World Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Both men and women are eligible to contest this title.

Related Topics:
Board game - Chess

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In addition, there is a separate event for women only, for the title of "Woman's World Champion", and separate competitions and titles for juniors, seniors and computers. However, these days the strongest competitors in the junior, senior, and women's categories often forego these niche title events in order to pursue top level competition, although they continue to be part of chess tradition. Computers are barred from competing for the open title.

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As of 2005, there is no consensus on who owns the title. Vladimir Kramnik is considered by many to be World Champion (having defeated the last undisputed World Champion Garry Kasparov as well as drawing his challenger in 2004, Péter Lékó), but Rustam Kasimdzhanov is the official FIDE World Champion, having won a FIDE-sponsored knockout tournament in 2004, though with few top players.

Related Topics:
2005 - Vladimir Kramnik - Garry Kasparov - 2004 - Péter Lékó - Rustam Kasimdzhanov - FIDE

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Some of the controversy has come because up until the 1990s the World Chess Championship was determined either in individual match play or in a small round robin event, at "classical" (long) time controls. The FIDE events beginning in 1997 were played with over 100 players at faster time controls in a knockout format. Very fast games were used to resolve ties at the end of each round, a format which some felt did not necessarily recognize the highest quality play. GM Kramnik, GM Kasparov, and a few other top players refused to participate in the new format, and GM Kramnik's title matches were held under traditional conditions. The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 will attempt to resolve this by altering the format to a small round robin tournament of elite players.

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The World Champion is not necessarily the highest-rated player in the world: Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, Veselin Topalov, Peter Leko, and Vassily Ivanchuk are the five highest-ranked players on the July 2005 FIDE rating list, but none of them currently hold any championship title. Kramnik is ranked 6th in the world while Kasimdzhanov is ranked 35th.

Related Topics:
Garry Kasparov - Viswanathan Anand - Veselin Topalov - Peter Leko - Vassily Ivanchuk - July 2005 - Rating

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