Game 4
Game four
The fourth game of the match went on in a slow manoeuvering fight. Having encountered a good novelty on move 14, Vladimir Kramnik get bewildered, he returned to Veselin a sacrificed pawn back in the proper time, and gradually converted with unhurried subtle moves his somewhat deteriorated position to a probably slightly better one. It could be sensed that Vladimir felt himself very confident, such course of fight suits him well. The only imprecision he made on the 47th move was provoked by his striving for simplify the game. Being two pawns ahead, one can afford it, it’s just very important that his simplification tendency should not play a mean trick on Kramnik in the forthcoming games. Thus, the resulting draw appears to be absolutely justified.
Today’s game impressed professionals, as it was almost flawless, but for chess fans it was probably a bit boring. Can we expect some more spectacular fights, or the struggle will become more quiet and positional?
Vladimir KRAMNIK: There are many different kinds of games… To be honest, I thought we’ll be able to finish in two hours today – there was almost nothing to play with. But Veselin wanted to continue, and so we did. Frankly, for the rest of the game I was more concerned about making it to the TV to see a Champions League match. I agree, this encounter was kind of boring, but this is the only such case. Although there was still some tension in it.
Veselin TOPALOV: There was opening dispute and interesting middlegame. At some point I felt I had a comfortable advantage. Maybe I should have not allowed the Black’s bishop to d5, playing something like 32.f3 and then trying to place the knight to c5, however, the situation is not that clear. It was interesting positional struggle… It will be difficult for beginners to understand what happened on board, but the game was full of tension. There was a sensible move 35.e4 instead of 35.Qd3+, sacrificing the b3-pawn. Black de-fends his bishop, but it is unclear how he should proceed. Maybe this was my best chance.
After 47…Bxc4 White could take the bishop with the queen. Does it change anything?
V.K.: I calculated 48…f4, then, let’s say, 49.Ra6, and it seems I can play 49…fxe3 50.Rxе6 Rxd4 51.Rе8++ Kh7 52.Qg8+ Kg6, and White has nothing. However, it has to be double checked.
It seems 48…f4 has to be played, but then 49.Rе5, and if 49…fxe3, then 50.Rxе6.
V.T.: And what if 50…Qf7?
Then White has 51.Rxе3, and he is a pawn up, because if the queen takes on c4, he can re-capture with the b-pawn.
V.T.: Aha, I see!
V.K.: And what if we try 50…Rxd4? It also does not seem to work…
V.T.: Maybe. I thought it is close to a draw.
So, you rejected it because of 50…Qf7?
V.Т.: In my opinion, if White had an advantage, it was conceded earlier.
V.K.: I am also not sure that I am forced to take on с4. I thought the position is even, considered a few forced lines – White’s exposed king pretty much ensures Black’s drawing chances.
How often did you think about the current match score during the game, and how did it af-fect your play?
V.K.: It helps me (laughs). Actually, you don’t think about it during the game. I knew subconsciously that I am ahead, but it did not influence my decisions. I only had to display minimal accu-racy in defense. In such position I would have played like that regardless of the match score.
V.T.: Of course, it is difficult to forget about the score. I must either take risks or play extremely well to deprive the opponent of the slightest chance. However, I do not forget that each game is just a fraction of the 12-game match.
A traditional question before a free day – what are your plans for tomorrow?
V.K.: I do not look so far ahead. Today I’ll watch football, and I have no idea about tomorrow.
The first day of rest has changed the course of the struggle significantly. On the first two days, it was all about violence, while games 3 and 4 were much calmer. What shall we expect after a second free day?
V.K.: First of all, these changes reflect improved quality of our play, which leads to a higher number of draws. We were not completely up to the task on the first days, there were many mis-takes. Now we’ve warmed up, and the quality of play became better. I don’t think this happened because of the rest day.
V.T.: I had many rest days before the first game!.. So I see no connection. It just happens some-times – the openings are different, and the character of struggle is also different …
A question to both players: how do you assess your current form?
V.T.: I cannot say my form in the first two games was worse than it is now. However, I hope that I’ll play the rest of the match without blunders.
V.K.: It is better to discuss the form after the match; I avoid thinking about it in process. This is not about your form, you just must do your best in every game, work hard… The match has just started, and there is everything to play for.
You are completely absorbed by chess for ten days already. Do you feel tired in an intimate circle of your teams? Do you want to relax?
