Press conference: Topalov beats Anand
21 January 2007 19:17 PM
Suddenly the game was over. The journalists didn’t immediately know what was going on, and some even doubted if the ‘1-0′ on the television screen was correct. But indeed, Anand lost quickly today and as it appeared, without much chance. Topalov is now topping the field of the Corus Chess Tournament. What exactly happened today, can be seen in Topalov’s press conference below, that he gave afterwards. Because everything went so quickly, we didn’t manage to get the camera in position in time, but we didn’t miss much.
Part I
Part II
Grote klasse Peter, die website van jou. Laat nu niemand meer beweren, dat schaken geen kijksport is.Deze site is nmu een prachtig voorbeeld hoe het topschaak meer bij de gewone schaker kan worden gebracht.
Succes !
met vriendelijke groet
Fred Avis, voorzitter van de Noord Hollandse Schaakbond en de Hoornsche Schaakvereniging CaĂŻssa ( je ” oude ” club… )
Marvellous chess education; great entertainment.
That Corus may become a hunderd years old !
Another great piece of analysis by GM Topalov. Yes, Vishy’s resignation may have been premature but defending that postion was not an attractice prospect! Thanks for putting up these demonstrations- most fascinating to see.
What a great video !!!!!
Topalov is an extraordinary person. His honesty.. and he is a great teacher too. Viva Topa !
What started as press conferences ended up in master classes! Very instructive stuff! I also enjoyed Kramnik’s analysis.
What boggles my mind is how ranked #1(Topalov) can tie up ranked #2(Anand) in such a few moves and chokes him to death.Also, world #3(kramnik) beat world #2(Anand) badly and quickly chokes him to death. Is Anand really rated #2 in the world?? These are not a heavyweight battles as promoted. These two games feel more like the games between ranked #1 versus ranked # 200! It makes me think that the chess rating system is very flawed.
What boggles the mind is how 2 data points make you question anything. Chess is populated by retards.
Anand was black in both games. And as Kramnik showed there were quite a few pitfalls for him to sidestep before taking the point home. Haven’t you ever had a bad day or two?
You’d almost think Topalov watched the Kramnik analysis of his game against Anand, and wanted to do even better than that not only in the game but also in the press conference! Excellent stuff again!
Congrats for your covering of the Corus event. To see the analysis and thoughts from the players themselves so shortly after the games where played is a dream come true for the chess audience. Thanks.
Ik vond Botje er ook goed uitzien!
go Topzilla, Tpalov once again proved he is the best, I can’t wait for the game between him and Kramnik, I hope Toppi beats the russian
Its a pity that this super player has such a bad manager (danilov)
I hope to see a rematch for the World chess Crown Between the two best players (Kramnik and topalov)
Anand and Aronian are one step behind them at the moment I think.
COngrats topalov! and stop saying stupid things about the match against Kramnik, he played better tahn u there, the quality of ur games is so high that computers very often are useless.
Greetings from Spain
Topalov is the best, of corse the resign is premature but Veselin win
Topalov gives a great analysis. Thank you, ChessVibes!
I do not hope for the rematch between Topalov and Kramnik immediately, given the spectacle that was the first match. Danailov’s behavior was truly a stain on the reputation of chess.
Perhaps the fair thing to do is to have them play naked to prove they are not hiding any electronics and house the match in a barn where there won’t be cables running in the walls or ceilings… I suppose they would each need a private outhouse to take care of their biological matters.
First, let’s have Mexico, and then have Topalov challenge the winner there.
Great video. Great Page. Great topalove
I want to say thank you to the corus people. We need more companies to take the example.
for those, who expect the “great rematch” in Wijk, i have one thing to say: quiet draw. Unless Topalov plays too aggressively and loses.
Leuk! Al die complimentjes:) Wel terecht. Jullie verrichten baanbrekend werk op het gebied van schaakverslaggeving! Camerapositie is ook beter nu! Suc6!
