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Topalov and Kramnik arrive in Elista
17.09.2006 – In less than a week, on Saturday, September 23 at 3:00 p.m. local time, the first game of the reunification match between FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov and classical chess world champion Vladimir Kramnik will begin in the Republic of Kalmykia. The event lasts until October 12. We bring you first pictures of the players' arrival in Elista. |
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World Championship 2006: First day in Elista
19.09.2006 – Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik flew in on the same charter flight; they were greeted with khadaki and dzhomba; then they were taken in President Ilyumzhinov's white Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit for a three-hour tour of Elista; and finally they played a game of blitz, which ended in a draw. It's in the news, with more pictures from Elista. |
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Elista 2006: Kramnik wins game one
23.09.2006 – The World Championship between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik started with a fighting 75-move game that lasted six and a half hours. Topalov played a novelty on move 12, and achieved a drawing position. But he refused to repeat moves, pressed for a win, blundered and lost. Full report and commentary. |
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Trophy vs Trophy
23.09.2006 – It's FIDE champion versus the classical champion, a golden trophy versus a silver cup, Topalov's fire versus Kramnik's ice. We're sneaking in yet another preview before today's game one in Elista. The career score heavily favors Kramnik while Elo rating is on Topalov's side. But what does Kasparov think? The answer might surprise you. |
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Elista 2006: The games can begin
23.09.2006 – The World Chess Championship in Kalmykia is about to start. But before it does there are a number of things to attend to. Tables, chess sets, chairs need to be examined, then an opening ceremony in a football stadium, with thousands of spectators, with the drawing of colours (Kramnik gets white in game one). Big illustrated report. |
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Elista R2: Kramnik wins, takes 2-0 lead
25.09.2006 – The second game between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik was one of the most exciting games anyone has seen in years, with both players going at each other without compromise. 8000+ visitors were on the server to see the drama unfold, accompanied by live audio commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan. Full annotated report. |
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Elista 2006: Game three drawn
26.09.2006 – The third game between Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov ended in what one could call a short uneventful draw, says our commentator GM Mihail Marin, considering the very high standards of this match. But compared with other top events it is a very interesting game. We bring you Marin's commentary and extracts from interviews with the players. |
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'All you need is luck!'
26.09.2006 – Two games have been played, discussed and dissected, Vladimir Kramnik is leading by an unprecedented 2-0 in the World Championship match. Our correspondent in Elista, Misha Savinov, may be exhausted from the excitement and the strain of producing the official bulletin, but he found time to send us some very interesting pictures and impressions. |
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Elista 2006: Game four drawn, Kramnik leads 3-1
27.09.2006 – Once again Veselin Topalov came out fighting, sacrificed a pawn, gnawed away at Kramnik's defence and pushed hard in an advantageous endgame. But after five exhausting hours of play he had to concede a disappointing draw, leaving the classical chess world champion his two-point lead. Full report with analysis by GM Mihail Marin. |
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Topalov threatens to abandon the World Championship Match
28.09.2006 – Breaking news: Veselin Topalov, through his manager Silvio Danialov, has cast suspicion on the behaviour of Vladimir Kramnik, who is leading 3-1 in their world championship match. The Bulgarian team has examined the video recordings from the rest rooms and notes that Kramnik is visiting the bathroom, which has no video surveillance, unreasonably often. Press release. |
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Seirawan: highly-charged situation calls for a compromise
29.09.2006 – GM Yasser Seirawan is the match commentator on Playchess.com,
and as such deeply involved in the World Championship in Elista. In a letter
to FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov he calls for a calming of nerves, the
reversal of the forfeit and the resumption of the match from game five. Yasser's proposal is succinctly argued. Should he be sent to Elista to mediate? |
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Elista 2006: Open Letter II by Vladimir Kramnik
29.09.2006 – Silvio Danailov's protest was filed on a free day, it demanded changes in the event setup that according to the world championship contract requires the prior agreement of both players these are the legal aspects of the decision taken by the Appeals Committee in Elista today. Kramnik agrees to proceed with the match, starting from game five, if certain conditions are met. |
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Elista 2006: World Championship Crisis
29.09.2006 – Game five was not played, Kramnik foreited and all sides seem unable to give way to compromise. The World Championship and FIDE is in its deepest crisis ever. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has interrupted his visit to a meeting in Sochi with Russian President Putin and is on his way back to Elista. Will he be able to break the deadlock? |
