Classical World Chess Championship 1995

Last updated
Classical World Chess Championship 1995
 
Defending champion

Challenger
 
Garry Kasparov Kasparov-26.jpg
Garry Kasparov
Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand 1992 Manila.jpg
Viswanathan Anand
  Flag of Russia.svg Garry Kasparov Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand
 
10½Scores
  Born 13 April 1963
32 years old
Born 11 December 1969
25 years old
  Winner of the 1993 PCA World Chess Championship Winner of the 1994-95 Candidates Tournament
  Rating: 2805
(World No. 1)
Rating: 2715
(World No. 4)
  1993
2000  

The Classical World Chess Championship 1995, known at the time as the PCA World Chess Championship 1995, [1] was held from September 10, 1995, to October 16, 1995, on the 107th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Garry Kasparov, the defending champion, played Viswanathan Anand, the challenger, in a twenty-game match. Kasparov won the match after eighteen games with four wins, one loss, and thirteen draws.

Contents

Background

In 1993, the reigning FIDE World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov decided to split from FIDE because he felt the organisation was corrupt, and formed a rival organisation, the PCA (Professional Chess Association). In response, FIDE stripped Kasparov of his status and organised an event to determine a new champion — this event was won by Anatoly Karpov.

Kasparov claimed that, as he had not been defeated by a challenger to his title in a match, and in fact had defeated the rightful challenger (Nigel Short in 1993), that he was still the reigning world champion. Thus, for the first time since the inaugural World Championship in 1886, there were two rival World Chess Championships.

The PCA ran a world championship cycle similar in format to that in use by FIDE at the time. It was to be the only full championship cycle run under the auspices of the PCA.

1993 Qualifying tournament

The PCA held a qualifying tournament and Candidates matches in 1993–1995. A number of leading players did not participate, most notably FIDE World Champion Anatoly Karpov. The events were held at a similar time as the FIDE World Chess Championship 1996, with many of the same players playing in both.

The Qualifying tournament in Groningen in December 1993 had 54 players participating in an 11-round Swiss system tournament, with the top seven qualifying for the Candidates Tournament. [2]

