Topalov vs Kramnik: Dramatic ending

With his victory in the ninth game, FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov leads the match for the re-unificated World Title 5-4 with only three games left to play. Vladimir Kramnik will have White in 2 of the last 3 games - including game 12 - to level the match.

This match is currently taking place in Elista (Kalmykia). Although Topalov has won two games (eighth and ninth) he also has the win by Kramnik’s Game 5 forfeit, which is still under appeal by Kramnik’s team.

Topalov wins Game-9 and leads match 5-4
(Photo: WCC Official site)

Chronological summary of the "Toilet's controversy"

As we reported in our last newsletter, Classical World Champion Vladimir Kramnik forfeited game 5 of the match against FIDE Champion Veselin Topalov. Kramnik failed to appear on the stage an hour after the game started, and the main arbiter Geurt Gjissen awarded the point to Topalov. Technically, at that point the match was 3-2 for Kramnik, but there were serious doubts about whether the match would continue.

In a letter to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE President, Kramnik agreed to proceed with the match, starting from game five, if certain conditions were met.

• Requests of Vladimir Kramnik to proceed with GAME 5
  September, 29th

Game 6 was postponed, while negotiations were taking place. The “Toilet problem” was finally solved, but the issue of the forfeited game was still pending. Finally, on Sunday, 1st October, around 23.30 hrs, i.e. a half an hour before the deadline of the ultimatum given to the players, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov made a statement, stating that the match should be continued from the 6th game with the 3:2 score. Before this, the Organizing Committee had complied with two out of three demands of Vladimir Kramnik: the members of the Appeals Committee were replaced the use of the personal bathrooms by the participants was restored.

• Ilyumzhinov: "Match will be continued. The score 3:2"
  October, 2nd

In view of this ultimatum, Kramnik decided to continue the match, although reserving all his rights regarding the forfeited 5th game.

• Read the full text of the OFFICIAL Kramnik's statement
  October, 2nd
  

Chess summary of the week

Game 6. October, 2nd
Game 6 was a very solid draw. Kramnik played under protest.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6!? [ 8...cxd4] 9.Be3 [ 9.d5!? exd5 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.e5] 9...cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7! [ 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bxc4 Nd7 14.Ke2 e5 15.Be3 a5 16.Rhd1]

Position after 11...Nfd7

12.Nxd7 [ 12.Nxc4 Nc6 13.Be3 Bc5 14.Kf2 Ke7 15.h4 f6 Nielsen,P - Hracek,Z. Bundesliga 2006] 12...Nxd7 13.Bxc4 a6 [ 13...Rc8 14.Ba2 a6 15.Ke2 Nb8 16.Rhd1 Nc6 17.Bb6 Bb4 18.Rd2 Ke7 19.Rad1 Nb8 20.Bf2 Cramling,P - Smyslov,V. Marbella 1999] 14.Ke2 Rg8 15.Rhd1 Rc8 16.b3 Bc5 [ 16...Bd6!?] 17.a5 Ke7 18.Na4 Bb4 [ 18...Bxd4?! 19.Rxd4 Rgd8 20.Rad1; 18...Bd6] 19.Nb6 [ 19.Nb2!? f6 20.Nd3 Bd6] 19...Nxb6 20.Bxb6 f6 [ 20...Bc5 21.Bxc5+ Rxc5 22.Rd2 Rd8] 21.Rd3 Rc6 [ 21...Be8 22.Rad1 Bc6 23.f4] 22.h4 [ 22.Ke3 Rgc8 23.f4; 22.Rad1 Rd6] 22...Rgc8 [ 22...Rd6] 23.g4 Bc5 24.Rad1 [24.Bxc5+ Rxc5 25.Ke3 R8c7] 24...Bxb6 25.Rd7+ Kf8 26.axb6 Rxb6 27.R1d6 Rxd6 28.Rxd6 Rc6 [ 28...e5 29.Rb6 Rc7 30.Bd5 Be8 31.Bxb7 Bb5+ 32.Kd2 Rd7+] 29.Rxc6 bxc6 30.b4 e5 31.Bxa6 1/2-1/2

Just before the start of Game 7, Topalov’s manager Silvio Danailov issued a new press release pointing out to the coincidental statistics of the moves of GM Kramnik with recommendations of chess engines.

