FIDE World Chess Championship 1996

The FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 was a chess tournament held by FIDE to determine the World Chess Champion.

Background

At the time the World Chess Champion title was split.

In 1993, Nigel Short had qualified via FIDE's usual format to meet champion Garry Kasparov in a championship match. However, Kasparov and Short broke with FIDE and played under the auspices of a new organization which they had organized, the Professional Chess Association (PCA). Kasparov won this match to remain champion.

With its two top players withdrawn, FIDE awarded the two slots in its 1993 championship match to Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman, both of whom had been defeated in earlier qualification rounds by Short. Karpov won the match to became the FIDE World Champion.

The FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 was FIDE's first since the 1993 split. Meanwhile, the PCA held its Classical World Chess Championship 1995, in which Kasparov defeated Viswanathan Anand to retain his title.

Many of the same players competed in both organization's qualifying events. However, Kasparov and Short did not compete in the FIDE event.

1993 Interzonal tournament

FIDE held an Interzonal tournament in Biel in July 1993, run as a 73 player, 13 round Swiss system tournament.[1]

The top 10 from the Interzonal qualified for a Championship tournament. In the event of a tie break, players were ranked by the sum of their opponents' Elo ratings, excluding the lowest rating.

1993 FIDE Interzonal Tournament
Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Total Tie break
1  GM Boris Gelfand (Belarus) 2670 +35 +49 =6 +39 =3 +43 =2 +10 +17 =5 =13 =9 =7 9
2  GM Paul van der Sterren (Netherlands) 2525 =51 =41 +71 +31 +26 =13 =1 =6 =4 =7 +17 =8 =3 8½ 31545
3  GM Gata Kamsky (United States) 2645 +12 =25 +47 =28 =1 =16 +32 =4 +6 =17 =5 =7 =2 8½ 31470
4  GM Alexander Khalifman (Russia) 2645 +58 =43 +45 +8 -10 =6 +24 =3 =2 =16 +26 =5 =9 8½ 31390
5  GM Michael Adams (England) 2630 -44 +60 -22 +68 +62 +65 +28 +9 =7 =1 =3 =4 =6 8½ 31345
6  GM Leonid Yudasin (Israel) 2605 +67 =44 =1 =36 +48 =4 +23 =2 -3 =11 +29 +13 =5 8½ 31340
7  GM Valery Salov (Russia) 2685 =49 +71 =31 +55 +42 +24 =10 -17 =5 =2 +21 =3 =1 8½ 31285
8  GM Joël Lautier (France) 2620 +26 +62 =17 -4 =22 =21 +33 =16 =9 =15 +27 =2 +24 8½ 31280
9  GM Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) 2710 -45 +19 =35 +38 +55 +37 =17 -5 =8 +31 +16 =1 =4 8½ 31240
10  GM Viswanathan Anand (India) 2725 =16 =22 +44 +25 +4 =17 =7 -1 =21 =27 =18 +28 =11 8 31435
11  GM Vladimir Epishin (Russia) 2655 =18 =35 =38 =45 =41 =36 +42 +39 =13 =6 =24 +15 =10 8 31305
12  GM Smbat Lputian (Armenia) 2555 -3 +70 -39 +71 =31 =56 -14 +55 =20 +52 =51 +40 +32 8 31275
13  GM Alexei Shirov (Latvia) 2685 =65 +53 =32 =22 +47 =2 =16 =29 =11 +23 =1 -6 +21 8 31195
14  GM Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) 2705 =22 =16 =21 =65 =25 =47 +12 =37 =23 =29 +33 =24 +27 8 31125
15  GM Ivan Sokolov (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 2610 +66 =23 +57 -17 =21 =22 =37 =27 +36 =8 +35 -11 +30 8 31030
