FIDE Knockout Tournament (1999)

World Championship 1999

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Las Vegas, USA  (by C. Abundo)

Ceaser’s palace, billed as the “Home of Champions” was the fitting venue for the 1999 World Chess Championship. Zonal qualifiers joined seeded top rated players in the knock-out series composed of two-game matches from round 1 to 5 going into 4-game semi-finals and 6-game finals, the second time after Groningen/Lausanne (1998/1999) that the World Championship was held in a knockout system. Last year, the finals were played in Lausanne, Switzerland, headquarters of the International Olympic Committee.

Ties were broken y 2-game matches of 25 minute Rapid Chess, or two 15 minute Rapid Chess game, or still tied by sudden death blitz.

Favourites prevailed last year but in Las Vegas, the scenario was completely different. Nobody had expected that the favourite would be eliminated, allowing other grandmasters to rise themselves to a very high level.

Nearly all top players registered for the championship, with the exception of Kasparov, Anand and Karpov. After firm dates were announced, the World Chess Championship was organized in rapid time. World Championship Cycle Committee Chairman Willy Iclicki had to take over the reins of the organizing Committee.

The Opening Ceremony took place on July 30 in the famous Maxim Circus theatre of Ceasars palace. IOC Vice President Anita de Franz represented the Olympic Committee at the opening, made a tribute to the recent IOC recognition of FIDE as an international sport federation.

Round 1

There were quite a number of very interesting games in the first round which was, not surprisingly by opening day jitters. The favourites by no means dominated their opponents. The biggest upset of the round had to be the Indian GM Barua’s fine positional win over Khalifman but the Russian came back in the second game and eventually won the match after the 4th tie-break.

1    X. Peng (CHN) – Sadvakasov (KAZ)                   1.5-0.5

2    B. Gulko (USA) – D. Reinderman (NED)              1.5-0.5

3    L. Aronian (ARM) – E. Rozentalis (LTU)              2.0-0.0

4    A. Aleksandrov (BLR) – R. Becerra (CUB)           2.0-0.0

5    T. Shaked (USA) – V. Babula (CZE)                    1.0-1.0 (2-0)

6    J. Ehlvest (EST) – F. Nijboer (NED)                    1.5-0.5

7    R. Antonio (PHI) – A. Kozak (RUS)                     2.0-0.0

8    V. Tkachiev (FRA) – A. Hoffman (ARG)               2.0-0.0

9    U. Andersson (SWE) – Mohamed (EGY)              2.0-0.0

10  R. Akesson (SWE) – A. Miles (ENG)                    1.0-1.0 (1.5-2.5)

11  J. Lautier (FRA) – W. Kobese (RSA)                    2.0-0.0

12  D. Barua (IND) – A. Khalifman (RUS)                1.0-1.0 (0.5-1.5)

13   R. Leitao (BRA) -A. Bagheri (IRI)                       2.0-0.0

14  B. Macieja (POL) – V. Milos (SWZ)                     1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)

15   L. Nisipeanu (ROM) – S. Djuric (YUG)                 2.0-0.0

16  M. Wahls (GER) – A. Cela (ALB)                         1.5-0.5

17  I. Sokolov (BIH) – S. Kudrin (USA)                    1.5-0.5

18  Y. Dolmatov (RUS) – P. Kotsur (KAZ)                 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)

19  S. Bouaziz (TUN) – Kotronias (CYP)                   0.5-1.5

20  M. Chiburdanidze (GEO) – V. Akopian (ARM)       0.5-1.5

21  V. Feldman (AUS) – B. Magem (ESP)                   0.0-2.0

22  K. Asrian (ARM) – A. Rodriguez (URU)                1.0-1.0 (2.5-1.5)

23  I. Hakki (SYR) – H. Hamdouchi (MAR)               0.0-2.0

24  U. Adianto (INA) – D. Fridman (LAT)                  0.0-2.0

25  A. Ivanov (USA) – G. Milos (BRA)                       0.5-1.5

26  D. Gurevich (USA) – S. Tiviakov (RUS)               1.0-1.0 (3.5-4.5)

27   M. Al-Modiahki (QAT) – R. Ponomariov (UKR)     1.5- 0.5

28  L. Psakhis (ISR) – A. Zapata (COL)                    1.0-1.0 (1.5- 0.5)

29  M. Kobalija (RUS) – N. De Firmian (USA)           1.5-0.5

30  K. Spraggett (CAN) – A. Yermolinsky (USA)          1.0-1.0 (1.5-2.5)

31  A. Dreev (RUS) – R. Zelcic (CRO)                       1.0-1.0 (2.5-1.5)

32  Kasimdzhanov (UZB) – C. Bauer (FRA)                0.5-1.5

33  C. Liang (CHN) –G. Dizdar (CRO)                       0.5-1.5

34  P. Nielsen- (DEN) – J. Benjamin (USA)               1.0-1.0 (3-2)

35  P. Ricardi (ARG) – J. Speelman (ENG)                0.5- 1.5

36  A. Zubarev – Stefansson (ISL)                          1.0-1.0 (1.5-2.5)

Round 2

An explosive day! This round saw entry of chess’ top heavy weight as they saw action against survivor from the first round.