1993 PCA Qualifying Tournament
Rating1234567891011Total
1Flag of England.svg  Michael Adams  (England)2635=33+39+45=23-5+7=4+11=2+6=3
2Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)2725+52=5=7+30+22+20=8=6=1=3=4
3Flag of the United States.svg  Gata Kamsky  (United States)2645=13=30=33+19+17=4=5=16+23=2=17
4Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Vladimir Kramnik  (Russia)2710+40=20-22+35+25=3=1=8+24=9=27
5Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Sergei Tiviakov  (Russia)2635+41=2=34+29+1=22=3=20-6+25=87
6Flag of the United States.svg  Boris Gulko  (United States)2635=29=37+49=20+10=8+22=2+5-1=117
7Flag of Ukraine.svg  Oleg Romanishin  (Ukraine)2615+53=24=2=25=9-1+28=10=26+22+207
8Flag of Latvia.svg  Alexei Shirov  (Latvia)2685+11+36=23-22+32=6=2=4=12=16=5
9Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Sergey Dolmatov  (Russia)2630=18=33=13+12=7=23=27=21+42=4=16
10Flag of Germany.svg  Eric Lobron  (Germany)2575=19=38=11+36-6+17=44=7=15=14+25
11Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1998).svg  Ivan Sokolov  (Bosnia and Herzegovina)2610-8=28=10+41+37=24=31-1+44+26=6
12Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Jeroen Piket  (Netherlands)2590+25-22=35-9+47+15=24+34=8=20=18
13Flag of Germany.svg  Robert Hübner  (Germany)2605=3=34=9=38=15=25=32+29=14=24+22
14Flag of Peru.svg  Julio Granda  (Peru)2605=21-45=39+18=30=44+36=27=13=10+23
15Flag of Armenia.svg  Rafael Vaganian  (Armenia)2615=54=26=21=44=13-12+17+30=10=23+42
16Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1998).svg  Predrag Nikolić  (Bosnia and Herzegovina)2625+48-23+51=24+34=31=20=3=22=8=9
17Flag of Hungary.svg  Judit Polgár  (Hungary)2630=37=29+41=32-3-10-15+51+46+31+27
18Flag of Estonia.svg  Lembit Oll  (Estonia)2595=9=35-25-14=53=45+52+36+38+21=12
19Flag of Estonia.svg  Jaan Ehlvest  (Estonia)2620=10=51=37-3+48-29+35-26+41+32+24
20Flag of the United States.svg  Joel Benjamin  (United States)2620+50=4+31=6+23-2=16=5=21=12-76
21Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Veselin Topalov  (Bulgaria)2670=14=49=15=40=29=27+46=9=20-18+336
22Flag of Ukraine.svg  Alexander Beliavsky  (Ukraine)2635+42+12+4+8-2=5-6=23=16-7-13
23Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Evgeny Bareev  (Russia)2660+46+16=8=1-20=9+29=22-3=15-14
24Flag of the United States.svg  Gregory Kaidanov  (United States)2640+43=7=30=16=27=11=12+31-4=13-19
25Flag of England.svg  Julian Hodgson  (England)2625-12+54+18=7-4=13=30+39+27-5-10
26Flag of Israel.svg  Boris Alterman  (Israel)2585=35=15-32+47=40-28+37+19=7-11=31
27Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Alexey Vyzmanavin  (Russia)2605=31=44=36+45=24=21=9=14-25+34-17
28Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006).svg  Ljubomir Ljubojević  (Yugoslavia)2595-36=11=46+43-31+26-7-38=49+48+44
29Flag of Israel.svg  Leonid Yudasin  (Israel)2605=6=17+38-5=21+19-23-13=39=36=435
30Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Gregory Serper  (Uzbekistan)2575+32=3=24-2=14=40=25-15-35+45=345
31Flag of Israel.svg  Ilya Smirin  (Israel)2640=27+47-20=37+28=16=11-24=32-17=265
32Flag of Hungary.svg  Alexander Chernin  (Hungary)2615-30+42+26=17-8=39=13=44=31-19=385
33Flag of Ukraine.svg  Vladimir Tukmakov  (Ukraine)2600=1=9=3-34=38=35=49=41=40+46-215
34Flag of Ukraine.svg  Vladimir Malaniuk  (Ukraine)2635=39=13=5+33-16=46=42-12+48-27=305
35Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Viktor Korchnoi  (Switzerland)2625=26=18=12-4=54=33-19=43+30=39=375
36Flag of Georgia (1990-2004).svg  Zurab Azmaiparashvili  (Georgia)2630+28-8=27-10+51=42-14-18+50=29=405
37Flag of Denmark.svg  Curt Hansen  (Denmark)2590=17=6=19=31-11=38-26=49=47+52=355
38Flag of Spain.svg  Miguel Illescas  (Spain)2625=51=10-21=13=33=37=41+28-18=40=325
39Flag of Armenia.svg  Vladimir Akopian  (Armenia)2600=34-1=14+52=44=32=40-25=29=35=415
40Flag of Hungary.svg  Zoltán Ribli  (Hungary)2610-4+50=44=21=26=30=39-42=33=38=365
41Flag of Lithuania (1988-2004).svg  Eduardas Rozentalis  (Lithuania)2600-5+52-17-11=43+54=38=33-19+53=395
42Flag of the United States.svg  Alex Yermolinsky  (United States)2605-22-32+50=48+45=36=34+40-9=44-155
43Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Lev Polugaevsky  (Russia)2605-24=53=48-28=41=50=51=35=45+49=295
44Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Alexander Khalifman  (Russia)2645=47=27=40=15=39=14=10=32-11=42-28
45Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Kiril Georgiev  (Bulgaria)2660=49+14-1-27-42=18=53=48=33-30+54
46Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Mikhail Gurevich  (Belgium)2605-23=48=28=51+49=34-21+50-17-33=47
47Flag of Germany.svg  Christopher Lutz  (Germany)2605=44-31=54-26-12+53-48+52=37=50=46
48Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Loek van Wely  (Netherlands)2585-16=46=43=42-19=49+47=45-34-28=534
49Flag of Iceland.svg  Jóhann Hjartarson  (Iceland)2605=45=21-6=54-46=48=33=37=28-43=524
50Flag of the United States.svg  Patrick Wolff  (United States)2585-20-40-42+53=52=43+54-46-36=47=514
51Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Vadim Ruban  (Russia)2590=38=19-16=46-36=52=43-17-53=54=50
52Flag of Norway.svg  Simen Agdestein  (Norway)2610-2-41+53-39=50=51-18-47+54-37=49
53Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Friso Nijboer  (Netherlands)2555-7=43-52-50=18-47=45=54+51-41=48
54Flag of Hungary.svg  Zsuzsa Polgár  (Hungary)2545=15-25=47=49=35-41-50=53-52=51-453

