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FIDE World Chess Championship starts today
19.06.2004 – 128 players have gathered together in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, to play for the World Championship. The first round starts at 14:30 local (and European Central) time. A special FIDE site is offering comprehensive coverage. We bring you pictures, schedules and the pairings of round one. Also full instructions on how to follow the event. |
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FIDE WCC R1: Youngest and oldest falter
20.06.2004 – The youngest player of the tournament, GM Magnus Carlsen, is 13 years old. The oldest, Rafael Vaganian of Armenia, is 52. Both were stopped in round one of the FIDE knockout world championship in Tripoli. Two other youngster GMs also dropped out. Meanwhile all of the top favourites coasted through. Here's a report, pictures and games. |
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FIDE WCCh: top seeds win through
20.06.2004 – They expected 128 players, only 124 turned up, giving four players a comfortable bye in the first round. All the top seeds won their games, there were only two minor hiccups (Azmaiparashvili and Bologan lost). FIDE is offering comprehensive coverage, including video interviews. We bring you a report, games and pictures. |
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FIDE WCC R2-1: A Grecian tragedy
22.06.2004 – Imagine what this must feel like: in round two of the FIDE knockout world championship Super-GM Nigel Short outplayed his opponent on the white side of a Sicilian, then spent 79 moves nursing an exchange advantage towards victory. Finally, on move 121, fate struck a devastating blow... We have found a possible explanation... |
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Madame Ojjeh blasts the FIDE championship
22.06.2004 – With the Knockout World Championship in full swing the negative stories keep pouring in. The Syrian-French chess sponsor Madame Nahed Ojjeh has sharply criticised FIDE and the Libyan tournament hosts. Her chess club, which recently won the European Club Championship, is boycotting the world championship on its web site. Here is her press release... |
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Revised statistics for FIDE championship
22.06.2004 – A week ago we published full statistics for participants of the world championship in Libya. After the first round the odds have changed significantly, due to a number of factors – especially the non-appearance of #2 seed Morozevich and the release of FIDE's July rating list. Jeff Sonas has recalculated the odds. |
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FIDE WCC R2-2: 14 games in four days
23.06.2004 – It is a gruelling enterprise. After two classical games come the tie-breaks: two rapid games, two blitz and one sudden death – the latter at 01:00 a.m. Chinese player Ni Hua went through the maximum number in both rounds. Top seed Nigel Short fought valiantly but lost out to Michal Krasenkow. Here's our round two illustrated report. |
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A Grandmaster's impressions of Tripoli
24.06.2004 – Sergei Tiviakov was one of the 128 participants of the FIDE knockout world championship in Tripoli. He went through to round two, but was knocked out by Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu. Before his departure from Libya Sergei went on a sight-seeing trip through the city and sent us his photographic impressions of Tripoli. |
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FIDE WCC R3-1: Topalov wins five in a row
24.06.2004 – The top seeds (except for the unlucky Nigel Short) are all coasting towards the final of FIDE's knockout world championship. But you should also watch out for some dark horses, like 16-year-old Hikaru Nakamura and Croatian Zdenko Kozul, whose performance so far has been an incredible Elo 3002. We bring you games, results and pictures. |
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FIDE WCC R3-2: Another favorite exits
25.06.2004 – But it wasn't a victorious Teimour Radjabov. Vassily Ivanchuk became the second 2700 to leave the field in Libya, ko'ed by Kasimdzhanov. Other top seeds Topalov, Adams, and Grischuk moved on. America's Nakamura is becoming quite a story as the teen moved into the fourth round. See our report on who else made it into the sweet sixteen. |
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FIDE Championship odds after round three
26.06.2004 – The favorites are still the favorites, says Jeff Sonas. He has calculated the odds of each player in the sweet sixteen winning the event. Nakamura's 122 to 1 doesn't look so good, unless you placed your bet back when he was at 785 to 1! Plus, what is the best qualifying tournament system for a world championship? |
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FIDE WCC R4-1: A black day in Tripoli
27.06.2004 – Heavy favorites Topalov and Adams confirmed their status by winning with black. Kasimdzhanov notched the third full point of the day when Almasi blundered. The other games were drawn. So far in Libya only one player has lost the first game with white and gone on to win the match. Will there be another tomorrow? Report, games, and photos. |
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FIDE WCC R5-1: Can anyone stop this man?
28.06.2004 – Nine games, eight wins. That's Veselin Topalov's record so far in Tripoli. The number one seed is playing like a Bulgarian possessed. His latest victim was Kharlov in the first game of the quarterfinals. Adams, Dominguez, and Kasimdzhanov also won. All four games were full-bodied battles with white winning every game! Games, results, photos and report now up. |
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Postcards from Tripoli
28.06.2004 – You last saw writer Paul Hoffman on ESPN. No, not playing shortstop for the Mets or winning the world's strongest man competition. He joined GMs Maurice Ashley and Yasser Seirawan in the Kasparov - Fritz TV coverage, playing the roles of science expert and straight man. Now he's in Tripoli and you won't believe what he's gotten up to this time. |
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FIDE WCC R4-2: Favorites march on
28.06.2004 – Their baseball players may be leaving, but Cuba still has some fine chessplayers. The spirit of Capablanca was done proud when Lenier Dominguez (photo) upset Alexei Dreev. The 2700-club of Topalov, Adams, and Grischuk all moved on. Underdogs Nakamura and Kozul finally ran out of gas. Report, games, photos, and updated odds. |
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World Championship statistics: Topalov poised to win
30.06.2004 – After five rounds and two to go the four remaining players have considerably improved their chances of winning the title. Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov leads the field at 44%, followed by Michael Adams of England at 34%. Radjabov and Kasimdzhanov are at 13% and 9% respectively. Here are the latest statistics by Jeff Sonas. |
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FIDE WCC R5-2: How cool is this kid?
