FIDE World Chess Championship 2002

The FIDE World Chess Championship 2002 was held in Moscow, Russia. The first six rounds were played between 27 November and 14 December 2001, and the final match started on 16 January and ended on 23 January 2002. The Ukrainian Grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov, aged 18, won the championship and became the youngest FIDE World Champion.

Background

At the time of this championship, the World title was split. The Classical World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, did not participate, as well as the previous Classical Champion and world's highest-rated player, Garry Kasparov. However, all other strongest players of the world took part, including the top seed and winner of the previous FIDE World Championship Viswanathan Anand.

Playing conditions

The championship was a knockout tournament similar to other FIDE World Chess Championships between 1998 and 2004: the players were paired for short matches, with losers eliminated. The field of 128 participants was reduced to one winner over seven rounds.

Rounds 1–5 consisted of a two-game match, followed by tie breaks at faster time controls if required. The time control for regular games was 75 minutes for the first 40 moves and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds added after each move. Tie breaks consisted of two rapid chess games (20 minutes each + 10 seconds per move); followed by two blitz games if required (5 minutes + 10 seconds per move); followed by a single Armageddon chess game if required (white has 6 minutes and must win, black has 5 minutes and only needs to draw). The semifinals (round 6) were best of four games, and the final was best of eight games, with the same conditions for the tie-breaks.

In addition to previous criticisms of the knockout format (see FIDE World Chess Championship 1998#Controversies), this tournament was criticised by Garry Kasparov for using a faster time control, which Kasparov claimed was lowering the standard of the games.[1]

Participants

All players are Grandmasters unless indicated otherwise.