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Psychological Warfare in Elista
29.09.2006 – After a dramatic start of the World Championship the play on the board has given way to heavy psychological warfare. Our past three reports bear testimony to that. In Elista our correspondent Misha Savinov saw it all developing, including the monitoring of the player's rest rooms and the restrictions of toilet use. Pictures and impressions. |
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Elista Express: Game five abandoned
29.09.2006 – Two hours after the scheduled start the game was abandoned, after Kramnik failed to appear on the stage. He attended the press conference and accused the Appeals Committe of bias towards his opponent. Kramnik stated that he was willing to play game five tomorrow, according to the rules agreed prior to the match. Express report. |
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Kramnik may stop playing the match
29.09.2006 – The team of Vladimir Kramnik has issued a statement rejecting the decision of the Appeals Committee and demanding that it be replaced because of its obvious bias in favour of their opponent. "The protests of the Topalov team and the suspicions in the press release of Mr. Topalov are utterly disgraceful and are touching Mr. Kramniks privacy." Will the match be interrupted? |
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Silvio Danailov: Players must be accompanied to the bathroom
29.09.2006 – Just two hours after the FIDE ruling on the Bulgarian appeal the Topalov team has fired off another protest, demanding that the players must be accompanied by an assistant arbiter when they go to the bathroom. If the match continues Topalov won't shake hands with Kramnik. |
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FIDE decides: common toilet for both players
29.09.2006 – The Appeals Committee of FIDE has taken a decision on yesterday's protest by the Bulgarian delegation. After viewing the video tapes it was found that the frequency of Kramnik's visit to the toilet had been exaggerated, but that the private WCs would be closed and a common toilet opened for both players. They also decided against the publication of the tapes. Toiletgate. |
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World Championship Crisis what our readers think
30.09.2006 – While the tumultuous events of the last two days unfolded, letters have been pouring in from all over the world, some very emotional, many imaginative, witty, or constructive. We would like to share them with our readers, and with the officials in Elista, who should get a feeling for the ground swell in the chess world. Take some time, it is a long but interesting read. |
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Ilyumzhinov: 'You are playing for the entire world!'
30.09.2006 – The President of FIDE returned to Elista from a summit with President Putin in Sochi. At midnight he met with Vladimir Kramnik, and the next day he spoke with Topalov's second Silvio Danialov. They agreed to postpone Saturday's game and resume the match on Sunday. But with which game, which result and what toilet status? These questions are still unresolved. |
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John Nunn: 'It's about imposing your will on the opponent'
30.09.2006 – After Yasser Seirawan another highly repected grandmaster has written to us, presenting his opinion on the current crisis in the World Championship match in Elista. John Nunn, who worked in the GMA and has vast experience in the mechanics of such events, says once again chess has shot itself in the foot. |
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Elista 2006: Match delayed, next game tomorrow
30.09.2006 – We have just received word from Elista that there will be no World Championship game today. President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov issued a brief statement stating that the next game would be tomorrow, Sunday, October 1st. No details were given as to whether it would be game five or six. We will keep you briefed. |
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Bessel Kok on the World Championship crisis
01.10.2006 – The Dutch businessman ran for the FIDE presidency against Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in June this year. The latter won, but he has now proposed that the world chess federation adopt large parts of Kok's agenda and make him the head of a professional organisation to run top-level events. We asked Bessel Kok for his opinion on the current situation. |
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Elista 2006: Match to continue with game six
01.10.2006 – FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has announced that the World Championship match will continue on Monday, October 2nd, at 15:00h, after the toilet situation has been settled, and the Appeals Committee replaced. The match will proceed from a 3:2 score for Kramnik, i.e. Topalov retains the default point he got in game five. Full crisis blog. |
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Karpov: I wouldn't have continued the match
02.10.2006 – The twelfth world champion and five-time opponent of Garry Kasparov has great experience in world championship matches. And in Appeals Committees. In the Russian chess magazine "64" Anatoly Karpov commented on the situation on the Kramnik-Topalov match. Interview. |
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Elista 2006: Kramnik agrees to play (under protest)
02.10.2006 – Just half an hour before the scheduled start of game six Vladimir Kramnik has issued a statement saying he will in fact play the game, but under protest and conditional to a later clarification of the status of game five. "I had to assess between personal interests and those of the entire chess world," Kramnik said. Statement and support from colleagues. |
