Defending champion | Challenger | |||||
Garry Kasparov | Viswanathan Anand | |||||
| ||||||
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) | |||||
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.
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.
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]
Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael Adams (England) | 2635 | =33 | +39 | +45 | =23 | -5 | +7 | =4 | +11 | =2 | +6 | =3 | 7½ |
2 | Viswanathan Anand (India) | 2725 | +52 | =5 | =7 | +30 | +22 | +20 | =8 | =6 | =1 | =3 | =4 | 7½ |
3 | Gata Kamsky (United States) | 2645 | =13 | =30 | =33 | +19 | +17 | =4 | =5 | =16 | +23 | =2 | =1 | 7 |
4 | Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) | 2710 | +40 | =20 | -22 | +35 | +25 | =3 | =1 | =8 | +24 | =9 | =2 | 7 |
5 | Sergei Tiviakov (Russia) | 2635 | +41 | =2 | =34 | +29 | +1 | =22 | =3 | =20 | -6 | +25 | =8 | 7 |
6 | Boris Gulko (United States) | 2635 | =29 | =37 | +49 | =20 | +10 | =8 | +22 | =2 | +5 | -1 | =11 | 7 |
7 | Oleg Romanishin (Ukraine) | 2615 | +53 | =24 | =2 | =25 | =9 | -1 | +28 | =10 | =26 | +22 | +20 | 7 |
8 | Alexei Shirov (Latvia) | 2685 | +11 | +36 | =23 | -22 | +32 | =6 | =2 | =4 | =12 | =16 | =5 | 6½ |
9 | Sergey Dolmatov (Russia) | 2630 | =18 | =33 | =13 | +12 | =7 | =23 | =27 | =21 | +42 | =4 | =16 | 6½ |
10 | Eric Lobron (Germany) | 2575 | =19 | =38 | =11 | +36 | -6 | +17 | =44 | =7 | =15 | =14 | +25 | 6½ |
11 | Ivan Sokolov (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 2610 | -8 | =28 | =10 | +41 | +37 | =24 | =31 | -1 | +44 | +26 | =6 | 6½ |
12 | Jeroen Piket (Netherlands) | 2590 | +25 | -22 | =35 | -9 | +47 | +15 | =24 | +34 | =8 | =20 | =18 | 6½ |
13 | Robert Hübner (Germany) | 2605 | =3 | =34 | =9 | =38 | =15 | =25 | =32 | +29 | =14 | =24 | +22 | 6½ |
14 | Julio Granda (Peru) | 2605 | =21 | -45 | =39 | +18 | =30 | =44 | +36 | =27 | =13 | =10 | +23 | 6½ |
15 | Rafael Vaganian (Armenia) | 2615 | =54 | =26 | =21 | =44 | =13 | -12 | +17 | +30 | =10 | =23 | +42 | 6½ |
16 | Predrag Nikolić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 2625 | +48 | -23 | +51 | =24 | +34 | =31 | =20 | =3 | =22 | =8 | =9 | 6½ |
17 | Judit Polgár (Hungary) | 2630 | =37 | =29 | +41 | =32 | -3 | -10 | -15 | +51 | +46 | +31 | +27 | 6½ |
18 | Lembit Oll (Estonia) | 2595 | =9 | =35 | -25 | -14 | =53 | =45 | +52 | +36 | +38 | +21 | =12 | 6½ |
19 | Jaan Ehlvest (Estonia) | 2620 | =10 | =51 | =37 | -3 | +48 | -29 | +35 | -26 | +41 | +32 | +24 | 6½ |
20 | Joel Benjamin (United States) | 2620 | +50 | =4 | +31 | =6 | +23 | -2 | =16 | =5 | =21 | =12 | -7 | 6 |
21 | Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) | 2670 | =14 | =49 | =15 | =40 | =29 | =27 | +46 | =9 | =20 | -18 | +33 | 6 |
22 | Alexander Beliavsky (Ukraine) | 2635 | +42 | +12 | +4 | +8 | -2 | =5 | -6 | =23 | =16 | -7 | -13 | 5½ |
23 | Evgeny Bareev (Russia) | 2660 | +46 | +16 | =8 | =1 | -20 | =9 | +29 | =22 | -3 | =15 | -14 | 5½ |
24 | Gregory Kaidanov (United States) | 2640 | +43 | =7 | =30 | =16 | =27 | =11 | =12 | +31 | -4 | =13 | -19 | 5½ |
25 | Julian Hodgson (England) | 2625 | -12 | +54 | +18 | =7 | -4 | =13 | =30 | +39 | +27 | -5 | -10 | 5½ |
26 | Boris Alterman (Israel) | 2585 | =35 | =15 | -32 | +47 | =40 | -28 | +37 | +19 | =7 | -11 | =31 | 5½ |
27 | Alexey Vyzmanavin (Russia) | 2605 | =31 | =44 | =36 | +45 | =24 | =21 | =9 | =14 | -25 | +34 | -17 | 5½ |
28 | Ljubomir Ljubojević (Yugoslavia) | 2595 | -36 | =11 | =46 | +43 | -31 | +26 | -7 | -38 | =49 | +48 | +44 | 5½ |
