Vladimir Kramnik is the new World Champion

TOPALOV vs KRAMNIK (7.5-8.5) FRIDAY, Kramnik won the Tiebreak and title  Kramnik beats Topalov after Rapid tiebreak games and is the new 'reunified' World Champion. The twelve-game + 4 tiebreak games of the match took place in Elista, Kalmykia. ICC offered an extraordinary LIVE COVERAGE.

TIEBREAK Results  Tiebreak-1 (25 10) drawn.  Tiebreak-2 (25 10) 1-0 Kramnik.  Tiebreak-3 (25 10) 1-0 Topalov.  Tiebreak-4 (25 10) 1-0 Kramnik.     Kramnik (2.5) - Topalov (1.5)  Final score of the Match:     Kramnik (8.5) - Topalov (7.5)  See more details at the Special ICC Section of the Match and the ICC LIVE COVERAGE web page.

Kramnik's first declarations as World Champion

Immediately after Topalov extended his hand in a sign of resigning the 4th tiebreak game, the crowd became ecstatic. There were shouts, applause, friendly slaps and handshakes… Kramnik got off the table, threw his fists in the sky, just like in Moscow 1994 after his sensational victory over Kasparov, and got into tight embrace of his manager Hensel. Other team members were also there – Illescas, Rublevsky, Motylev, Krylov, Rösch, and even the cook… In a few minutes the new ‘absolute’ FIDE world champion moved to the press conference hall, where he was warmly met by dozens of journalists.

– In a situation that was similar to yours Mikhail Tal said ‘My head is filled with sun!’ What were your first words after the match ended?
– I was very concentrated on the play, and even after I won the last game, I was still in a fighting mood. The moment after Veselin played 44…Rc5 was very emotional for me – I felt very happy. The joy passed after I replied 45.Rb7+. I need time to realize what happened. This was a very tough match, and I think I did a good job, considering the odds given to the opponent. Maybe it was the first case in the history of the world championship matches when one of the players had extra point and extra White. I am glad I managed to win under such circumstances.

• Kramnik's first declarations as World Champion
  October, 13th.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. e4 Bg6 11. Bd3 Bh5 12. e5 Nd5 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. Qe3 Re8 15. Ne1 Rc8 16. f4 Bxe1 17. Rxe1 Bg6 18. Bf1 Rc2 19. b3 Qa5 20. Bb5 Rd8 21. Re2 Rcc8 22. Bd2 Qb6 23. Rf2 a6 24. Bf1 Rc6 25. b4 Rc2 26. b5 a5 27. Bc3 Rxf2 28. Qxf2 Qa7 29. Qd2 Ra8 30. Rc1 Nb6 31. Bb2 Nxa4 32. Ba3 h6 33. h3 Be4 34. Kh2 Nb6 35. Bc5 a4 36. Ra1 Nc4 37. Bxc4 b6 38. Qe3 Rc8 39. Bf1 bxc5 40. dxc5 Qxc5 41. Qxc5 Rxc5 42. b6 Rc6 43. b7 Rb6 44. Ba6 d4 45. Rxa4 Bxb7 46. Bxb7 Rxb7 47. Rxd4 1/2-1/2

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Be2 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Rad1 Qe7 12. Rfe1 Rac8 13. Bd3 e5 14. e4 dxc4 15. Bxc4 b5 16. Bf1 g6 17. Qd2 Rcd8 18. Qg5 a6 19. h3 exd4 20. Nxd4 Qe5 21. Qxe5 Nxe5 22. Nc2 g5 23. Bc1 h6 24. Be3 c5 25. f3 Bf8 26. Bf2 Bc8 27. Ne3 Be6 28. Ned5 Bxd5 29. exd5 Ned7 30. Rxe8 Rxe8 31. a4 b4 32. Ne4 Nxe4 33. fxe4 Nf6 34. d6 Nxe4 35. d7 Rd8 36. Bxa6 f5 37. a5 Bg7 38. Bc4+ Kf8 39. a6 Nxf2 40. Kxf2 Bd4+ 41. Rxd4 cxd4 42. a7 Ke7 43. Bd5 Kxd7 44. a8=Q Rxa8 45. Bxa8 1-0

