Today in Chess | Historic Championships: Kramnik vs. Topalov 2006

Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley discuss the World Chess Championship unification in 2006 between Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov.

[mickdrummer]

Thanks guys for explaining this —- very helpful.

[plamenn]

Reposting this comment because these 2 gents discussing the issue did not give it an objective view in my opinion:
You forget a couple details: Its NOT just that the Topalov team said the bathroom was being used too much. Its been reported that the bathroom was used 50+ times in the first 4 games.
Second, you also miss the detail that the recordings taken from the rest rooms as specified in the contract had gaps, quite a few, which of course was NOT specified in the contract.
Take these 2 details together with the fact that the game was played in Russia under the auspices of the Russian top authorities (Russian Fed president happened to be also Russiam vice-president..) and the fact that the inspection conducted on the Kramnik rooms found an as yet unexplained 'communications' cable -whatever that means-, and you have in summary a very suspicious case of possible ilegal conduct.
Of course the abscence of evidence does not allow us to draw any conclusions, but in that type of situations, the key thing is whether all participants, including the controlers and officials perform scrupulously as specified by the law or, in the case at hand, as written in the contract.
Its called transparency. Or the lack of it.
Dear Mr Seirawan, I hope you understand I am not accusing anybody of anything, much less yourself of misrepresenting the episode, but you must understand that when you are dealing with powerful people and institutions, the standard to be met is higher that the simple 'there is Zero evidence' stuff. This is certainly the appropriate standard for particulars, individual citizens. There's ZERO evidence that it should be also the appropriate standard to be demanded from the adminstration and public officials.

[Viperth]

soooo Exactly WHY did he have to use the toilet 50 times its not normal !! Anyone know if he was asked what he did there, . and what was the answer `?

[lastjedi]

yasser narrates just like mr.freeman in shawshank....

[detectivemarkseven]

Thats why chess events have no water in the toilet.

[Szilagyi-kx]

Vladimir Kramnik reached an ELO score of 2800. He can play like a chess program. Why would he cheat? I don't think he cheated.

[antonyosifov]

Maybe he was not cheating but it is a huge disrespect for chess itself and the opponent

[AlonsoRules]

so that's why they hate each other lol

[Burrowsmp]

I wonder if Topalov was American will you laugh the same as in the begining in the video? 50 times to the toilet in single chess game.... Come on its obvoious why

[GraemeCree]

What this doesn't mention is that they had agreed to unify the titles years before. Kramnik-Leko was the first leg of the reunification. Kasparov-Kasimdzhanov was going to be the other leg. The winner of that was to play Kramnik, but Kasparov retired. So Kasparov-Kasimdhzanov was replaced with the San Luis tournament. FIDE called it a "World Championship" but it really wasn't, as FIDE had already agreed to the unification process. The tournament only existed to find a challenger for Kramnik. Topalov never was undisputed world champion.

[hishdek]

Danailov was acting by intuition and did the right thing. He has no history of manipulation and Kramnik went to the toilette 50 times in a single game. So, he had a bit of a mouth ... big deal - somebody had to do something. It is not about pissing (pun intended) the opponent off or tilting him, or messing with his game in anyway, or any kind of disrespect for that matter. If anything, it was the other way around. Even the comission on this game sayd that Kramnik's toilette visits were allegdly exaggerated, without specifying why, how and/or using data or reason.

There is a reason Topalov was the champion (by defeating the previous champion), Kramnik was not and even the only standardized and accepted world wide rating system would agree.

Plus few would know, Bulgaria is not a favourite of anyone (let's just call it a nation of very good history vs not so bright ones who have not because of achievements), plus we are talking about vs cheating nations such as (name a few those other wanna be champions are from) ...
Do any of you have any idea how expensive the game of chess really is ? If you want to be number 1, number 2 and 3 pretty much have to work for you, not against you. And that costs money. Good trainers, good scouts (for current strategies), good researchers (for new ones), good sparring partners (without practice vs someone on the same level nothing will work) ... the title prize never covers the expenses. Now, Bulgaria dissappeared 640 years ago and against all odds, and with the most champions per head of the population (without that most expensive level) ... well, let's just say no one could understand why Topalov has a 600 wins out of 700 games record.

And hated the guy. Many would like him to loose just to see him loose, regardless who would win: USA, Russia, Jews ... name a western place. Even without any odea of history/their own interests - this is simply their style (not only when it comes to chess), this is simply what they do.

The truth is people are not even supposed to hear the name of my nation, and certain "competitive" (you have to be clean to be competitive) citizens don't have to know the reasons why, to do their part for personal greedy reasons, especially as a part of that "culture".

To get back to Danailov ... one look will tell you he will not cut any corners, and will say it when he has to say it, and will say it straight. Even if you cannot quite put your finger on it and have no clear idea what it is - you know it is. So, he is not going to say it directly. And he doesn't have to. As if the other side is just fine ... there was a reason to his response, which was just.

It's like saying: stop messing with my player and with the game. If you cannot concentrate on the table - that is your own problem, stop changing environment, stop taking fresh air, stop taking your head out of whatever is it that is bothering you about that game; stop disrespecting my player, you can't brake his train of thought all the time. This is chess - act like it. Yes, that was your 50-th time. Make sure it doesn't go beyond.
Loosing is by the rules - do it. "Game of kings" ? - try that on the battlefield. Either hold it or do it in your pants. (War is "a little" bit different and it is the actual game of kings, anyway). What did you do ?! What did you do ?! I'm asking you for all the previous times, I think I can ask you for every time. It's not like I'm interrupting the game or anything; not anymore than you are. Enough is enough. Man up. You think you are the smartest for playing this game (I would disagree) - so act like it and stop doing kindergarden bullshit. Is there a problem ? Should we do this another time ?

Do you need to change your diet ?

What ?!, is it your period ?! Even if it was - had anyone ... Bloody Hell!

Is it that time of the month, already ? Are we having a full moon ? Somebody check the calendar!
Boy, you are going to get anemia or amnezia or .... something.
Is it an emergency ?
Bring in the blood banks. O-, please. And make it with extra electrolites.

This is not a choice, was it ?
You had to do this.

And why so sensitive ?, "king" ?