• Silvio Danailov accussing Kramnik of use chess programs
  October, 3rd

Game 7. October, 4th
Game 7 was also drawn although Kramnik had some chances in an ending a pawn up.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 dxc4 6.Bxc4 c5 7.0-0 a6 8.Bb3 cxd4 9.exd4 Nc6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Re1 0-0 12.a4!?N [ 12.Bg5; 12.a3] 12...Bd7 13.Ne5 Be8 14.Be3 Rc8 [ 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Qxd1 16.Raxd1 Nd7 17.f4] 15.Rc1 Nb4 [ 15...Nxe5?! 16.dxe5 Qxd1 17.Bxd1! Nd7 18.Nd5!+-] 16.Qf3 Bc6 17.Qh3 [ 17.Nxc6 Nxc6 ( 17...Rxc6) 18.d5!?] 17...Bd5 [ 17...Nbd5 18.Bc2 g6? 19.Bh6 Re8 20.Nxf7!] 18.Nxd5 Nbxd5 19.Rcd1 Rc7 [ 19...Qb6!?; 19...Nxe3!?] 20.Bg5 Qc8 21.Qf3 Rd8 22.h4 h6 23.Bc1 [ 23.Bd2!? Bb4 24.Bxb4 Nxb4 25.Nxf7!?] 23...Bb4 24.Rf1 Bd6 [ 24...Nc3!? 25.bxc3 ( 25.Bxh6!? Nxd1 26.Rxd1) 25...Rxc3] 25.g3 [ 25.g4!? Nc3 26.Rde1] 25...b6 26.Qe2 Ne7 27.Rfe1 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Rxd1 29.Qxd1 Nfd5 30.Bd2 Rc5 31.Qg4 Nf5 32.Qe4 b5 33.h5 [ 33.a5 b4] 33...bxa4 34.Qxa4 Rb5 35.Rc1 Qb7 36.Bc2 [ 36.Bd1!?] 36...Nb6 [ 36...Rxb2?? 37.Qe8+ Kh7 38.Bxf5+ exf5 39.Rc8] 37.Qg4 Rxb2 [ 37...Nd7 38.Be4 Nxe5 39.Qf4 Qb8 40.Bc3] 38.Be4 [ 38.Bc3 Rb5 39.Bxf5 exf5 40.Qxf5 Qd7=] 38...Qd7 [ 38...Nd5 39.Bxf5 ( 39.Be1) 39...Rxd2 40.Bxe6 Ne3 41.Rc8+ Kh7] 39.Be1 [ 39.Bc3!?] 39...Nd5 40.Bd3

Position after 40.Bd3

The key moment. Kramnik has won a pawn but Topalov has some dangerous threats on the kingside.

40...Nb4 41.Bf1 [ 41.Be4!? Nd3 ( 41...a5 42.Rd1) 42.Qd1 Nxe5 43.Qxd7 Nxd7 44.Rc8+] 41...Nd3 42.Qd1 Nxe5 43.Qxd7 Nxd7 44.Rc8+ Kh7 45.Rc7 Rb1 [ 45...Ne5? 46.Bc3 Nf3+ 47.Kg2 Rb1 48.Bd3 Ne1+ 49.Bxe1 Rxe1 50.g4; 45...Nf6 46.Bd3] 46.Rxd7 [ 46.Bc3 Rd1] 46...Rxe1 47.Rxf7 a5 48.Kg2= Kg8 49.Ra7 Re5 50.g4 Nd6 51.Bd3 Kf8 52.Bg6 Rd5 53.f3 e5 54.Kf2 Rd2+ 55.Ke1 Rd5 56.Ke2 Rb5 57.Rd7 Rd5 58.Ra7 Rb5 59.Bd3 Rd5 60.Bg6 1/2-1/2

After the game, Carsten Hensel, manager to Kramnik, counter attacked with a press release in which he stated that “he had received information that the Topalov team might try to involve Mr. Kramnik in another scandal. According to this information they might be planning to create a situation by somehow manufacturing 'evidence' to prove that Mr. Kramnik is cheating. One of the possibilities is that a member of the Topalov Team may plant an electronic device or something similar in the restroom or toilet of Mr. Kramnik”.