Kramnik is the new 'reunified' World Chess Champion
(Photo: WCC Official site)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. O-O Bd6 9. g3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nb6 11. Be2 O-O 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. e4 e5 14. f4 exd4 15. Qxd4 Qe7 16. Kg2 Bc5 17. Qd3 Rad8 18. Qc2 Bd4 19. e5 Nfd5 20. Rf3 Nxc3 21. bxc3 Bc5 22. Bd2 Rd7 23. Re1 Rfd8 24. Bd3 Qe6 25. Bc1 f5 26. Qe2 Kf8 27. Rd1 Qe7 28. h4 Rd5 29. Qc2 Nc4 30. Rh1 Na3 31. Qe2 Qd7 32. Rd1 b5 33. g4 fxg4 34. Rg3 Ke7 35. f5 gxf5 36. Bg5+ Ke8 37. e6 Qd6 38. Bxf5 Rxd1 39. Bg6+ Kf8 40. e7+ Qxe7 41. Bxe7+ Bxe7 42. Bd3 Ra1 43. Qb2 Rd1 44. Qe2 Ra1 45. Qxg4 Rxa2+ 46. Kh3 Bf6 47. Qe6 Rd2 48. Bg6 R2d7 49. Rf3 b4 50. h5 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Be2 Bb7 9. O-O Be7 10. e4 b4 11. e5 bxc3 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. bxc3 c5 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Bb5+ Kf8 16. Qxd8+ Rxd8 17. Ba3 Rc8 18. Nd4 Be7 19. Rfd1 a6 20. Bf1 Na4 21. Rab1 Be4 22. Rb3 Bxa3 23. Rxa3 Nc5 24. Nb3 Ke7 25. Rd4 Bg6 26. c4 Rc6 27. Nxc5 Rxc5 28. Rxa6 Rb8 29. Rd1 Rb2 30. Ra7+ Kf6 31. Ra1 Rf5 32. f3 Re5 33. Ra3 Rc2 34. Rb3 Ra5 35. a4 Ke7 36. Rb5 Ra7 37. a5 Kd6 38. a6 Kc7 39. c5 Rc3 40. Raa5 Rc1 41. Rb3 Kc6 42. Rb6+ Kc7 43. Kf2 Rc2 44. Ke3 Rxc5 45. Rc7+ 1-0

Chronological summary of the MATCH

• GAME 1. Kramnik-Topalov (1-0)
  September, 23th. Kramnik (1.0) - Topalov (0.0)
• GAME 2. Topalov-Kramnik (0-1) John Henderson
  September, 24th. Kramnik (2.0) - Topalov (0.0)
• Monday, September, 25th. Rest day
• GAME 3. Kramnik-Topalov (1/2) GM Am. Rodríguez
  September, 26th. Kramnik (2.5) - Topalov (0.5)
• GAME 4. Topalov-Kramnik (1/2) IM Angel Martín & John Henderson
  September, 26th. Kramnik (3.0) - Topalov (1.0)
• Thursday, September, 28th. Rest day
• Protest of Silvio Danailov, manager of Topalov
  September, 28th
• Decision of the Appeals Committee
  September, 28th
• Open letter of Carsten Hensel, manager of Kramnik
  September, 28th
• Answer of Silvio Danailov to FIDE
  September, 29th
• Vladimir Kramnik forfeited game 5
  September, 29th. Kramnik (3.0) - Topalov (1.0)
• Open Letter of FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to Vladimir Kramnik
  September, 29th
• Requests of Vladimir Kramnik to proceed with GAME 5
  September, 29th
• GAME 6 is postponed
• Ilyumzhinov takes part
  September, 30th
• The "Toilet problem" solved, but no information about games
  October, 1st
• No game Sunday
• Ilyumzhinov declarations: "Now we are negotiating the issue of the score"
  October, 1st
• Ilyumzhinov decided: "Monday Game 6 will take with score 3-2"
  October, 2nd
• Ilyumzhinov official statement: "Match will be continued. The score 3:2"
  October, 2nd
• Kramnik plays on in game 6 under protest
• Read the full text of the OFFICIAL Kramnik's statement
  October, 2nd
• GAME 6. Topalov-Kramnik (1/2) IM Angel Martín
  October, 2nd. Kramnik (3.5) - Topalov (2.5)
• FIDE President thanks both participants
  October, 2nd
• Press Conference after Game 6 drawn. Declarations of Kramnik
  October, 2nd
• Decision of the Appeals Committee to the appeal of Mr. Kramnik
  October, 3rd
• Carsten Hensel Press Release about Decision of the new Appeals Committee
  October, 3rd
• Silvio Danailov Press Release acussing Kramnik of use chess programs
  October, 3rd
• GAME 7. Topalov-Kramnik (1/2) IM Angel Martín
  October, 4th. Kramnik (4.0) - Topalov (3.0)
• Carsten Hensel Press Release about Danailov's accusations of cheating
  October, 4th
• Kramnik's press conference after game 7
  October, 4th
• GAME 8. Kramnik-Topalov (0-1) GM Am. Rodríguez
  October, 5th. Kramnik (4.0) - Topalov (4.0)
• Friday, October, 6th. Rest day
• GAME 9. Topalov-Kramnik (1-0) GM Am. Rodríguez
  October, 7th. Kramnik (4.0) - Topalov (5.0)
• GAME 10. Kramnik-Topalov (1-0) IM Angel Martín
  October, 8th. Kramnik (5.0) - Topalov (5.0)
• Press conference after game 10
  October, 8th
• Monday, October, 9th. Rest day
• Open Letter of Carsten Hensel
  October, 10th
• GAME 11. Topalov-Kramnik (1/2) IM Michael Rahal
  October, 10th. Kramnik (5.5) - Topalov (5.5)
• Press conference after game 11
  October, 10th
• Wednesday, October, 11th. Rest day
• GAME 12. Kramnik-Topalov (1/2)
  October, 12th. Kramnik (6.0) - Topalov (6.0)
• Tiebreak on Friday, 13th at 07:00 EDT
  Result of the Tiebreak: Kramnik (2.5) - Topalov (1.5)
• Vladimir Kramnik, World Champion
  October, 13th. Final score: Kramnik (8.5) - Topalov (7.5)
• Kramnik's first declarations as World Champion
  October, 13th.