It is not fair to suggest Anand is overrated on account of 2 games. He has been one of the worlds strongest players for over 10 years, and he will remain top-ranking for at least another 5 years.
May his friends wish him the strength to persevere on, in spite of these troublesome times.
Very surprising that Topalov needed his scoresheet so much.
I thought all GM could remember their games,
this was a short game played the same day.
Good to see a video, you get a much better idea of the players personality.
You are right JIM, chess is populated by retards like you! Otherwise you would not have missed the sarcasm in my comment. Don’t get me started on data points. If I go statistical you won’t be able to handle it! Anand is rated #2 yet both #1 and #3 tie him up and throw away the key in a few moves making him look like a patzer, making him begging for mercy. He felt so hopeless and insulted that he did not even bother to fight on. Not only that , after the games are over both Kramnik and Topalov gave video lessons which everybody found so “instructive”! How could a #2 rated player lose twice in a row so badly that even the patzers learn from it! Aren’t the heavyweight battles supposed to be at a very “high level”? It is one thing to lose games but to be given video lessons on your pathetic play is adding insults to injuries. How insulting for a “supergrandmaster” like Anand! I feel his pain. Again, Jim, chess ratings are not accurate. Just look at the difference between the player’s ratings and their performance rating! Radjbov hit over 3000 other day!
Well Nowshad, just look at any other sport, nd it will prove Jim’s point. Countless times, you can see how in football or tennis or whatever sport the favourite gets defeated badly by some of their competitors for the “first place”.
That doesn’t say much. At the top of the rankings, differences between players are very small. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you will win.
It’s the same at the bottom of the ranking list. Imagine two 4-year olds playing 10 chessgames, barely knowing the rules. Do you think there will be a lot of difference in their “quality” of play? I don’t think so.
Anand got annialated. Great man…
I agree, 2 games is not enough to rate a players ability. If the WC in 1972 was only one game long, would we think lesser of Fischer (who made one of the most bone-headed moves ever in a championship to lose an easily drawn game).
Nowshad, one wonders how a presumptious and obviously mediocre twit like you could possibly “feel the pain” of one such as Anand beside the brillance of whom you disappear in a vast sea of dim bulbs like yourself.
Anand has settled himself amongst the great ones in the likes of Karpov, Kasparov, Korchnoi, (Fischer +?!) so there is no doubt about his expertize, but however he did get annialed in this game…
Maybe he’s tired.
Hey does anyone have these games in PNG?
ChessVibes perhaps?
Come on Vesko, you are Number 1.
Nowshad, both Topalov and Kramnik won games against each other. If their wins came consecutively, would you consider one greater than the other? If you would, you are dump. If you wouldn’t, then you have to admit that you made a very dump analysis.
I think you guys must respect Anand he is truly great! Hey guys!!! Improve your games by learning from the video and play in tournaments instead of wasting your time fighting sensless battles over Anand he probably doesn’t care much about you rather make yourselves important so other losers can spend there time talking about you in stead of the other way round. `
Disregarding the previous two loses Anand is a great player. Only a very good player can predict his lose so soon. He sees that there is no chance for him in that game and gives up. That’s it. There is no point to play for another hour ore more just to proove the losing position. Radjabov did just the opposite. His last moves were needless. Everybody saw that he was loosing the game.
Last but not least chesssvibes - you are doing great!
And best luck for Topalov!
Somebody said Danailov was shame for Topalov.
I don’t think so. If somebody is cheating you so blatantly, you have the right to blame him.
Chess for russians is like football for brazilians. Defeat is unacceptable. One month before the game in Elista, the russian president went there and by the way asked for the preparations for the game. This was a sign how important the game was for Russia. I do not have any doubts that all the means and ALL KIND of support have been used in order Kramnik to win.
Kramnik is a very good player indeed.
But Topalov is better. He plays too risky and sometimes this leads him to defeat, but his games are much more spectacular than anyone elses. In Elista he could have drawn the last round and won, but for the sake of chess he decided to force the last game to the end.