  1.  Viswanathan Anand (IND), 2797
  2.  Michael Adams (ENG), 2744
  3.  Alexander Morozevich (RUS), 2739
  4.  Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR), 2731
  5.  Peter Leko (HUN), 2730
  6.  Evgeny Bareev (RUS), 2719
  7.  Boris Gelfand (ISR), 2714
  8.  Veselin Topalov (BUL), 2711
  9.  Alexei Shirov (ESP), 2706
  10.  Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB), 2704
  11.  Ilia Smirin (ISR), 2702
  12.  Alexander Khalifman (RUS), 2699
  13.  Loek van Wely (NED), 2695
  14.  Kiril Georgiev (BUL), 2695
  15.  Peter Svidler (RUS), 2695
  16.  Anatoly Karpov (RUS), 2692
  17.  Alexey Dreev (RUS), 2690
  18.  Judit Polgár (HUN), 2686
  19.  Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR), 2684
  20.  Ye Jiangchuan (CHN), 2677
  21.  Joël Lautier (FRA), 2675
  22.  Nigel Short (ENG), 2675
  23.  Zurab Azmaiparashvili (GEO), 2674
  24.  Alexander Grischuk (RUS), 2669
  25.  Zhang Zhong (CHN), 2667
  26.  Alexander Beliavsky (SLO), 2659
  27.  Viktor Bologan (MDA), 2655
  28.  Predrag Nikolić (BIH), 2652
  29.  Emil Sutovsky (ISR), 2651
  30.  Rafael Vaganian (ARM), 2650
  31.  Xu Jun (CHN), 2646
  32.  Vladislav Tkachiev (FRA), 2642
  33.  Sergei Rublevsky (RUS), 2639
  34.  Vadim Zvjaginsev (RUS), 2638
  35.  Mikhail Gurevich (BEL), 2633
  36.  Francisco Vallejo Pons (ESP), 2630
  37.  Rustem Dautov (GER), 2630
  38.  Konstantin Sakaev (RUS), 2630
  39.  Aleksander Delchev (BUL), 2629
  40.  Alexander Lastin (RUS), 2628
  41.  Alexander Motylev (RUS), 2627
  42.  Sergei Movsesian (CZE), 2627
  43.  Jaan Ehlvest (EST), 2627
  44.  Sergei Shipov (RUS), 2625
  45.  Viktor Korchnoi (SUI), 2624
  46.  Sergei Tiviakov (NED), 2618
  47.  Vadim Milov (SUI), 2614
  48.  Gilberto Milos (BRA), 2614
  49.  Evgeny Pigusov (RUS), 2613
  50.  Alexander Graf (GER), 2610
  51.  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM), 2609
  52.  Smbat Lputian (ARM), 2608
  53.  Gregory Kaidanov (USA), 2605
  54.  Thomas Luther (GER), 2604
  55.  Karen Asrian (ARM), 2604
  56.  Zoltan Gyimesi (HUN), 2602
  57.  Boris Gulko (USA), 2602
  58.  Pavel Kotsur (KAZ), 2600
  59.  Vladimir Baklan (UKR), 2599
  60.  Alexei Fedorov (BLR), 2599
  61.  Boris Avrukh (ISR), 2598
  62.  Vereslav Eingorn (UKR), 2598
  63.  Mikhail Kobalia (RUS), 2595
  64.  Alexander Goldin (USA), 2594
  65.  Peter Heine Nielsen (DEN), 2593
  66.  Konstantin Aseev (RUS), 2591
  67.  Krishnan Sasikiran (IND), 2589
  68.  Bartłomiej Macieja (POL), 2588
  69.  Ashot Anastasian (ARM), 2588
  70.  Joel Benjamin (USA), 2587
  71.  Leinier Domínguez (CUB), 2585
  72.  Giovanni Vescovi (BRA), 2581
  73.  Stuart Conquest (ENG), 2580
  74.  Igor Khenkin (GER), 2579
  75.  Sergey Volkov (RUS), 2578
  76.  Alexander Shabalov (USA), 2574
  77.  Michał Krasenkow (POL), 2573
  78.  Lazaro Bruzon (CUB), 2573
  79.  Sarunas Sulskis (LTU), 2573
  80.  Alexander Ivanov (USA), 2573
  81.  Dao Thien Hai (VIE), 2572
  82.  Alex Yermolinsky (USA), 2571
  83.  Larry Christiansen (USA), 2570
  84.  Lev Psakhis (ISR), 2566
  85.  Alexandre Lesiege (CAN), 2564
  86.  Teimour Radjabov (AZE), 2558
  87.  Vadim Malakhatko (UKR), 2557
  88.  Liang Chong (CHN), 2556, IM
  89.  Ognjen Cvitan (CRO), 2555
  90.  Georgy Timoshenko (UKR), 2554
  91.  Andrei Volokitin (UKR), 2551, IM
  92.  Dmitry Gurevich (USA), 2550
  93.  Stanislav Savchenko (UKR), 2549
  94.  Dorian Rogozenko (ROM), 2548
  95.  Jacek Gdański (POL), 2537
  96.  Nguyen Anh Dung (VIE), 2533
  97.  Hichem Hamdouchi (MAR), 2533
  98.  Suat Atalık (BIH), 2532
  99.  Slim Belkhodja (TUN), 2531, IM
  100.  Alonso Zapata (COL), 2530
  101.  Shukhrat Safin (UZB), 2529
  102.  Igor Nataf (FRA), 2527
  103.  Pendyala Harikrishna (IND), 2522
  104.  Yu Shaoteng (CHN), 2517, IM
  105.  Ehsan Ghaem-Maghami (IRI), 2509
  106.  Saidali Iuldachev (UZB), 2508
  107.  Daniel Campora (ARG), 2506
  108.  Dibyendu Barua (IND), 2499
  109.  Alexei Barsov (UZB), 2495
  110.  Li Wenliang (CHN), 2494, IM
  111.  Mohamad Al-Modiahki (QAT), 2492
  112.  Khvicha Supatashvili (GEO), 2487, IM
  113.  Zhang Pengxiang (CHN), 2487
  114.  Alejandro Hoffman (ARG), 2481
  115.  Fouad El Taher (EGY), 2477, IM
  116.  Ruben Felgaer (ARG), 2471, IM
  117.  Surya Shekhar Ganguly (IND), 2464, IM
  118.  Amon Simutowe (ZAM), 2462, IM
  119.  Nikolai Vlassov (RUS), 2461, IM
  120.  Aimen Rizouk (ALG), 2442, IM
  121.  Facundo Pierrot (ARG), 2425, IM
  122.  Alexis Cabrera (CUB), 2415, IM
  123.  Mikhail Gluzman (AUS), 2400, IM
  124.  Watu Kobese (RSA), 2373, IM
  125.  Baatr Shovunov (RUS), 2348, IM
  126.  Nugzar Zeliakov (RUS), unrated, no title
  127.  Gaetan Sarthou (FRA), 2357, FM
  128.  Olivier Touzane (FRA), 2382, IM