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Elista Express: Game six to start shortly (we are told)
02.10.2006 – After two days of strife and intense negotiations FIDE has now announced that game six will begin at 15:00h Elista time, at a score of 3:2 for Kramnik (i.e. the defaulted fifth game will be counted). The press release makes it clear that agreement was reached with the Topalov camp. We wait with bated breath to see if the game will be played. Express report. |
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Letters from Vice President Gelfer, the ACP
02.10.2006 – In these turbulent days the letters are pouring in more than two hundred from our readers yesterday. They will have to wait for editing and publication. For now we need to get two out, one from the Honorary Vice President of FIDE Israel Gelfer and one from the Association of Chess Professionals (ACP). Appeal and criticism. |
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GMs support Vladimir Kramnik
03.10.2006 – During the turmoil surrounding the World Championship in Elista we have been receiving record numbers of letters over 300 from our readers yesterday alone. These are being edited and formatted, but in the meantime we bring you a few expressing support for their colleague, written by well-known grandmasters. |
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Elista 2006: Game six drawn in three hours
03.10.2006 – The good news: Topalov and Kramnik shook hands before the game! Topalov, determined to get his first over-the-board win in this match, played very aggressively once again, but Kramnik cold-bloodly held. We bring you a video link in Dutch TV, the revised shedule of the match and analysis by GM Mihail Marin. |
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Hensel: 'They may try to plant a device in Kramnik's room'
04.10.2006 – After game seven we received a letter written by Kramnik' manager
Carsten Hensel to the head of the World Championship Committee (the
correct addressee!)
expressing concern that a member of the Topalov team
might try to place an electronic device in Kramnik's room to provoke a new scandal. The Elista War continues. |
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Elista 2006: Game seven drawn, Kramnik leads 4:3
04.10.2006 – Topalov could not get any significant advantage from his third white gamein
a row, a Queen's Gambit Accepted. He sacrificed two pawns in order to get some
activity, but his initiative was just sufficient to maintain the balance even.
The game ended after 60 move in a draw by repetition. Full report. |
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Silvio Danailov accuses Kramnik of using Fritz 9
04.10.2006 – "After very detailed analysis of all games of the match," the manager of Veselin Topalov writes this morning (15 minutes before the start of game seven), "we would like to present to your attention coincidence statistics of the moves of GM Kramnik with recommendations of chess program Fritz 9." What's going on? |
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Elista 2006: the latest before game seven
04.10.2006 – Everything in Elista is set for game seven. Well, almost everything. A number of issues are still festering, and it is certainly not smooth sailing after the difficult compromise achieved by FIDE President Ilyumzhinov on October 1st. Game seven preview. |
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A Layman's Guide to Match Officials
04.10.2006 – The crisis in Elista was sparked off by a protest by Topalov, a decision of the Appeals Committee, its rejection by Kramnik and the subsequent forfeit of game five. But was the Appeals Committee empowered to decide on the matter, or take receipt of the protest in the first place? An experienced grandmaster explains the situation comprehensively in this important document. |
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Elista Express: Topalov wins game eight with black
05.10.2006 – The eighth game between Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov, a Semi-Slav Meran, ended after four and a half hours and 52 moves with the first over-the-board victory for FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov in this match. The official score is now 4:4, with four games to go. Full report with commentary by Mihail Marin and a remarkable Kramnik interview after game seven. |
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Open letter by GMs Bareev and Svidler
05.10.2006 – With the crisis of the World Championship in full bloom, two friends, colleagues and former seconds of Vladimir Kramnik flew down to Elista to provide moral support. Grandmasters Evgeny Bareev and Peter Svidler spent two days with Kramnik, trying to get his spirits up. Now, back home again, they call for consequences and sackings. |
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The role of the Appeals Committee
06.10.2006 – In his "Layman's Guide to Match Officials" Yasser Seirawan restricted the duties of the Appeals Committee to appeals concerning a decision made my the Chief Arbiter of a match. But their powers and duties go further, says GM Bartlomiej Macieja, who had a close encounter with the Appeals Committee during the FIDE world championship in Las Vegas in 1999. Here is his harrowing tale. |
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Elista 2006: Topalov wins game nine
07.10.2006 – The ninth game of the World Chamionship match between Veselin Topalov and
Vladimir Kramnik was won by FIDE Champion Veselin Topalov. The Bulgarian now
leads by 5:4 points, with three games left. A recordbreaking 8,500 visitors
logged in simultaneously on the Playchess
server, with GM Yasser Seirawan providing live audio commentary. Report and analysis. |
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Korchnoi: 'I would have walked out!'