1994–95 Candidates Tournament

The top seven from the Qualifying tournament were joined by Nigel Short, the loser of the 1993 PCA championship match against Kasparov.

The first round of Candidates matches were best of eight games, the semifinals were best of 10, and the final was best of 12. If the scores were tied, sets of two rapid chess games were played as tie breakers, until one player had a lead.

The quarterfinal matches were held at the Trump Tower in New York City in June 1994 and opened by Donald Trump. The semifinals were played in Linares in September 1994, and the final in Las Palmas in March 1995. [3]

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
Flag of the United States.svg Gata Kamsky
Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir Kramnik
Flag of the United States.svg Gata Kamsky
Flag of England.svg Nigel Short
Flag of England.svg Nigel Short
Flag of the United States.svg Boris Gulko
Flag of the United States.svg Gata Kamsky
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand
Flag of England.svg Michael Adams
Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Tiviakov
Flag of England.svg Michael Adams
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand 5
Flag of Ukraine.svg Oleg Romanishin 2

1995 Championship match

The final was played at the World Trade Center, on the 107th floor of the South Tower. [4]

The first player to reach 10½ points would be the winner.

PCA World Chess Championship Match 1995 [5]
Rating (change)123456789101112131415161718Total
Flag of India.svg  Viswanathan Anand  (India)2725 (+13)½½½½½½½½100½00½½½½
Flag of Russia.svg  Garry Kasparov  (Russia)2795 (-13)½½½½½½½½011½11½½½½10½

The match began with eight consecutive draws, a record for the World Chess Championship until the 2018 Carlsen–Caruana match. In game 9 Anand, with white, broke through Kasparov's Sicilian Scheveningen defence to win. Kasparov hit back immediately in game 10, with a novelty in the Ruy Lopez Open Defence.

Game 11 was arguably the turning point in the match. Kasparov sprung a major surprise by playing the Sicilian Dragon with black – a once-popular defence which at the time was only played at the top level by a few specialists. Anand missed a comparatively simple combination and lost. After a draw in game 12, Anand again played weakly against the Dragon in game 13, losing again with white to go two points down.

When Anand lost game 14, Kasparov had a commanding 8½-5½ lead and the match was effectively over. The players drew their remaining games. [6]

References

  1. The name "Classical" was not used at the time, but is the name generally used for the title since it was coined for the Classical World Chess Championship 2004.
  2. 1993 Groningen PCA Qualifying Tournament, Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
  3. 1994-95 PCA Candidates Matches, Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
  4. The Week in Chess 358, 17 September, 2001
  5. The Week in Chess 53, 15 October, 1995
  6. PCA World Chess Championship 1995 Archived 2013-12-04 at the Wayback Machine , Mark Weeks' Chess Pages