It was a mistake to play the tournament in a former soviet republic. But the bulgarians couldnt’t imagine that the russians would be so insolent and shameless.
What would you do if you were Topalov? You know that they played dirty to you, but you can’t prove anything. At least you have the right to let the world know what happened. Otherwise you would feel like a fool.
It is up to you guys to decide whom to trust.
Respect
You guys are still carring on with this rubbish get a life guys
The claim that Kramnik cheated is so utterly ridiculous. The guy was world top ten (at least) before computers ever became a factor. The only thing I find to have been proven beyond reasonable doubt is that the Bulgarians are extremely bad losers, whom I really think ought to be punished by not receiving tournament invitations for a while.
Topalov and Kramnik are roughly of equal strength. Topalov is the better tournament player, Kramnik is the better match player. Big deal. People should come to terms with the fact that the chess world has not always had a clear number 1, and need not have.
From some comments one can think that we are not talking about the best players in the world . And who are we to judge or even accuse them . On the very top of every sport the differences are prety tiny
ok ok Anand is good
Topalov is the best player at the moment. His games are fascinating. I think matches for the championship should be avoided. I have had enough of the russian defence and the slav defence. The championship in a tournament is much more attractive to chess and the public.
Matches are correct - they are the traditional and accepted way to determine the World Champion. But in no other level of chess competition (local/state/country/zonal) that I know of is the incumbent champion waiting at the end of the road - they either have to play in the cycle or are seeded into the quarter/semi finals.
Each method has its problems. The FIDE Knockouts were so silly and random that they were never recognized by the chess public over the “classical”, the San Luis suffered from the inability to invite all deserving players.
Anand seemed to give the game to Topalov - Topalov didn’t need to win it. The game with Kramnik was simply a crush. Perhaps outprepared this time. Anand also gave away too many half-points against weaker players. Just not his tournament - he’ll have his day again.
I think Mr. Topalov is a great, great player.
What i never could understand is the events of his match against Kramnik… What did happen there, just God knows…
Now, i don’t think that Kramnik will play another match (for the world title) against Vaselin. If he always negates it to Kasparov, why he’ll say “-Yes, lets play again” to Topalov?!
Is this sense, i guees Kramnik acts almost as a weak man…
Congratulations, Mr. Topalov.
WHY TOPA WAS RIGHT AT THE SO-CALLED “TOILETGATE” (SIC)
FAIR REPORTING AT “NEW IN CHESS� HAS HELPED HIM REGAIN FULL FORM AT LAST!
Yes Topa has finally regained his form. I have a hunch it may have sth to do with the very fair reporting by ‘New in Chess’ on the — oh so anally-title “Toiletgate” — whereby the Russians pulled all their media rabbits out of hat in order to convince us that going to the toilet 200 times (that lacked-video surveillance) in 4 games is all normal. This media barrage (helped by “certain circlesâ€? working in the background with their agents of influence turned into the most vicious mobbing campaign against Topalov, one more vitriolic than any other I have seen.
The president of the BCF then insinuated on BBC World Service for example that the Topalov camapign was really about stopping people from going to the toilet. Totally absurd of course.
That such mobbing campaigns can ensue indicates what a taboo topic is this matter is given the anal-fixations built into certain states and cultures i..e. they don’t allow a rational Umgang i.e.. way of managing the topic; Freud would have laughed I imagine.
c.f. http://sbchess.sinfree.net/JonesFreud.html
Jones specialised in exposing emotions far in excess of the facts (as in ‘Hamlet’ by W.S.) — as in the mobbing campaign.
Everybody I tell this to understands what the case v Kramnik is.
Greetings! I will be coming back to this issue!
I was changed and helped by the win versus Pona on Saturday I have to admit.
Thanks again, Jan and Dirk, very fair reporting by ‘New in Chess’ on the whole issue e.g. pointing out huge recent cash flows in Russian chess….