07.10.2006 – Actually, if we were sensationalist our headline would have been: Viktor Korchnoi: "I agree with Karpov!" For once the great chess veteran of three world championship matches joins his arch-opponent in these matches and life in general in supporting Kramnik in the World Championship crisis. Viktor is also worried about chess being dragged into the toilet. How will we find sponsors? |
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Makropoulos on the World Championship Crisis
07.10.2006 – He was in the middle of the events that led to the interruption of the World Championship, the forfeiting of game five, protests of both players, and the resumption of play. But the Sept. 29 report of FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos did not receive the attention it deserved. Here's an audio excerpt from the press conference and the full Makropoulos statement. |
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Elista 2006: Kramnik wins game ten, score now 5:5
08.10.2006 – Garry Kasparov, watching the game on Playchess and analysing 24...Bxb5!?,
took all of fifty milliseconds to react to Topalov's 24...f6?? "But doesn't
that lose? Of course it loses!" Right he was, the game, which
had brought Kramnik advantages out of the opening, was now a clear win. With
two games to go the score is now 5:5. Report and analysis. |
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Vladimir Kramnik: I deserved this victory
09.10.2006 – The classical chess world champion was satisfied, the FIDE champion despondent. Vladimir Kramnik answered questions with enthusiasm at the press conference after game ten, Veselin Topalov was subdued. Interesting: what Kramnik felt when he saw 24
f6 and why Topalov played this game-loser. Transcript. |
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Topalov: My manager Danailov did an extraordinary job
09.10.2006 – The Bulgarian daily TRUD has published a candid interview with Veselin Topalov. In it the national hero praises the work of his manager Silvio Danailov, who "won all legal battles", criticises Kramnik for never adhering to any principles, and the ChessBase newspage as a shame for a developed European state. Hot stuff. |
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News and views on the World Championship
10.10.2006 – A letter of support by "famous Bulgarian grandmasters" for Veselin Topalov. What did the President of Bulgaria say to the President of FIDE? Is the new Appeals Committee in Elista really neutral? Could Topalov sue FIDE if the result of game five were reversed? And look who's calling for a boycott of the Topalov team. Here's a collection of news items from different countries. |
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Vladimir Kramnik: We will sue FIDE!