The big story was Bosnian I. Sokolov’ smashing victory over GM A. Shirov on the black of a Petroff. The biggest upset of the round had to be Ukrainian prodigy Ponomariov’s won over elite GM Vasselin Topalov. Many of the seeded superstars won in overwhelming fashion, notably V. Ivanchuk over M. Wahls of Germany, J. Polgar over Nielsen, Short over Friedman and Adams over Kobalija. Miles outplayed Krasenkow as Black in a Slav to continue his run of good Vegas luck. Brazilian star G. Milos crushed former Candidate V. Salov in a Spanish in a mild upset. English GM J. Speelman blundered away an equal position against B. Gelfand. J. Timman and K. Georgiev ground down Aronian and T. Shaked to take the lead in their matches. The second day of round 2 was a big day for comebacks. No less than six players came through to notch revenge in must-win situations. Leading is A. Shirov who crushed I. Sokolov on lack side of a King’s Indian. A. Khalifman defeated G. Kamsky in fine style to even their match. Super Bulgarian GM V. Topalov came back convincingly against Ponomariov of Ukraina to set up a tie-breaker. Z. Almasi defeated Peng of China in an interesting tussle. GM S. Dolmatov demolished 68-year old V. Korchnoi to knot their match and force overtime. Korchnoi was noticeably upset by his lopside loss to the Russian. Top seeded V. Kramnik advanced to Round 3 with a ragged win over S. Tiviakov. One of the most interesting game was Fedorov-Gulko which saw a wide-open tactical battle emerged from a Winawer French.

  1. Kramnik (RUS) – S. Tiviakov (RUS) 1.5-0.5
  2. Korchnoi (SWZ) – S. Dolmatov (RUS) 1.0-1.0 (2-4)
  3. Ponomariov (UKR) – V. Topalov (BLG) 1.0-1.0 (2-4)
  4. Smirin (ISR) – L Psakhis (ISR) 1.0-1.0 (1.5 2.5)
  5. Adams (ENG) – M. Kobalja (RUS) 1.0-1.0 (2-0)
  6. Almasi (HUN) – Z. Peng (CHN) 1.0-1.0 (2-0)
  7. Yermolinsky (USA) – S. Rublevsky (RUS) 1.0-1.0 (0-2)
  8. Dreev (RUS) – Kotronias (CHY) 1.5-0.5
  9. Federov (BLR) – B. Gulko (USA)                          1.5-0.5
  10. Timman (NED) – L. Aronian (ARM) 1.5-0.5
  11. Bauer (FRA) – P. Leko (HUN) 0.5-1.5
  12. S. Movsesian (CZE) – G. Dizdar (CRO) 2.0-0.0
  13. Aleksandrov (BLR) – P. Svidler (RUS) 0.5-1.5
  14. Georgiev (BUL) – T. Shaked (USA) 2.0-0.0
  15. Ehlvest (EST) – E. Bareev (RUS) 0.5-1.5
  16. R. Antonio (RUS) – V. Akopian (ARM) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-2.5)
  17. V. Tkachiev (FRA) – B. Magem (ESP) 1.0-1.0 (0-2)
  18. Polgar (HUN) – PH Nielsen (DEN) 1.5- 0.5
  19. Andersson (SWE) – Zvjaginsev (RUS) 0.5-1.5
  20. Krasenkow (POL) – A. Miles (ENG) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)
  21. Lautier (FRA) – K. Sakaev (RUS) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)
  22. Speelman (ENG) – B. Gelfand (ISR) 0.5-1.5
  23. Sadler (ENG) – K. Asrian (ARM) 0.5-1.5
  24. Khalifman (RUS) – G. Kamsky (USA) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)
  25. Nisipeanu (ROM) – Z. Azmaiparashvili (GEO) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)
  26. Stefansson (ISL) – Shipov (RUS) 1.0-1.0 (0.5-1.5)
  27. Ivanchuk (UKR) – M. Wahls (GER) 2.0-0.0
  28. Hamdouchi (MAR) – A. Beliavsky (UKR) 1.0-0.5
  29. Short (ENG) – Fridman (LAT) 1.5-0.5
  30. Milos (BRA) – V. Salov (RUS) 2.0-0.0
  31. Shirov (ESP) – I. Sokolov (BIH) 1.5-0.5
  32. Macieja (POL) – R. Leitao (BRA) 0.5-1.5