30.06.2004 – Teimour Radjabov and Lenier Dominguez looked content to play all night, but it had to end. It was after four tiebreak draws and past one in the morning when the 17-year-old from Baku drew the sudden death game with black to join Topalov, Adams, and Kasimdzhanov in the next round. The four-game semifinal matches begin Thursday. Report, photos, and games. |
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FIDE WCC R6-1: Adams wins with black
02.07.2004 – Top seed Michael Adams of England took the lead in the FIDE semifinals, defeating 17-year-old Teimour Radjabov with a creative novelty in an open Catalan. On the other board Veselin Topalov drew against Rustam Kasimdzhanov in half an hour and fifteen moves of play. Here is our illustrated report and games. |
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FIDE WCC R6-2: Slow day in Tripoli
03.07.2004 – Maybe the four remaining players in the FIDE world championship wanted to enjoy the chance to play a game that wasn't life or death. Both games were short draws. Kasimdzhanov will try to break the tie against Topalov tomorrow, while Radjabov needs a win to even the score with Adams. Photos and games. |
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FIDE WCC R6-3: Then end is near for Radjabov
04.07.2004 – Will Sunday be the end for Baku teenager Teimour Radjabov? He couldn't capitalize on a superior position against Adams today and so will go into the fourth and final game needing a win with black to tie the match. Topalov and Kasimdzhanov drew a long game with mutually squandered chances. Who will go to the final and be guaranteed at least $70,000? Report and photos. |
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FIDE WCC R6-4: Tiebreaks for Topalov and Kasimdzhanov
05.07.2004 – Uzbek Rustam Kasimdzhanov has surprised the pundits by stopping the unstoppable Topalov. They drew their fourth semifinal game and will play rapid tiebreaks tomorrow to decide who moves on to face Mickey Adams. The Englishman drew comfortably against Radjabov to qualify for the finals for the first time. Analysis and photos. |
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FIDE WCC R6-5: Kasimdzhanov KO's Topalov in rapids
06.07.2004 – So much for the prognostications. After drawing four regulation games, Rustam Kasimdzhanov eliminated Veselin Topalov by winning both rapid tiebreak games. The Uzbekistani underdog will play Mickey Adams in the final match for the FIDE world championship title starting tomorrow. Photos and report here now. |
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FIDE WCC R7-1: The finals start with a draw
07.07.2004 – With US $170,000 at stake ($100,000 for the winner) the FIDE world championship went into its final stage on Tuesday, with an uneventful draw between second seed Michael Adams, 32, Elo 2731, and the "giant-killer" from Uzbekistan Rustam Kasimdzhanov, 24, Elo 2652. illustrated report... |
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FIDE WCC R7-2: Kasim in the lead
08.07.2004 – Learn to pronounce the name, find out where Uzbekistan is. Rustam Kasimdzhanov has won the second game in the final of the FIDE world championship in Libya. It was a tough Petroff with Michael Adams missing a chance to save the game on move 40. Illustrated report... |
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FIDE WCC R7-4: Just call me Qosimjonov!
10.07.2004 – Everyone was expecting a draw, with Rustam Kasimdzhanov using the white pieces to calm things down after his loss to top seed Michael Adams in the previous round. But the 24-year-old Uzbek underdog came out fighting and won a fine game, which brings him within a heartbeat of the world championship title. High time we learnt how to pronounce his name. |
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FIDE WCC R7-5: Adams catches up in FIDE slugfest
11.07.2004 – When is the last time you saw a world championship match produce four consecutive decided games? Top British GM Michael Adams today struck back against Rustam Kasimdzhanov in a classical Ruy Lopez to equalise in the FIDE world championship final. Here's our report on this electrifying final. |
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FIDE WCC R7-6: A tragedy of errors
12.07.2004 – The final game of the FIDE world championship in Libya did not bring the quick draw most people had expected, but saw an aggressive Rustam Kasimdzhanov pushing Michael Adams to the brink. You won't believe what followed. Read about the heartstopping action in our illustrated report... |
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FIDE WCC R7-7: Rustam Kasimdzhanov is world champion
13.07.2004 – In a shock victory Uzbek GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov defeated Britain's Michael Adams in the tiebreak games today to win the FIDE world championship in Libya. Adams was clearly winning with white in the first game, then let it slip and in the end lost. In the second game "Kasim" held the draw quite easily. Here are the games and a full illustrated final report. |
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FIDE World Championship closing ceremony
15.07.2004 – After the tiebreak games at the FIDE world chess championship in Libya the new champion was crowned in a splendid closing ceremony, attended by FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Libyan OC President Mohammed Al Gadhafi (son of Muammar). We bring you pictures and an interview with Rustam Kasimdzhanov. |
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Short on Tripoli: a one-month blunderfest
19.07.2004 – Nigel Short, one of Britain's top GMs, was one of the 128 contestants of the FIDE world championship in Libya. After his return we spoke to him about the new world champion, the FIDE knockout format, his incredible blunder against Krasenkow and what must be done to reform the chess world. Here is part one of this interview. |
