FIDE Knockout Tournament (2000)

Handling the Press Room was GM P. Thipsay of India together with GM Valeri Salov, now of Spain, who has a special relationship with India since he trained the national squad in Bangalore before the Istanbul Olympiad and was the coach of the men’s and women’s teams which finished eighth and 13th, respectively. Helping out was IM Damir Levacic of Cannes, France.

For the first round all men were present except Morozevich, but three women failed to appear for the women’s division. Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria accompanied her friend to New Delhi on the chance that she may fill a vacancy. But the rules were clear – no substitutions after pairings are announced. The Appeals Committee tried to fine Morozevich for non-appearance. Regulations stipulate that all players should attend the opening ceremony. It turned out however, that he was given the impression that he could come late and the censure was withdrawn.

Time control was forty moves in 100 minutes followed by 20 moves in 50 minutes then ten minutes to finish the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting with the first move. DGT clocks were imperative for such a time control.

The tie break series stipulated an exciting series of rapid games (all with 10 second increments per move) with 25-minute, 15-minute and then the sudden death blitz series (4 minutes for white, 5 minutes for black) with a maximum of four games. If all of these sudden death games ended in draws, the last decisive game would use a time control of six minutes for white and five minutes for black, without increments per move, with black having the advantage of winning the tie even if he drew the game.

Round 1

As in Swiss systems, the top half played against the lower half in the first round and there were some upsets where youth prevailed. France’s young Igor Nataf quickly had an attack going against former World Junor Champion Emil Sutovsky of Israel. Brazil’s GM Rafael Leitao was inspired against experienced Joel Lautier.

The first day was marred by two electrical blackouts which hampered the online transmission of moves.

There was more excitement in day 2. Local hero GM Krishnan Sasikiran defeated IM Amon Simutowe of Zambia in a well-played game. GM Joel Lautier of France bowed out with a tame draw against Leitao. GM Victor Bologan of Moldova scored over Iceland’s Hennes Stefansson who arrived at the board late due to jet lag.

Surprisingly, many games ended in short draws in the men’s section. Many seemed to think he would have the advantage over his opponent in the faster tiebreak time control.

After a draw in the first day, Vietnam’s GM Dao Thien Hai eliminated GM Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine.

The first tie-break day was exciting. Upset victories were scored by GM B. Macieja of Poland, Emir Dizdarevic of Bosnia and Sergei Volkov of Russia who disposed of Jonathan Speelman, Lev Psakhis and Konstantin Sakaev respectively.

The Volkov-Sakaev match extended to 15 minute tie-breaks after they had exchanged heavy blows in the rapid games. The first 15 minute game was a safe and tame affair, but in the second 15 minute game Volkov played actively in the Slav defense to win in 34 moves.

Indian GM Abhijit Kunte went down to GM Gilberto Milos of Brazil after an interesting battle. Milos seemed to be more comfortable in the rapid games and had a comparatively easy time against the Indian due to superior opening preparation.

  1. Bologan, V. (MDA) – Stefansson, H. (ISL) – 1.5-0.5 (0.5, 1-0)
  2. Lputian, S. (ARM) – Blehm, P. (POL) – 1.5-0.5 (1-0, 0.5)
  3. Speelman, J. (ENG) – Macieja, B. (POL) – 1.5-2.5 (1-0, 0-1, 0.5, 0-1)
  4. Wohl, A. (AUS) – Galkin, A. (RUS) – 0-2 (0-1, 0-1)
  5. Sakaev, K. (RUS) – Volkov, S. (RUS) – 2.5-3.5 (1-0, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1, 0.5)
  6. Lutz, C. (GER) – Ghaem Maghami, E. (IRI) – 2.5-1.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1-0)
  7. Sutovsky, E. (ISR) – Nataf, I. (FRA) – 0.5-1.5 (0-1, 0.5)
  8. Lautier, J. (FRA) – Leitao, R. (BRA) – 0.5-1.5 (0-1, 0.5)
  9. Fiorito, F. (ARG) – Benjamin, J. (USA) – 0-2 (0-1, 0-1)
  10. Ponomariov, R. (UKR) – Dao, T. (VIE) – 0.5-1.5 (0.5, 0-1)
  11. Yermolinsky, A. (USA) – Al-Modiahki, M. (QAT) – 1.5-0.5 (1-0, 0.5)
  12. Bacrot, E. (FRA) – Rytshagov, M. (EST) – 3-1 (0.5, 0.5, 1-0, 1-0)
  13. Hakki, I. (SYR) – Adianto, U. (INA) – 0.5-1.5 (0-1, 0.5)
  14. Kharlov, A. (RUS) – Hansen, S. (DEN) – 1.5-0.5 (0.5, 1-0)
  15. Malakhov, V. (RUS) – Kveinys, A. (LTU) – 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
  16. Van Wely, L. (NED) – Asrian, K. (ARM) – 1.5-0.5 (0.5, 1-0)
  17. Simutowe, A. (ZAM) – Sasikiran, K. (IND) – 0.5-1.5 (0.5, 0-1)
  18. Kunte, A. (IND) – Milos, G. (BRA) – 1.5-2.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1)
  19. Barua, D. (IND) – Vladimirov, E. (KAZ) – 0-2 (0-1, 0-1)
  20. Rustemov, A. (RUS) – Tregubov, P. (RUS) – 2.5-3.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1, 0.5)
  21. Lesiege, A. (CAN) – Vasquez, R. (CHI) – 2-0 (1-0, 1-0)
  22. Nogueiras, J. (CUB) – Ehlvest, J. (EST) – 2-4 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1, 0-1)
  23. Godena, M. (ITA) – Iordachescu, V. (MDA) – 1.5-2.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0-1, 0.5)
  24. Lima, D. (BRA) – Grischuk, A. (RUS) – 1.5-2.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0-1, 0.5)
  25. Ivanov, A. (USA) – Fedorov, A. (BLR) – 1.5-0.5 (1-0, 0.5)
  26. Serper, G. (USA) – Bagheri, A. (IRI) – 1.5-0.5 (1-0, 0.5)
  27. Agrest, E. (SWE) – Onischuk, A. (UKR) – 0.5-1.5 (0-1, 0.5)
  28. Villamayor, B. (PHI) – Minasian, A. (ARM) – 2-4 (0.5, 0.5, 1-0, 0-1, 0-1, 0-1)
  29. Dizdarevic, E. (BIH) – Psakhis, L. (ISR) – 4-3 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0)
  30. Hernandez, G. (MEX) – Piket, J. (NED) – 1.5-2.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1)
  31. Nevednichy, V. (ROM) – Labib, I. (EGY) – 1.5-0.5 (0.5, 1-0)
  32. Hamdouchi, H. (MAR) – Vaganian, R. (ARM) – 0-2 (0-1, 0-1)
  33. Aleksandrov (BLR) – El Taher (EGY) 4.5-3.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1-0)
  34. Zaja, I. (CRO) – Baklan, V. (UKR) – 2.5-3.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1)
  35. Bezgodov, A. (RUS) – Gulko, B. (USA) – 1.5-2.5 (0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0-1)
  36. Chernin, A. (HUN) – Utnasunov, A. (RUS) – 1.5-0.5 (1-0, 0.5)

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