Round 3

There were quite a number of interesting battles in round 3. The most striking was the struggle Shirov-Milos which saw Shirov build up a massive positional advantage but then falter a bit when Milos lunched a desperate bid for counter play. N. Short elegantly outplayed A. Beliavsky on the Black side of a Nimzo. Ivanchuk disposed of Shipov smoothly with a beautiful final wrap-up sequence.

Timman has a bizarre game against Fedorov. The position looked roughly equal until Fedorov refused the chance to repeat the position. A final little combination by Fedorov forced a win of material and capitulation

The second regulation game saw some fine technical displays. Kramnik won a pawn in the opening and smoothly translated thoat to a winning ending against the amazing Korchnoi. Milos evend his match with A. Shirov with a fine attacking game that morphed into a superior ending. Adams was impressive in methodically creating weaknesses and then digesting them against Almasi from Hungary. K. Georgiev advanced at the expense of Svidler. Polgar defeated the Spanish Magem who blundered his game in zeitnot.

On the 16 matches of the Round 3, 11 were decided in regulation.

The five tie-break matches saw some fine chess combined with raw blunders in the nerve-wracking playoff environment. Shirov finally overcome G. Milov with a fine display of his brilliant attacking bent. Movsesian defeated Leko in impressive fashion. Bareev blundered horribly in the first game with Akopian in a fairly quite line of the Slav. Nisipianu finaly defeated Leitao by applying a classic positional squeeze to choke any counter chances by the tactically-inclined Leitao in the second game of their 25 minute match. The epic Gelfand- Lautier playoff was a see-saw affair. After a draw in the first 25 minutes battles, the playoffs then entered the 15 minute format. The first game saw Gelfand play with ruthless efficiency in forcing the win of a piece and consolidating without allowing a shred of play to the Frenchman. Lautier then tried for revenge in the second game but it become apparent by move 18 that his novelty in the Petroff was a failure. Gelfand build up a mindless mating attack and won without trouble to advance.

  1. Kramnik (RUS)– V. Korchnoi (SWZ) 1.5-0.5
  2. Topalov (BUL) – L. Psakhis (ISR) 1.5-0.5
  3. Adams (ENG) – Z. Almasi (HUN) 1.5-0.5
  4. Rublevsky (RUS) – A. Dreev (RUS) 0.5-1.5
  5. Federov (RUS) – J. Timman (NED) 1.5-0.5
  6. Leko (HUN) – S. Movsesian (CZE) 0.5-1.5
  7. Svidler (RUS) – Kiril Georgiev (BUL) 0.5-1.5
  8. Bareev (RUS) – V. Akopian (ARM) 1.0-1.0 (1.5-0.5)
  9. Magem (ESP) – J. Polgar (HUN) 0.5-1.5
  10. Zvjaginsev (RUS) – M. Krasenkow (POL) 1.0-0.5
  11. Lautier (FRA) – B. Gelfand (ISR) 1.0-1.0 (3-1)
  12. K. Asrian (ARM) – A. Khalifman (RUS) 0.5-1.5
  13. Leitao (BRA) – L. Nisipeanu (ROM) 1.0-1.0 (0.5-1.5)
  14. Shipov (RUS) – V. Ivanchuk (UKR) 0.0-2.0
  15. Beliavsky (UKR) – N. Short (ENG) 0.5-1.5
  16. Milos – A. Shirov (ESP) 1.0-1.0 (0-2)

Interview with the oldest participant and legendary Viktor Korchnoi:

Q: What is your opinion of the 1999 World Chess Championship?

A: I did not like the venue, Las Vegas. It is a city of entertainment, lacking advertising of chess and people are coming here to have fun. The tournament being held is unnoticeable. One should have a quieter venue and enviroment which is more important for the participants. Such weather is not made for competitions. I think that this tournament cannot be considered the World Chess Championship, but just a Chess Cup. In my opinion, the Championship should be treated more seriously. 2 games cannot decide anything, especially with a shorter time control.

Q: What do you think of the new format for the World Chess Championship?

A: I think that there are a lot of things in it to be attended to. The victory cannot be counted in case of the opponent’s absence. The format is not perfect for players and making the pairings. The equipment is not perfect either. The atmosphere is very tense. But the rest is OK.

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