In view of this he requested several measures including that “Any member of Topalov’s team who is giving access to Mr. Kramnik’s restroom and toilet should be meticulously checked by a specialist appointed by the organization. Everything they have in their pockets and any bags they might be carrying shall be removed and not allowed with them in the restrooms and toilets.”

• Carsten Hensel Press Release about Danailov's accusations of cheating
  October, 4th

Game 8. October, 5th
What's really surprising about this game is how an ultra solid player as Kramnik deteriorated his position so quickly arround moves 30 to 40 to finally lose without putting up a hard fight

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Be2 Bb7 9.0-0 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.dxc5 Nxc5 The natural recapture. However, 11...Bxc5 has been played more. 12.Bb5+ The most direct of the many alternatives, but not necessarily the best [12.Nxc5 Bxc5 13.Qa4+ led to a safe play for White.] 12...Ncd7 13.Ne5 Qc7 14.Qd4 Rd8 White's position seems very good, but his knight on a4 is poorly placed in the long term, so he needs to act quickly 15.Bd2 Topalov had played his moves instantly so it was too risky to take on a7. Trading knights on d7 was also not that impressive. [15.Nxd7 Nxd7; 15.Qxa7 Bd6] 15...Qa5! A novelty. An old game had continued [15...a6 16.Rfc1 Qa5 17.Bc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Qxa4 19.Nxd8 Kxd8 20.a3 Qb5 21.axb4 Nd5 22.Ra5 Qb6 23.Qc4 Nc7 24.Bc3 f6 25.Bd4 With a powerful initiative for White, Cvetkovic-Bagirov, Vrnjacka Banja 1974] 16.Bc6 Be7 The best move, otherwise Black would have to play a position like the one quoted in the note to the previous move. 17.Rfc1 Bxc6!? [Instead 17...0-0? was worse because of 18.Nc4! and White is better] 18.Nxc6 Qxa4 Here Kramnik was thinking for a while 19.Nxd8 [After 19.Nxe7?! Kxe7 20.Bxb4+ Ke8 White would have some slight attacking chances, but it would hardly compensate for his piece] 19...Bxd8 Thanks to his 16th move, Black can now safely recapture with his bishop on d8, keep his right to castle. 20.Qxb4 A surprising decision. [The more obvius choice was 20.b3 Qa6 21.Bxb4 but Black has 21...Nd5] 20...Qxb4 21.Bxb4 Nd5 22.Bd6 f5 23.Rc8 N5b6 24.Rc6 Be7 25.Rd1 Kf7 26.Rc7 [ 26.Bxe7 Kxe7 27.Rc7] 26...Ra8 [ 26...Rc8 27.Rxc8 Nxc8] 27.Rb7 Ke8 28.Bxe7 Kxe7 29.Rc1 29.Kf1 followed by 30.Ke2 looked normal 29...a5 With good criteria, here and at a later stage, Topalov avoids to play Rc8 to exchange rooks. 30.Rc6 Nd5 At his point the position looked dynamically balanced, with chances for both sides. Black has two minor pieces but White has good rooks, an extra pawn and no weaknesses.