29 | Leonid Yudasin (Israel) | 2605 | =6 | =17 | +38 | -5 | =21 | +19 | -23 | -13 | =39 | =36 | =43 | 5 |
30 | Gregory Serper (Uzbekistan) | 2575 | +32 | =3 | =24 | -2 | =14 | =40 | =25 | -15 | -35 | +45 | =34 | 5 |
31 | Ilya Smirin (Israel) | 2640 | =27 | +47 | -20 | =37 | +28 | =16 | =11 | -24 | =32 | -17 | =26 | 5 |
32 | Alexander Chernin (Hungary) | 2615 | -30 | +42 | +26 | =17 | -8 | =39 | =13 | =44 | =31 | -19 | =38 | 5 |
33 | Vladimir Tukmakov (Ukraine) | 2600 | =1 | =9 | =3 | -34 | =38 | =35 | =49 | =41 | =40 | +46 | -21 | 5 |
34 | Vladimir Malaniuk (Ukraine) | 2635 | =39 | =13 | =5 | +33 | -16 | =46 | =42 | -12 | +48 | -27 | =30 | 5 |
35 | Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland) | 2625 | =26 | =18 | =12 | -4 | =54 | =33 | -19 | =43 | +30 | =39 | =37 | 5 |
36 | Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Georgia) | 2630 | +28 | -8 | =27 | -10 | +51 | =42 | -14 | -18 | +50 | =29 | =40 | 5 |
37 | Curt Hansen (Denmark) | 2590 | =17 | =6 | =19 | =31 | -11 | =38 | -26 | =49 | =47 | +52 | =35 | 5 |
38 | Miguel Illescas (Spain) | 2625 | =51 | =10 | -21 | =13 | =33 | =37 | =41 | +28 | -18 | =40 | =32 | 5 |
39 | Vladimir Akopian (Armenia) | 2600 | =34 | -1 | =14 | +52 | =44 | =32 | =40 | -25 | =29 | =35 | =41 | 5 |
40 | Zoltán Ribli (Hungary) | 2610 | -4 | +50 | =44 | =21 | =26 | =30 | =39 | -42 | =33 | =38 | =36 | 5 |
41 | Eduardas Rozentalis (Lithuania) | 2600 | -5 | +52 | -17 | -11 | =43 | +54 | =38 | =33 | -19 | +53 | =39 | 5 |
42 | Alex Yermolinsky (United States) | 2605 | -22 | -32 | +50 | =48 | +45 | =36 | =34 | +40 | -9 | =44 | -15 | 5 |
43 | Lev Polugaevsky (Belarus) | 2605 | -24 | =53 | =48 | -28 | =41 | =50 | =51 | =35 | =45 | +49 | =29 | 5 |
44 | Alexander Khalifman (Russia) | 2645 | =47 | =27 | =40 | =15 | =39 | =14 | =10 | =32 | -11 | =42 | -28 | 4½ |
45 | Kiril Georgiev (Bulgaria) | 2660 | =49 | +14 | -1 | -27 | -42 | =18 | =53 | =48 | =33 | -30 | +54 | 4½ |
46 | Mikhail Gurevich (Belgium) | 2605 | -23 | =48 | =28 | =51 | +49 | =34 | -21 | +50 | -17 | -33 | =47 | 4½ |
47 | Christopher Lutz (Germany) | 2605 | =44 | -31 | =54 | -26 | -12 | +53 | -48 | +52 | =37 | =50 | =46 | 4½ |
48 | Loek van Wely (Netherlands) | 2585 | -16 | =46 | =43 | =42 | -19 | =49 | +47 | =45 | -34 | -28 | =53 | 4 |
49 | Jóhann Hjartarson (Iceland) | 2605 | =45 | =21 | -6 | =54 | -46 | =48 | =33 | =37 | =28 | -43 | =52 | 4 |
50 | Patrick Wolff (United States) | 2585 | -20 | -40 | -42 | +53 | =52 | =43 | +54 | -46 | -36 | =47 | =51 | 4 |
51 | Vadim Ruban (Russia) | 2590 | =38 | =19 | -16 | =46 | -36 | =52 | =43 | -17 | -53 | =54 | =50 | 3½ |
52 | Simen Agdestein (Norway) | 2610 | -2 | -41 | +53 | -39 | =50 | =51 | -18 | -47 | +54 | -37 | =49 | 3½ |
53 | Friso Nijboer (Netherlands) | 2555 | -7 | =43 | -52 | -50 | =18 | -47 | =45 | =54 | +51 | -41 | =48 | 3½ |
54 | Zsuzsa Polgár (Hungary) | 2545 | =15 | -25 | =47 | =49 | =35 | -41 | -50 | =53 | -52 | =51 | -45 | 3 |
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]
Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |||||||||||
Gata Kamsky | 4½ | ||||||||||||
Vladimir Kramnik | 1½ | ||||||||||||
Gata Kamsky | 5½ | ||||||||||||
Nigel Short | 1½ | ||||||||||||
Nigel Short | 6½ | ||||||||||||
Boris Gulko | 5½ | ||||||||||||
Gata Kamsky | 4½ | ||||||||||||
Viswanathan Anand | 6½ | ||||||||||||
Michael Adams | 7½ | ||||||||||||
Sergei Tiviakov | 6½ | ||||||||||||
Michael Adams | 1½ | ||||||||||||
Viswanathan Anand | 5½ | ||||||||||||
Viswanathan Anand | 5 | ||||||||||||
Oleg Romanishin | 2 | ||||||||||||
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.