Qualification

Players qualified for the championship according to the following criteria:

  1. four semi-finalists of the previous championship (Viswanathan Anand, Alexei Shirov, Michael Adams, Alexander Grischuk);
  2. the World Junior Champion 2000 (Lazaro Bruzon);
  3. 20 best rated players (the average of July 2000 and January 2001 rating lists was used);
  4. 90 qualifiers from the continental championships;
  5. eight qualifiers from the Internet championship;
  6. five nominees of the FIDE President.

Schedule

There was one rest day during round 4 and two rest days during round 6. The tie-breaks of rounds 1–5 were played in the evening following the second game. The final took place one month after rounds 1–6.

  • Round 1: 27 November 2001, 28 November 2001 (tiebreaks on 28 November 2001)
  • Round 2: 29 November 2001, 30 November 2001 (tiebreaks on 30 November 2001)
  • Round 3: 1 December 2001, 2 December 2001 (tiebreaks on 2 December 2001)
  • Round 4: 3 December 2001, 5 December 2001 (tiebreaks on 5 December 2001)
  • Round 5: 6 December 2001, 7 December 2001 (tiebreaks on 7 December 2001)
  • Round 6: 8 December 2001, 10 December 2001, 11 December 2001, 13 December 2001 (tiebreaks on 7 December 2001)
  • Round 7: 16 January 2002 – 24 January 2002, with a rest day on 20 January 2002 (tiebreaks on 25 January 2002)

Results, rounds 1-4

Section 1
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
1 Viswanathan Anand 2½
128 Olivier Touzane 1½
1 Viswanathan Anand 1½
65 Peter Heine Nielsen ½
64 Alexander Goldin ½
65 Peter Heine Nielsen 1½
1 Viswanathan Anand 2½
32 Vladislav Tkachiev 1½
32 Vladislav Tkachiev 3
97 Hichem Hamdouchi 1
32 Vladislav Tkachiev 1½
96 Nguyen Anh Dung ½
33 Sergei Rublevsky 1
96 Nguyen Anh Dung 3
1 Viswanathan Anand 1½
17 Alexey Dreev ½
16 Anatoly Karpov 1
113 Zhang Pengxiang 3
113 Zhang Pengxiang 0
49 Evgeny Pigusov 2
49 Evgeny Pigusov 1½
80 Alexander Ivanov ½
49 Evgeny Pigusov ½
17 Alexey Dreev 1½
17 Alexey Dreev 1½
112 Khvicha Supatashvili ½
17 Alexey Dreev 1½
48 Gilberto Milos ½
48 Gilberto Milos 1½
81 Dao Thien Hai ½

