In a stunning showdown of natural chess talent, skill and steel-blue nerves, Vladimir Kramnik emreged as Unified World Chess Champion after scoring 2.5 points in the rapid tiebreak playoff round in Elista, Kalmykia. There was no lack of excitement as only the first game of the four was drawn, Kramnik winning the second and fourth games and Topalov netting a win in Game 3. The final match score was Kramnik 8.5 - Topalov 7.5.
Continue reading "Kramnik is Unified World Chess Champion!" »
It all comes down to the tiebreak round to decide the next World Chess Champion. Game 12 was drawn today in 47 moves after the players repeated the position and called it a day. The tiebreak round is Friday, October 13. Watch the games here via our LIVE Game Link. The tiebreak schedule is: 4 rounds at G/25 with 10 second increment, if still tied: 2 rounds at G/10 with 10 second increment, if still tied the so called armageddon game at G/5 for white and G/6 for black with draw odds going to black will decide the matter.
Game 11 of the World Chess Championship Match ended today when Vladimir Kramnik accepted Veselin Topalov's draw offer after 66 moves. This sends the match into its twelfth and final game under classical time control. If Game 12 is decisive, the winner will be declared World Champion. If the game is drawn, the match enters the tie-break phase. We bring you the Game 11 report and what could happen next.
After Topalov played 24. ...f6? in Game 10 of the World Chess Championship Match, a move which loses on the spot, Kramnik mercilessly finished him off with surgical precision. Speaking at the press conference after the game Topalov spoke this of the move: "It was just a bad mistake. When there are so many pieces on the board, one can blunder. It happens." Watch Game 11 here Tuesday, October 10.
Veselin Topalov, playing the white pieces in Game 9, overpowered Vladimir Kramnik to post his second straight win and take the lead for the first time in this World Chess Championship Match with three games to go. The game began as another Slav, this time it was Kramnik who was the first to deviate from Game 7 by playing 4. ...Bf5 rather than 4. ...e6. Kramnik now finds himself trailing by one point going into Game 10.
As Game 8 progressed, opinions amonst Grandmasters and International Masters as to who had the better position varied wildly--some preferring White, others Black, others called it even. After the queens came off on move 20, Kramnik had two rooks a bishop and six pawns to Topalov's rook, two knights, bishop and five pawns. Topalov managed to activate his rook and knights while allowing Kramnik an outside passed pawn. Kramnik was forced to resign after 52. ...Rxf2+. The match is now tied at 4 apiece. Watch Games 9 and 10 here Saturday and Sunday. Next ChessMaine report will be on Monday, October 9. Stay Tuned!
Game 7 started as a Queen's Gambit Accepted and ended 60 moves later when Topalov offered a draw. The match score now stands at Topalov 3 Kramnik 4 with five games to go. Game 8 is tomorrow--watch it here. In off-board developments, Topalov's manager, Silvio Danilov, points out the percentage correlation between Kramnik's moves during the match and the preferred moves of Fritz 9 in the same positions. Is this psychological warfare, a blatant accusation of cheating or both?
After 1.e4 e5 1. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 "Siegbert Tarrasch called 4 Ng5 'ein stumper zug'--a beginner's move. White has developed two pieces and proceeds to crudely attack with them--obviously not correct strategy. But Steinitz believed otherwise and more recent opinion seems to be mixed on this subject." So writes Nick de Firmian in his colossal work Modern Chess Openings: 14th Edition. Come to the George Cunningham Chess Club this week and decide for yourself at the Fried Liver Attack Tournament.
The relief was palpable as Vladimir Kramnik approached the board, shook hands with his opponent, sat down and played 1. ...d5 to begin Game 6 of the World Chess Championship Match. After four days of tumultous uncertainty stemming from Topalov's accusations of cheating and continuing with Kramnik's refusal to play Game 5, it was great to see the FIDE Champion and the Classical Chess World Champion again push the pieces in this long-awaited reunification match. The drawn game was a fairly benign 31-move Slav.
The World Chess Championship Match will resume October 2 at 7:00 a.m. Eastern. The Match will restart with Game 6; the score being 3-2 in favor of Kramnik. FIDE President Ilyumzhinov has appointed a new Appeals Committee that has arrived in Elista. Watch Game 6 here via our 
