Chess World Champion: Vladimir Kramnik!

After the classical timecontrol 12-game World Championsship match between Veselin Topal (Bulgaria) and Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) ended equal (5+1)-6, the two players had to decide matters by playing 4 rapid games today. After three games the score was 1.5-1.5 and the match was thus not decided until the final game was played: The ending was really weird, as Topalov in an inferior position – but not in any grave time trouble – blundered a rook with the move 44…Rxc5?? An analysis of the game can be found here.

Although I like Topalov’s aggressive style of play, there’s no doubt Kramnik was the right winner of this match. He won the classical time control match 6-5 by solid play and Topalov only managed to get a level score by the help of the corrupted Appeals Committee and the resulting forfeited game 5. The development during the match has shown very clearly that if the match is to be a true long-run reunification match, then FIDE needs massive restructuring top-down.

Now, I don’t think FIDE-restructuring is going to happen at all. At least not anytime soon – The Right Move initiative, despite is wide support among independent grandmasters, was after all not able to kick Kirsan Iljumshinov out of office. FIDE is too corrupt to change. That also means that if a credible long-run unified WC-title is to be established, FIDE is the wrong place to look for it.

So, enjoy the intertemporal unification as long as it lasts. I doubt it will live through the next decade.

Oh yeah – and enjoy that the rigth man won.