V.K.: Do you have anything particular to offer? I am ready to consider it. В.Т.: This is our profession, it can’t be helped. Being in the war is much worse – so I cannot complain
On 28 September, a day in which no game was played, Silvio Danailov, the manager of Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, sent a letter to the appeals committee of the match detailing what he said were an excessive number of bathroom breaks more than 50 per game – by Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.
The letter stopped short of accusing Mr. Kramnik of cheating, presumably by getting the assistance of a computer, but it noted that there was no surveillance equipment in the private bathrooms used by the players and it demanded that both players be required to use a public restroom from now on and then only when accompanied by a match referee.
The letter concluded by saying that Mr. Topalov might withdraw from the match if the demands were not met.
Press Release
To the Organizing Committee of the match Topalov vs Kramnik
To the Appeals Committee Mr. Makropoulos Mr. Azmaiparashvili Mr. Vega
To all mass media
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The careful study of the video recordings from the rest rooms done by the technical experts of the Bulgarian team revealed the following facts which we would herewith like to bring to your attention:
- After each move Mr. Kramnik immediately heads to the rest room and from it directly to the bathroom. During every game he visited the relaxation room 25 times at the average and the bathroom more than 50 times – the bathroom is the only place without video surveillance.
- Unlike Mr. Kramnik, the World Champion Veselin Topalov spends his time mainly at the playing table. The average number of times he visited the rest room and the bathroom is 8 and 4 respectively.
A short statistical sample derived from the camera recordings in the rest room during the third game shows:
15.54 – Kramnik plays move 15 15.55 – Goes into the bathroom 15.56 – Goes out of the bathroom 15.57 – Goes into the bathroom 15.59 – Goes out of the bathroom 16.03 – Goes into the bathroom 16.04 – Goes out the bathroom 16.07 – Comes out for move 16
The behavior of Mr. Kramnik is very similar to the above during all games played so far.
The logical question arises: How many times during a game does a player need to go to the bathroom and with what regularity? The logical answer is: between 5 -10 times at the most, but not 50 as the statistics from the games played so far shows.
We would like to once again remind you that the bathroom is the only place without video or audio surveillance.
In our opinion these facts are quite strange, if not suspicious.
In relation to the above, and to ensure the best conditions for fair play and rule out all suspicions we demand:
To stop the use of the rest rooms and the adjacent bathrooms for both players.
If a player needs to go to the bathroom, he can use the public bathroom, but only with permission from the Arbiter and accompanied by an assistant arbiter.
The Organizing Committee should present the video tapes from the rest rooms to all journalists accredited in the press-center so that they can verify for themselves the facts described by us.
Should this extremely serious problem remain unsolved by 10.00 o’clock tomorrow (September 29th, 2006), we would seriously reconsider the participation of the World Champion Veselin Topalov in this match.
Sincerely:
Silvio Danailov
Manager of the Bulgarian team
The following day the Appeals Committee composed of Mr. Makropoulos, Azmaiparashvili and Vega answered to Topalov
To all mass media
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After we got acquainted with the ruling of the Appeals Committee of the Topalov vs. Kramnik world championship match we deem it necessary to point out the following:
- The ruling in its present form is not satisfactory to us since it practically does not result in any change. Mr. Kramnik will be able to visit the new bathroom an unlimited number of times without being subject to further control.
- We would accept the current relaxation rooms to continue to be used provided that the presence of controllers in both rooms is ensured.
- When the two players need to go to the bathroom, they should be accompanied by an assistant arbiter.
- The checks carried out in the relaxation rooms were made only by experts of the Organizing Committee, whereas our experts were present as observers and only after the second game.
- We find it difficult to understand why is it that the accredited journalists are denied access to the video tapes from the relaxation rooms.
The World Champion Veselin Topalov is outraged by the suspicious behavior of his opponent Mr. Vladimir Kramnik who in actual fact takes his most significant decisions in the bathroom.
Despite the above, in the name of the chess game and out of respect to FIDE, to Kalmikia and the millions of chess lovers, Veselin Topalov is willing to continue his participation in the match provided that measures to guarantee fair play are taken.
If the match were to continue, the World Champion would refrain from shaking hands with Mr. Kramnik before the games and would not take part in joint press conferences with him. Veselin Topalov will make statements for the media separately.