Position after 30...Nd5

31.h4?! A dubious move, since White cannot prevent Black from playing g7-g5 31...h6 32.a4 g5 33.hxg5 hxg5 The position has changed in Black's favour. Now he has threats in the king side, that he never had before 34.Kf1 g4 35.Ke2 N5f6 36.b3 Ne8 37.f3 g3 38.Rc1 Nef6 39.f4? Kd6 40.Kf3 Nd5 41.Kxg3? [41.Rb5 was more solid] 41...Nc5! 42.Rg7? Losing without any resistance. [42.Rxc5 After 42...Kxc5 43.Kf3 Kc6 44.Rb5 Nf6 White should lose but he can hold on for a while. Now it's a masacre] 42...Rb8 43.Ra7 Rg8+! 44.Kf3 Ne4 45.Ra6+ Ke7 46.Rxa5 Rg3+ 47.Ke2 Rxe3+ 48.Kf1 Rxb3 49.Ra8 Nxf4 50.Ra1 Rb2 51.a5 Rf2+ 0-1

Game 9. October, 7th
Game 9 is commented by GM Amador Rodríguez in our "Learning corner".

LIVE COVERAGE ON THE ICC

ICC offers, only for members, an extraordinary LIVE COVERAGE of the World Chess Championship Match. Your favorite grandmasters will commentate on every game during the ICC Webcast: WGM Jennifer Shahade, GM John Fedorowicz, GM Larry Christiansen, GM Roman Dzindzichashvili, GM Joel Benjamin, GM Gregory Kaidanov, IM Elliot Winslow, IM Dr. Danny Kopec, and anchored by IM Bill Paschall. Also, the Spanish ICC Webcast will feature: GM Am. Rodriguez, GM Viktor Moskalenko, IM Michael Rahal and IM Angel Martin.

ICC Webcast schedule for match Topalov vs Kramnik All times are US eastern. Add 4 hours for GMT. Add 6 hours for CET   07:00   GAME 10 Kramnik vs Topalov Sunday, October 8    IM Bill Paschall and GM Larry Christiansen    IM Angel Martín (spanish)   Replay   REST DAY Monday, October 9   07:00   GAME 11 Topalov vs Kramnik Tuesday, October 10    IM Bill Paschall and GM Larry Christiansen    GM Amador Rodríguez (spanish)   Replay   REST DAY Wednesday, October 11   07:00   GAME 12 Kramnik vs Topalov Thursday, October 12    IM Bill Paschall and GM John Fedorowicz    IM Michael Rahal (spanish)   07:00   TIEBREAKS Friday, October 13    IM Bill Paschall    IM Michael Rahal (spanish)   View this week's entire Webcast schedule

Related information

• ICC Newsletter XVII: Topalov vs. Kramnik is on!
• ICC Newsletter XXXV: Kramnik and Topalov Re-unification match.
• ICC Newsletter XXXVI: The Duel begins!
• ICC Newsletter XXXVII: Has the match finished?
• ICC Special Section of the Match.
• ICC LIVE COVERAGE webpage.
• ICC Webcast weekly schedule.
• World Chess Championship official website.

  Viktor Korchnoi, World Champion

by John B. Henderson

Words perhaps we though we’d never hear together, but at long last ‘the grand old man of chess’ has a world title to his name, albeit that of World Senior Champion.

Korchnoi, 75 years of age this year, remains a highly active and extremely dangerous competitor on the international chess circuit with a tournament record and number of first prizes that ranks among the greatest of all time – with his latest victory being the capture of the World Senior Championship in Arvier, Italy, as he dominated the 124-player field to take his first world title with an unbeaten score of 9/11, a full 1.5-points ahead of his nearest rival.

Born in Leningrad in 1931, Korchnoi survived the German blockade of the city from 1941-44 when more than 600,000 citizens died from cold or starvation.

He gained the grandmaster title in 1956 and won the Soviet Championship title four times between 1960 and 1970, but he was uniquely one of the few players who continued to improve after the age of 40.

In 1974 Korchnoi lost to arch-rival Anatoly Karpov in a match to challenge Bobby Fischer. In 1976 he defected to the West after playing in a tournament in Amsterdam because his career was being stifled by Soviet chess bureaucrats who preferred to promote younger talents ahead of him.

Korchnoi played three matches for the world title and is a prime candidate for the honor of ‘strongest player never to have won the world championship’. He came closest to the world title in 1978 when he got to a 5-5 score against Karpov in the Philippines, only to lose the final game.

Viktor Korchnoi – a truly remarkable septuagenarian indeed!