Section 2
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
8 Veselin Topalov 2
121 Facundo Pierrot 0
8 Veselin Topalov 1½
72 Giovanni Vescovi ½
57 Boris Gulko ½
72 Giovanni Vescovi 1½
8 Veselin Topalov 1½
25 Zhong Zhang ½
25 Zhang Zhong 3
104 Yu Shaoteng 1
25 Zhong Zhang 1½
40 Alexander Lastin ½
40 Alexander Lastin 1½
89 Ognjen Cvitan ½
8 Veselin Topalov 3
9 Alexei Shirov 4
9 Alexei Shirov 2
120 Aimen Rizouk 0
9 Alexei Shirov 1½
56 Zoltan Gyimesi ½
56 Zoltan Gyimesi 4
73 Stuart Conquest 3
9 Alexei Shirov 3½
41 Alexander Motylev 2½
24 Alexander Grischuk 1½
105 Ehsan Ghaem-Maghami ½
24 Alexander Grischuk ½
41 Alexander Motylev 1½
41 Alexander Motylev 1½
88 Liang Chong ½

Section 3
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 1½
125 Baatr Shovunov ½
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 3
68 Bartłomiej Macieja 1
61 Boris Avrukh 0
68 Bartłomiej Macieja 2
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 1½
29 Emil Sutovsky ½
29 Emil Sutovsky 4
100 Alonso Zapata 3
29 Emil Sutovsky 2
36 Francisco Vallejo Pons 0
36 Francisco Vallejo Pons 2½
93 Stanislav Savchenko 1½
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 1½
20 Ye Jiangchuan ½
13 Loek van Wely 1½
116 Ruben Felgaer ½
13 Loek van Wely 2
52 Smbat Lputian 0
52 Smbat Lputian 2
77 Michał Krasenkow 0
13 Loek van Wely ½
20 Ye Jiangchuan 1½
20 Ye Jiangchuan 3
109 Alexei Barsov 1
20 Ye Jiangchuan 2½
84 Lev Psakhis 1½
45 Viktor Korchnoi 1½
84 Lev Psakhis 2½

Section 4
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
5 Peter Leko 3
124 Watu Kobese 1
5 Peter Leko 1½
69 Ashot Anastasian 2½
60 Alexei Fedorov ½
69 Ashot Anastasian 1½
69 Ashot Anastasian ½
28 Predrag Nikolić 1½
28 Predrag Nikolić 1½
101 Shukhrat Safin ½
28 Predrag Nikolić 2½
37 Rustem Dautov 1½
37 Rustem Dautov 1½
92 Dmitry Gurevich ½
28 Predrag Nikolić 1
21 Joël Lautier 3
12 Alexander Khalifman 3
117 Surya Shekhar Ganguly 1
12 Alexander Khalifman 3
76 Alexander Shabalov 1
53 Gregory Kaidanov ½
76 Alexander Shabalov 1½
12 Alexander Khalifman 1
21 Joël Lautier 3
21 Joël Lautier 2
108 Dibyendu Barua 0
21 Joël Lautier 2½
44 Sergei Shipov 1½
44 Sergei Shipov 1½
85 Alexandre Lesiege ½

Section 5
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
2 Michael Adams 2
127 Gaetan Sarthou 0
2 Michael Adams 1½
63 Mikhail Kobalia ½
63 Mikhail Kobalia 3
66 Konstantin Aseev 1
2 Michael Adams 3
34 Vadim Zvjaginsev 1
31 Xu Jun 1½
98 Suat Atalık ½
31 Xu Jun ½
34 Vadim Zvjaginsev 1½
34 Vadim Zvjaginsev 1½
95 Jacek Gdański ½
2 Michael Adams 2½
15 Peter Svidler 3½
15 Peter Svidler 1½
114 Alejandro Hoffman ½
15 Peter Svidler 2½
79 Sarunas Sulskis 1½
50 Alexander Graf 1
79 Sarunas Sulskis 3
15 Peter Svidler 2
47 Vadim Milov 0
18 Judit Polgár 2
111 Mohamad Al-Modiahki 0
18 Judit Polgár 1½
47 Vadim Milov 2½
47 Vadim Milov 3½
82 Alex Yermolinsky 2½