From Germany,
Tim-Jake Gluckman (British U-14 joint champion in 1964 at Whitby)
Topalov is the strongest chessplayer ever !!!
About cheating and Elista match.
One can get the advantage over the board in many different ways (remember 3 matches of Korchnoi-Karpov). Do not fix yourselves just to the possible or impossible use of computer assistance. Russians are mixing politics (and hysterics) into every possible area in every possible way and they definitely have done all they can in order to get the crown.
If Kramnic can play without going in the toilet he will come to play in Sofia.
Congratulatons from Bulgaria ,Vesko!!!
Here we know that you are the best in the world so you must just continue to beat and beat others.
Just play as only you can and I am sure soon you will be World champion again and the chess fans from Bulgaria will be happy.
Congratulations and go ahead ,Vesko.
I am happy that you are a Bulgarian!!
So, after read the comments above, i guess everybody is with me, when a said Topalov is, at tihs moment, stronger than anyother.
However, i still think that Kramnik will NEVER give him a second chance, where we could to know who is, in truth, the best player of the world…
This, if Kasparov don’t return from the ashes…
From Brazil, Inácio.
DUSTIMOV, don’t mumble like a twit. When someone asked Anand what happened he replied ” I resigned, that’s what happened”.That’s not your usual giggling Vishy. Poor man is hurt, can’t you tell you dunderhead?? If you were not such a callous nincompoop, you would have felt his pain too.Only a true Anand fan can feel his pain. Now did you have a point there somewhere you pinheaded nitwit?
Nowshad Buster you missed the main point of my comment which emphasizes the unreliability and inaccuracy of chess rating system for any given matchup. Even though all players are 2700 plus but their performance varied from 3000 to 2300 level. That’s a huge deviation. Another point, if one player loses twice in a row and you still consider them equal then it becomes a subjective evaluation. What if one loses 4 games in a row , still equal? Following your logic, may be they are still equal since may be in the next week the losing player will win 4 in a row! You see how silly your analysis is? The fact is that unless we have similar conditions and at least 30 games between two players we can not really come to a valid statistical conclusion about the superiority of one player over another during a given time period. Therefore, considering the practicality of the tournament play, we must conclude that Anand has been a weaker player in this tournament to have lost so badly positionally twice in a row. And for Shirov, well, any fire left in this former contender who is supposed to be still in the 2700?
Anyways, I am an Anand fan and I FEEL HIS PAIN.
We all know Anand is a great player and is between the best in the world. Obviously he is having some bad days but he will be back very soon. Topalov is by far the best player at this moment. I agree Kramnik will do anything possible to avoid another match against him. About the Toiletgate: nobody could convince me it is normal to go every 2 minutes to the toilet. Danailov is a good manager - he is supposed to protect his player. We know the russians wanted badly to get the title and they are capable to do anything. On the other hand Topalov played well under his normal level there. He should blame mostly himself about loosing the title.
God bless Kramnik, Topalov and all of you!
Great game and great analisis. Go Topalov!. You are the best. Politics for the politicians. The number one is the player with the highest ratings and always should be.
Nowshad Buster, you obviously are an absolute joker, and have no clue about chess. Let me explain.
In their first championship match, Karpov led Kasparov 5-0 at one time. That includes Kasparov losing 4 times in the first 9 games to trail 0-4. To make it worse, he also lost 3 out of 4 from game 6 to game 9. I should explain that this means he lost 2 consecutive games.
Based on the data points of these 9 games (which is a far better sample than your 2), somebody of your IQ will jump to the conclusion that Kasparov was no good.
Well, as things stand, Kasparov has been the best player ever in chess.
Hence,
- look at the players’ long-term record before commenting
- the ratings reflect long-term strength and performance, and therein lies its strength and weakness. It is not a point in time reference, as the best of players feel tired and have their off-days. Also, they can be taken apart occasionally by extensive home preparation.
To understand more, see Anand’s demolition of Topalov just last year in MTel at http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3099. And, mind you, with black!