Rating (change) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viswanathan Anand (India) | 2725 (+13) | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 7½ |
Garry Kasparov (Russia) | 2795 (-13) | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 10½ |
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]
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian and former Soviet chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, and politician. He was the 12th World Chess Champion from 1975 to 1985, a three-time FIDE World Champion, twice World Chess champion as a member of the USSR team, and a six-time winner of Chess Olympiads as a member of the USSR team. The International Association of Chess Press awarded him nine Chess Oscars.
The International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation, commonly referred to by its French acronym FIDE, is an international organization based in Switzerland that connects the various national chess federations and acts as the governing body of international chess competition. FIDE was founded in Paris, France, on July 20, 1924. Its motto is Gens una sumus, Latin for 'We are one Family'. In 1999, FIDE was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As of December 21, 2023, there are 201 member federations of FIDE.
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion (1985–2000), political activist and writer. His peak FIDE chess rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in 2013. From 1984 until his retirement from regular competitive chess in 2005, Kasparov was ranked world no. 1 for a record 255 months overall. Kasparov also holds records for the most consecutive professional tournament victories (15) and Chess Oscars (11).
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the 14th undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007.
The World Chess Championship is played to determine the world champion in chess. The current world champion is Ding Liren, who defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the 2023 World Chess Championship after the previous champion Magnus Carlsen had declined to defend his title. As of December 2024, Ding is defending his title against Gukesh Dommaraju in the 2024 World Chess Championship tournament.
Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand is an Indian chess grandmaster, a former five-time World Chess Champion and a record two-time Chess World Cup Champion. He became the first grandmaster from India in 1988, and he has the eighth-highest peak FIDE rating of all time. In 2022, he was elected the deputy president of FIDE.
Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and former FIDE World Chess Champion.
This is a timeline of chess.
Gata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and a five-time U.S. champion.
The Professional Chess Association (PCA), which existed between 1993 and 1996, was a rival organisation to FIDE, the International Chess Federation. The PCA was created in 1993 by Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short for the marketing and organization of their Chess World Championship.
The Candidates Tournament is a chess tournament organized by FIDE, chess's international governing body, since 1950, as the final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship. The winner of the Candidates earns the right to a match for the World Championship against the incumbent world champion.
The Classical World Chess Championship 2000, known at the time as the Braingames World Chess Championships, was held from 8 October 2000 – 4 November 2000 in London, United Kingdom. Garry Kasparov, the defending champion, played Vladimir Kramnik. The match was played in a best-of-16-games format, with Kramnik defeating the heavily favoured Kasparov. Kramnik won the match with two wins, 13 draws and no losses. To the supporters of the lineal world championship, Kramnik became the 14th world chess champion.
The FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 was a chess tournament held by FIDE to determine the World Chess Champion.
The FIDE World Chess Championships from 1998 to 2004 followed a similar knockout format, radically different from previous World Chess Championship events. Previous events had had long qualifying cycles, spread over more than a year, culminating in a long match between the incumbent champion and a challenger. From 1998 to 2004, however, FIDE organised its World Championship as a single event over about a month, with many players playing short knockout matches, rather in the style of a tennis tournament such as Wimbledon.
The World Chess Championship 1993 was one of the most controversial matches in chess history, with incumbent World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, and official challenger Nigel Short, splitting from FIDE, the official world governing body of chess, and playing their title match under the auspices of the Professional Chess Association. In response, FIDE stripped Kasparov of his title, and instead held a title match between Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman.
Below is a list of events in chess in 1998, as well as the top ten FIDE rated chess players in July of that year.
Below is a list of events in chess in 1995, as well as the top ten FIDE rated chess players of that year.
Below is a list of events in chess in 1993, as well as the top ten FIDE rated chess players of that year.
The FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 was contested in a match between the FIDE World Champion Anatoly Karpov and the challenger Viswanathan Anand. The match took place between 2 January and 9 January 1998 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The challenger was determined in a tournament held in Groningen, Netherlands, between 9 December and 30 December 1997. After the championship match ended in a draw, Karpov won the rapid playoff, becoming the 1998 FIDE World Chess Champion.