Section 6
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
7 Boris Gelfand 1½
122 Alexis Cabrera ½
7 Boris Gelfand 1½
71 Leinier Domínguez ½
58 Pavel Kotsur 1½
71 Leinier Domínguez 2½
7 Boris Gelfand 2
39 Aleksander Delchev 0
26 Alexander Beliavsky 1½
103 Pendyala Harikrishna ½
26 Alexander Beliavsky 1½
39 Aleksander Delchev 2½
39 Aleksander Delchev 1½
90 Georgy Timoshenko ½
7 Boris Gelfand 3½
23 Zurab Azmaiparashvili 2½
10 Rustam Kasimdzhanov 1½
119 Nikolai Vlassov ½
10 Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2½
74 Igor Khenkin 1½
55 Karen Asrian 2½
74 Igor Khenkin 3½
10 Rustam Kasimdzhanov 1½
23 Zurab Azmaiparashvili 2½
23 Zurab Azmaiparashvili 1½
106 Saidali Iuldachev ½
23 Zurab Azmaiparashvili 2½
42 Sergei Movsesian 1½
42 Sergei Movsesian 2½
87 Vadim Malakhatko 1½

Section 7
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
3 Alexander Morozevich 1½
126 Nugzar Zeliakov ½
3 Alexander Morozevich 1½
67 Krishnan Sasikiran ½
62 Vereslav Eingorn 1½
67 Krishnan Sasikiran 2½
3 Alexander Morozevich 1½
35 Mikhail Gurevich ½
30 Rafael Vaganian 1½
99 Slim Belkhodja ½
30 Rafael Vaganian 1½
35 Mikhail Gurevich 2½
35 Mikhail Gurevich 1½
94 Dorian Rogozenko ½
3 Alexander Morozevich 1½
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 2½
14 Kiril Georgiev 3
115 Fouad El Taher 1
14 Kiril Georgiev 3
78 Lazaro Bruzon 1
51 Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 3
78 Lazaro Bruzon 4
14 Kiril Georgiev 0
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 2
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 1½
110 Li Wenliang ½
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 3
46 Sergei Tiviakov 1
46 Sergei Tiviakov 3
83 Larry Christiansen 1

Section 8
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
6 Evgeny Bareev 2
123 Mikhail Gluzman 0
6 Evgeny Bareev 1½
59 Vladimir Baklan ½
59 Vladimir Baklan 3½
70 Joel Benjamin 2½
6 Evgeny Bareev 3
38 Konstantin Sakaev 1
27 Viktor Bologan ½
102 Igor Nataf 1½
102 Igor Nataf ½
38 Konstantin Sakaev 1½
38 Konstantin Sakaev 3½
91 Andrei Volokitin 2½
6 Evgeny Bareev 2
43 Jaan Ehlvest 0
11 Ilia Smirin 2
118 Amon Simutowe 0
11 Ilia Smirin 1½
54 Thomas Luther ½
54 Thomas Luther 3
75 Sergey Volkov 1
11 Ilia Smirin 3
43 Jaan Ehlvest 4
22 Nigel Short ½
107 Daniel Campora 1½
107 Daniel Campora ½
43 Jaan Ehlvest 1½
43 Jaan Ehlvest 3½
86 Teimour Radjabov 2½

Results, rounds 5-7
Quarterfinals Semifinals (best of 4) Final (best of 8)
         
1 Viswanathan Anand 1½
9 Alexei Shirov ½
1 Viswanathan Anand 1½
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 2½
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 3½
21 Joël Lautier 2½
4 Vassily Ivanchuk 2½
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 4½
15 Peter Svidler 3½
7 Boris Gelfand 2½
15 Peter Svidler 1½
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 2½
19 Ruslan Ponomariov 3
6 Evgeny Bareev 1

Championship final
World Chess Championship Final 2002
Rating1234567Points
 Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine)2684 1½½½1½½4½
 Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)2731 0½½½0½½2½

References
  1. The Week in Chess 377 - 29 January 2002
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