16  GM Lajos Portisch (Hungary) 2585 =10 =14 =40 +44 +56 =3 =13 =8 +29 =4 -9 =18 =20 7½ 31855
17  GM Evgeny Bareev (Russia) 2660 +38 +39 =8 +15 =24 =10 =9 +7 -1 =3 -2 =21 =18 7½ 31580
18  GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (Latvia) 2570 =11 =29 +20 -37 =50 -33 +70 +43 =28 +45 =10 =16 =17 7½ 31515
19  GM Bosko Abramovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 2460 =47 -9 +53 +33 =29 -26 =56 +59 -31 +46 =37 +45 =22 7½ 31140
20  GM Judit Polgár (Hungary) 2630 =34 =46 -18 =27 +58 =41 -35 +57 =12 +43 =31 +26 =16 7½ 30850
21  GM Alexey Dreev (Russia) 2570 +40 -24 =14 +52 =15 =8 +43 =31 =10 +22 -7 =17 -13 7 31795
22  GM Patrick Wolff (United States) 2585 =14 =10 +5 =13 =8 =15 =31 =40 +52 -21 -28 +56 =19 7 31700
23  GM Yasser Seirawan (United States) 2575 +63 =15 =51 =56 +36 =28 -6 +24 =14 -13 =40 =31 =33 7 31625
24  GM Mikhail Gurevich (Belgium) 2605 +69 +21 =28 +43 =17 -7 -4 -23 +44 +39 =11 =14 -8 7 31465
25  GM Lembit Oll (Estonia) 2595 +70 =3 =56 -10 =14 -40 =46 =34 =38 +65 -30 +63 +51 7 31415
26  GM Dibyendu Barua (India) 2510 -8 +63 +41 +51 -2 +19 -29 +32 =35 +40 -4 -20 =28 7 31405
27  GM Jeroen Piket (Netherlands) 2590 -71 +59 -42 =20 +61 +52 =40 =15 +56 =10 -8 +38 -14 7 31360
28  GM Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland) 2625 +30 +42 =24 =3 =37 =23 -5 -35 =18 +41 +22 -10 =26 7 31225
29  GM Boris Gulko (United States) 2635 =46 =18 =58 +35 =19 =42 +26 =13 -16 =14 -6 +43 =31 7 31120
30  IM Xu Jun (China) 2535 -28 =68 +72 =50 -39 -51 +62 +65 =32 =36 +25 +37 -15 7 30985
31  GM Robert Hübner (Germany) 2605 +60 =57 =7 -2 =12 +55 =22 =21 +19 -9 =20 =23 =29 7 30980
32  GM Jóhann Hjartarson (Iceland) 2605 +59 =55 =13 -42 +45 +39 -3 -26 =30 =51 +49 +35 -12 7 30970
33  GM Julio Granda (Peru) 2605 -55 =61 +49 -19 +34 +18 -8 +51 =45 =35 -14 +47 =23 7 30930
34  GM Ye Jiangchuan (China) 2535 =20 -48 =68 =46 -33 +69 =57 =25 =47 =42 +65 =36 +45 7 30880
35  GM Eric Lobron (Germany) 2575 =1 =11 =9 -29 +46 =48 +20 +28 =26 =33 -15 -32 =38 6½ 31480
36  GM Vasily Smyslov (Russia) 2520 =48 =37 +62 =6 -23 =11 =38 +41 -15 =30 =52 =34 =40 6½ 31260
37  GM Jon Speelman (England) 2605 =54 =36 +46 +18 =28 -9 =15 =14 -40 +56 =19 -30 =41 6½ 31165
38  IM Ilya Gurevich (United States) 2575 -17 +67 =11 -9 +69 =50 =36 -56 =25 +44 +39 -27 =35 6½ 31155
39  GM Zdenko Kožul (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 2595 +64 -17 +12 -1 +30 -32 +65 -11 +42 -24 -38 =48 +61 6½ 31150
40  GM Kiril Georgiev (Bulgaria) 2660 -21 +66 =16 +57 -43 +25 =27 =22 +37 -26 =23 -12 =36 6½ 30835
41  GM Curt Hansen (Denmark) 2590 =72 =2 -26 +73 =11 =20 =48 -36 +66 -28 +61 =51 =37 6½ 30735
42  GM Evgeny Pigusov (Russia) 2585 +74* -28 +27 +32 -7 =29 -11 =48 -39 =34 =46 =52 =49 6 31305
43  GM Ian Rogers (Australia) 2595 +68 =4 +48 -24 +40 -1 -21 -18 +59 -20 +66 -29 =50 6 31195
44  GM Ľubomír Ftáčnik (Slovakia) 2535 +5 =6 -10 -16 =57 +62 +50 -52 -24 -38 =67 =58 +68 6 31130
45  GM Loek van Wely (Netherlands) 2585 +9 =50 -4 =11 -32 =70 +60 +47 =33 -18 +48 -19 -34 6 31090
46  GM Vasil Spasov (Bulgaria) 2540 =29 =20 -37 =34 -35 +73 =25 +50 =48 -19 =42 =62 =47 6 31040