10.10.2006 – After being forfeited on game five Vladimir Kramnik reluctantly agreed to play game six and thus allow the World Championship match to continue. But will he accept the result, and play a tie-break if the match ends 6-6 according to FIDE counting (6-5 according to Kramnik's)? In a press release he iterates his immediate and postgame plans and intentions. |
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Elista 2006: Scandalous and unscandalous impressions
10.10.2006 – The match was not abandoned and the biggest meltdown in chess history averted. Games eight and nine brought a turn-around for FIDE champion Veselin Topalov. Game ten turned it back again in classical champion Vladimir Kramnik's favour. Our correspondent in Elista, Misha Savinov, send us his latest impressions. |
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Elista 2006: Game eleven drawn, score 5.5:5.5
11.10.2006 – The eleventh (penultimate) game of the World Chamionship match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik was a fighting draw and ended after five hours and 66 moves. In the last part of the game it was Kramnik with black who was pressing for a win. Wednesday is a free day, the final drama will be played out on Thursday. Full report with analysis by GM Mihail Marin |
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Elista 2006: game 12 drawn, match ends 6:6
12.10.2006 – The twelfth game of the World Championship match between Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov ended after 3h 50 min in a 47-move draw, with Topalov harboring slight hopes to win. This leaves the final score at 6:6. The tiebreaks will be played tomorrow, Friday the 13th (oops!). Full report and analysis of game 12. |
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Elista 2006: Before the tiebreak showdown
13.10.2006 – Armageddon. Friday the 13th. This is going to be one of the tensest days in modern chess history. The World Chess Championship will be decided in four rapid chess tiebreak games, with two blitz games to follow if necessary, and then a sudden-death final. Before the action begins here are excerpts from the game 12 press conference. |
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Elista 2006: The world champion's first press conference
14.10.2006 – The fourth tiebreak game was over, Vladimir Kramnik raised both fists in the air as a sign of victory, shouts, applause, friendly slaps, handshakes. Then Kramnik left for his first press conference as the unified world champion of FIDE. There he spoke about the match, his feelings, his team, his plans. New: videos with the final seconds of the match! |
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Elista Tiebreak: Vladimir Kramnik wins unified title!
14.10.2006 – The dramatic tiebreak finish of the World Chess Championship in Elista ended
in a victory by Vladimir Kramnik, who won two games and drew one to take the
unified World Chess Championship title. Thousands watched the events unfold
on the Playchess server, where GM Yasser
Seirawan provided live audio commentary. Full report with pictures and analysis. |
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Topalov back in Bulgaria, seeks rematch
15.10.2006 – On Saturday Veselin Topalov and his manager Silvio Danailov arrived at Sofia Airport. Speaking to journalists they said that FIDE would change its regulations soon, implying there might be a rematch between Topalov and Kramnik in March 2007. Danialov also announced that there would be a book exposing Toiletgate. State of Danailov? |
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Final impressions from Elista
16.10.2006 – Game eleven, game twelve, the tiebreak, with everything imaginable at stake. FIDE champion Veselin Topalov loses his title in the very last game to classical chess champ Vladimir Kramnik, who becomes the unified FIDE champion. Our Elista correspondent Misha Savinov has sent us final impressions in a giant pictorial report. |
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Kramnik will not play Topalov in March
17.10.2006 – Topalov wants a rematch in March next year, but Vladimir Kramnik has issued a firm nyet to that idea. Will Topalov be able to play in Mexico, and will that event be degraded to a world championship qualifier? There are a lot of new press reports, but we concentrate our attention on yesterday's press conference by Kramnik. |
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An arbiter's tale: 'My blood pressure rose to 220'
18.10.2006 – On September 29, at 15:22h local time, chief arbiter Geurt Gijssen started the clocks for game five of the World Championship in Elista. Veselin Topalov was at the board, Vladimir Kramnik protesting in his room. At 16:22h Gijssen stopped the clocks and awarded the game to Topalov, which almost led to the collapse of the match. Gijssen decribes the course of events. |
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Yasser Seirawan: Elista 2006 Another Perspective
21.10.2006 – A few days ago chief arbiter Geurt Gijssen described the crisis that evolved around the fifth game forfeit at the World Championship, justifying his decisions and criticizing Yasser Seirawan's article "The Layman's Guide to World Chess Match Officials. Now GM Seirawan plays the ball back into Gijssen's court with a powerful volley. |
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Topalov: Elista still haunts my mind
27.10.2006 – Veselin Topalov, who earlier this month lost his world championship title to Vladimir Kramnik, has been holding back with his views on the controversial happenings that accompanied the event. Now he has let loose in an interview with journalist Gert Ligterink in the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. Topalov: 'At night I dream about Kramnik.' |
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Carsten Hensel: 'It was a victory for justice'
28.10.2006 – A few days ago we published an accusatory interview by Veselin Topalov. In his reply Vladimir Kramnik's manager Carsten Hensel calls Topalov's allegations nothing but a pitiful excuse after a major sporting defeat. He also releases some additional details regarding the video surveillance of Kramnik's restroom. |
