05/19/2004
At least
we’ll see one true world championship match this year.
Kramnik vs.
Leko
is officially going to start in late September of 2004 in
a 14 game match in Switzerland. It’s being sponsored by
Dannemann
Tobacco company. Games will start on September 25, 2004 thru
October 18 2004. Kramnik will retain his title with 7-7 score.
There is no rematch clause.
Kramnik did not have a good
year in 2003 and early 2004 did not look promising either. He saw his 2800
plus rating drop down to 2764. He also witnessed Anand dropped him out of
the number two rating spot. Kramnik also had a horrible Corus 2004
tournament where he experimented with new openings. However,
Kramnik has been doing a very good job recently as the 14th
World Champion. Recently, he has been promoting the great game of chess.
He
took on the German National team in a simul which he won by a score of
2.5 –1.5. This was a very difficult simul, the team consisted of 4 top
German GMs. Kramnik also just completed
another
simul against 20 opponents including the German Women’s National
team in Bonn Germany.
Kramnik
is having a fine world champion type year. He won Linares by beating
Peter Leko in a very exciting game.
He also shared first place with Morozevich on the overall scoring at Amber. Kramnik seems to be playing himself into world championship form.
In Linares, the Wimbledon of chess, Kramnik and Leko have finished in the
top two positions in the last two years. In 2003 it was Leko time to
lead and Kramnik was runner up. Kasparov says that the winner of Linares
can be considered the champion of tournament chess.
Kramnik is
right; he has the official world title. He holds the only title of value.
His title is the one that can be traced down all the way to Steinitz, with
two exceptions. Alekhine dying and Fischer retiring.
Make no mistake, Kramnik vs. Leko is a World Championship
Match. It is consistent with the rich tradition of man who beat the man
who beat the man. Kramnik is the man
who beat Kasparov who beat Karpov. Peter Leko, rated number 4 in the
world, qualified to play Kramnik by winning the
2002
Dortmund Tournament.
In 2000, Kramnik won
his title by defeating Garry Kasparov at Brain Games.
One half of that match was very exciting. The half with Kramnik
with white vs. Kasparov with black was possibly the most exciting chess
match I've ever seen. Kramnik won two games, but Kasparov made some incredible saves
with the black pieces. Kramnik was able to win the psychological battle in
the opening. The other half
of the match, Kramnik with the black pieces was not so exciting. Kramnik
was able to nullify Kasparov’s openings with the use of the Berlin
Defense.
Kramnik is
right; the title belongs to the chess world and not to any organization.
The world champion must earn the title by defeating the previous champion
in a match of significant duration. The champion should also put his title
up for grabs every few years against the most worthy of opponents. The
other responsibilities of a world champion are to promote the game to fans
around the world. I believe a champion should visit most of the chess
playing continents during his reign.
Should Kramnik retain his title by winning his match against Peter
Leko and also his match against the FIDE Champion, I wish Kramnik would be
more of an Ambassador of the game. I would like
Kramnik to make a tour of the Americas and play some computer
matches and simuls. I wish Kramnik would visit the United States. I would
like to see him take on the top US GMs in a simul. I would also like to
see Kramnik be greedier at the board and try to distance himself from his
peers.
Hangin's
Prediction
Predictions
Kramnik vs. Leko
Leko vs.
Kramnik at Linares 2004 - reports
from that game
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