We look forward to receiving your response by 14.30 h hoping that it will give concrete answers to the questions that we pose.
Sincerely,
Silvio Danailov Manager of the Bulgaria team
In the morning of September 29 Casten Hensen on behalve of Vladimir Kramnik sent an Open Letter to the FIDE President…who was in business trip in Sochi to meet the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Dear Mr. President,
The Appeals Committee of the World Championship Match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik made the following decision on the protest of the Topalov Team:
“to close both the toilets in the players rest rooms and to open another toilet that will be available only to the two players”
The Kramnik team received the mentioned decision a few hours before the start of game 5 and was officially informed about the protest of Mr. Topalov only yesterday evening, 10 p.m., 28 September 2006. With such a decision the WCC Committee is clearly violating both the rules and regulations of the WCC match and the rights of Mr. Kramnik.
The relevant clause in contract of Mr. Kramnik expels: “FIDE shall provide a rest room and toilette for the players during the WCC match in the playing hall and close to the stage (if possible backstage) to be equipped with a live monitor furnished with coffee and tea as well as with light refreshments.”
The reasons that Mr. Kramnik is entering his own bathroom often is simple: The restroom is small and Mr. Kramnik likes to walk and therefore uses the space of the bathroom as well. The Appeals Committee has been informed about the issue before they decided. It should also be mentioned that Mr. Kramnik has to drink a lot of water during the games.
On the request of Mr. Topalov the agreed live monitors have been removed as well as the shower cabines in the bath rooms. The moves are provided on demonstration boards only. The substance of Mr. Topalov protests (dated 22, 24 and 28 September 2006) were basically always met by the approval of the Appeals Committee. Everything has been done here to satisfy Mr. Topalov’s requests.
On a regulary basis the restrooms and toiletts are heavily checked by specialists, obviously local police forces. This goes together with the arrival of the players. The arbiters are observing all the measures. One representative of each team has the right of being present in order to observe the activities. The playing area is banned from signals and the glas wall protects from any kind of view contact and/or body language. There is not a single reason or evidence to believe that a player would have any kind of cheating possibilities.
It is and was no problem for the organization to assure all necessary measures in order to avoid any kind of cheating. By starting the match both participants agreed all the playing conditions de facto and de jure and the conditions are therefore legally binding. Any change of the playing conditions without a good reason would in our understanding request the approval of both players which is not the case here.
Mr. Kramnik believes that the latest decision should increasingly concern the world of chess as it shows very clearly and once again the biased stand of the Appeals Committee members involved. In person: Mr. Makropolous, Mr. Azmaiparashivili (well known as a close friend to Mr. Danailov), Mr. Gelfer (now replaced by Mr. Vega). Therefore Mr. Kramnik requests to exchange the mentioned persons immediately. Enough is enough.
We would like to add that the recent decision not only insults Mr. Kramnik but is clearly critizing both the excellent work of the local organisation at Elista and the nominated arbiters. Yesterday evening the chief arbiter and the head of the excutive committee once again confirmed that the indirect accusations of cheating are nonsense.
The protests of the Topalov team into the direction of Mr. Kramnik and the suspicions in the press release of Mr. Topalov are utterly disgraceful and are touching Mr. Kramnik’s privacy. We do not think that the Topalov team has any right of getting access to the recordings. This shall be job of the nominated arbiters only.
The Topalov team includes a parapsychologist and more people which are obviously having no other tasks as to distract and to insult Mr. Kramnik especially since their team is realizing that Mr. Topalov finds himself in a difficult situation. This is what we call an utterly unfair behaviour which is not in accordance with the FIDE Code of Ethics. The decision taken by the Appeals Committee can only be seen as another attempt to disturb Mr. Kramniks concentration since it is difficult to understand what kind of improvement it shall be to have one toilet instead of two.
Our team does not trust the objectivity of the Appeals Committee anymore. Therefore it makes no sense for us to bring a protest to this table and Mr. Kramnik strongly insists once again that the members of the Appeals Committee will be changed immediately and that the heads of the Organizing Committee are taking their responsibilities.
In the meanwhile Mr. Kramnik will stop playing this match as long as FIDE is not ready to respect Mr. Kramnik’s rights, in this case to use the toilet of his own restroom whenever he wishes to do so. Further and more detailed legal investigations are already in process.