this time in Switzerland : Kramnik successfully defended his title against the Hungarian super grandmaster Péter Lékó. In a complex strategic battle, he pulled off a supreme coup, winning in the 14th game – the last in the match – with a 7:7 tie. Kramnik was lucky because it was agreed before the match that he had to be beaten outright based on points – the challenger Lékó came heart-wrenchingly close to doing so.
2005 was a year of ups and downs for the World Champion. Kramnik was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, entered intense medical treatment, and disappeared from the tournament hubbub for six months. The break seemed to rejuvenate the Russian – at his comeback in the 2006 Chess Olympiad in Turin , he had the best individual score of all 1,000 participants. Kramnik was successful in several tournaments thereafter and on 1 January 2008 he again occupied the no. 1 position in the FIDE world ranking list.
The Unification Match
In October 2006, Kramnik faced the biggest challenge: the unification match that would decide who the next unique, absolute World Champion would be. In a historic fight against all sort of adversities, Kramnik defeated the FIDE champion Veselin Topalov ( Bulgaria ) to become the first unified World Champion after 1993, the one and only official World Chess Champion. His win in Elista was one of the most impressive victories in all of sports history.
Highlights:
– World Chess Champion 2000-2007
– Undefeated in three World Championship Matches
– Three-time Olympiad winner as a member of the Russian team
– Russian Honoured Master of Sport
– Current ELO rating: 2788
Please click HERE to play through Kramnik’s games on chessgames.com The link will open in a new window.
VISWANATHAN ANAND All games on these links will open in a new window.
Please click HEREto play through a ‘Petrov Defence’- game which was played in 2003. This Sicilian game was played in 2001and this Sicilian Najdorf was played in 2003. (born Dec-11-1969) India
Viswanathan Anand, or “Vishy” as he is known to his fans, became in 1984 the youngest Indian to earn the title of IM at the age of fifteen. At the age of sixteen he became the Indian Champion. In 1987, he became the first Indian to win the World Junior Championship. At the age of eighteen, he became India’s first grandmaster. His prowess at quick-play chess earned him the nickname “The Lightning Kid.”
Anand contested a match with Garry Kasparov for the PCA World Chess Championship in 1995, but lost. Three years later he won a knockout tournament in Groningen to qualify to play for the FIDE title against Anatoli Karpov, but was defeated in rapid tie-breaks. a game by them in 1996 with the Reti-opening.
In 1998, he won the strongest Linares tournament ever, with an average rating of 2752, making it a category 21 event. In 2000, he beat Alexey Shirov to become the FIDE World Chess Champion. He is a four-time winner of the Chess Oscar award and the 2003 FIDE World Rapid Chess Champion. In spring of 2006, following a record-extending fifth victory at Corus Wijk aan Zee (2006), Anand became only the fourth player ever to crack the 2800-Elo mark in FIDE ratings, following Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, and Veselin Topalov. 2007 was a year of two memorable milestones for Anand. First, he finally achieved his longtime goal of becoming world #1 in ratings. After winning his second victory at Linares-Morelia (2007), he overtook Topalov to claim first place on FIDE’s April list. His second great success came at the FIDE World Championship Tournament (2007). Leading throughout the event, Anand captured the unified World Chess Champion title with an undefeated +4 score. A few months later, he won the Morelia-Linares (2008) outright for the third time. Anand’s first title defense will be in a match against challenger Vladimir Kramnik in October 2008. Please click HERE to play through the games of Anand. The link will open in a new window.
NOTABLE GAMES: Karjakin vs Anand, 2006 0-1
Anand vs Topalov, 2005 1/2-1/2
Anand vs Lautier, 1997 1-0
Anand vs Bologan, 2003 1-0
Anand vs Kasparov, 1995 1-0
Anand vs Ponomariov, 2002 1-0
Radjabov vs Anand, 2002 0-1
Kramnik vs Anand, 2004 1/2-1/2
Anand vs Karpov, 1996 1-0
Anand vs Kramnik, 2005 1-0
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Kasparov-Anand World Championship Match (1995)
Karpov-Anand World Championship (1998)
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2000)
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2001)
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Kasparov-Anand World Championship Match (1995)
Karpov-Anand World Championship (1998)
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2000)
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2001)
Acclaimed as the Fastest Brain in the world, Viswanathan Anand is the World Number one and World Champion. It is his success in the world scene that has made this ancient Indian game, a mass sport in India.The critics rate him as one of the biggest natural talents ever in the history of chess. His hallmark lightening speed and intuitive play came to be recognised when he became the first Indian Grandmaster in 1987.
On 29th September 2007 Anand became World Champion for the second time in his career. By winning the event in Mexico Anand becomes the Undisputed Champion, ending many years of schism in the chess world. An feat that is unique as he achieved it while being the World No.1. A honour shared by a select few. Anand became the first Asian to win the World Championships in 2000. In 2007 Anand reached the number one spot on the world ranking lists by winning the prestigious Linares tournament. He becomes the seventh person in modern chess history to reach the coveted spot. This is the first for an Indian and Asian . He won the prestigious Melody Amber, Blind & Rapid chess in Monaco in 2003, 2005, 2004(Rapid), 2006, 2007(Rapid). The Leon Magistral for the seventh time, Corsica Masters five times & the Mainz Classic a staggering ten times. His results in rapid chess make him one , if not the greatest player ever in chess history . If his talent as a Rapid chess player is legendary, his records in classical chess have been superlative. In January 2006, he became the only player in chess history to win the Corus Chess event 5 times in the tournament’s 70-year history. He has won the prestigious Corus event 5 times (1989,1998,2003,2004 & 2006), Linares Super Tournament 3 times (1998 , 2007 and 2008), Dortmund Sparkassen 3 times (1996,2000 & 2004) and other important events like, Madrid Masters, Biel etc.
One of the few non-Soviet players in the sport, Viswanathan Anand has been feted with many international awards. He is the proud recipient of the Chess Oscars given for the best player of the year . He received this award four times. (1997,1998, 2003,2004) (An unique distinction he shares with Bobby Fischer).In India he has received the civilian awards, Padma Vibhushan,Padma Bhushan, the Padmashree and the Arjuna Award. He is the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. He has received other prestigious awards from private organisations .
Having travelled to close to 50 countries, Anand is also fluent in Spanish and German. One of the projects closest to heart is the NIIT Mind Champions Academy which aims at taking chess to over 1 million children from both Government and Private schools in India . Known as the Gentleman Champion in the chess world, Anand is a spokesperson for Vidyasagar, a NGO that crusades for the Inclusion of children with cerebral palsy and he also represents Avahan, the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation initiative on AIDS. Anand is a keen follower of current affairs, world business and astronomy. Source: http://www.uep-worldchess.com/
On all of these links – on my blog – you will find games of Kramnik or Anand which you can play through — games they played during different tournaments.
Spoken by great men:"Give me 20 divisions of American soldiers and I will breach Europe. Give me 15 consisting of Englishmen and I will advance to the borders of Berlin. Give me two divisions of those marvellous fighting Boers and I will remove Germany from the face of the earth." - Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery, Commander of the Allied Forces during WW2.
"The Americans fight for a free world, the English mostly for honour, glory and medals, the French and Canadians decide too late that they have to participate. The Italians are too scared to fight, the Russians have no choice. The Germans for their Fatherland. The Boers? Those sons of Bitches fight for the hell of it." American General, George 'Guts and Glory' Patton.
Round 5: Aronian vs Carlsen 1/2-1/2
Chessalee 