47  GM Vladimir Akopian (Armenia) 2600 =19 +54 -3 +61 -13 =14 =51 -45 =34 =50 +55 -33 =46 6 30995
48  GM Jaan Ehlvest (Estonia) 2620 =36 +34 -43 +58 -6 =35 =41 =42 =46 =49 -45 =39 =52 6 30985
49  GM Jesus Nogueiras (Cuba) 2580 =7 -1 -33 =60 =70 +66 =55 =58 +53 =48 -32 =50 =42 6 30910
50  GM Simen Agdestein (Norway) 2610 +61 =45 -55 =30 =18 =38 -44 -46 +63 =47 =56 =49 =43 6 30910
51  GM Predrag Nikolić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 2625 =2 +72 =23 -26 -65 +30 =47 -33 +58 =32 =12 =41 -25 6 30840
52  GM Ilya Smirin (Israel) 2640 -57 =69 +73 -21 +63 -27 +53 +44 -22 -12 =36 =42 =48 6 30800
53  IM Artur Frolov (Ukraine) 2535 =56 -13 -19 -69 +72 +71 -52 +64 -49 =59 -63 bye +66 6 30320
54  IM Darcy Lima (Brazil) 2475 =37 -47 -65 =67 -73 =68 +69 =71 =57 -66 bye +59 =63 6 30105
55  GM Walter Arencibia (Cuba) 2485 +33 =32 +50 -7 -9 -31 =49 -12 +71 =62 -47 =68 =56 5½ 30935
56  GM Miguel Illescas (Spain) 2625 =53 +65 =25 =23 -16 =12 =19 +38 -27 -37 =50 -22 =55 5½ 30880
57  GM Vidmantas Mališauskas (Lithuania) 2540 +52 =31 -15 -40 =44 =59 =34 -20 =54 =58 =68 =66 =62 5½ 30820
58  GM Ferdinand Hellers (Sweden) 2560 -4 +64 =29 -48 -20 =67 +72 =49 -51 =57 =59 =44 =60 5½ 30690
59  FM Tigran Nalbandian (Armenia) 2485 -32 -27 +64 -62 +68 =57 +63 -19 -43 =53 =58 -54 bye 5½ 30505
60  IM Lucas Brunner (Switzerland) 2475 -31 -5 =66 =49 =71 +61 -45 =68 -65 bye =62 =64 =58 5½ 30335
61  GM Alex Sherzer (United States) 2500 -50 =33 +69 -47 -27 -60 -68 +73 bye +64 -41 +67 -39 5½ 30325
62  GM Semen Dvoirys (Russia) 2590 +73 -8 -36 +59 -5 -44 -30 =67 +70 =55 =60 =46 =57 5½ 30285
63  GM Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) 2650 -23 -26 +67 =70 -52 =64 -59 +72 -50 +73 +53 -25 =54 5½ 30225
64  IM Hichem Hamdouchi (Morocco) 2455 -39 -58 -59 bye =66 =63 +73 -53 =68 -61 +70 =60 =65 5½ 30200
65  GM Dmitry Gurevich (United States) 2575 =13 -56 +54 =14 +51 -5 -39 -30 +60 -25 -34 =69 =64 5 30965
66  IM Giorgi Bagaturov (Georgia) 2495 -15 -40 =60 =72 =64 -49 +67 +70 -41 +54 -43 =57 -53 5 30435
67  IM Amanmurad Kakagaldyev (Turkmenistan) 2465 -6 -38 -63 =54 bye =58 -66 =62 +69 =68 =44 -61 =72 5 30330
68  IM Werner Hug (Switzerland) 2430 -43 =30 =34 -5 -59 =54 +61 =60 =64 =67 =57 =55 -44 5 30255
69  IM Alexandre Lesiège (Canada) 2485 -24 =52 -61 +53 -38 -34 -54 bye -67 =72 =73 =65 +71 5 30070
70  IM Pablo Zarnicki (Argentina) 2455 -25 -12 bye =63 =49 =45 -18 -66 -62 +71 -64 =72 =73 4½ 30270
71  David Gluckman (South Africa) 2330 +27 -7 -2 -12 =60 -53 bye =54 -55 -70 =72 +73 -69 4½ 30110
72  IM Nikolaos Kalesis (Greece) 2410 =41 -51 -30 =66 -53 bye -58 -63 -73 =69 =71 =70 =67 4 30170
73  IM Konstantinos Moutousis (Greece) 2425 -62 bye -52 -41 +54 -46 -64 -61 +72 -63 =69 -71 =70 4 30140
74  Esam Aly Ahmed (Egypt) 2320 -42* 0

Esam Aly Ahmed forfeited his first round game against Pigusov and was dropped from the tournament.

1994–96 Championship tournament

The top 10 from the Interzonal were joined by 1993 FIDE World Champion Anatoly Karpov, 1993 FIDE runner-up Jan Timman, and 1993 Candidates semi-finalist Artur Yusupov.[2][3] (The other 1993 semi-finalist was the excluded Nigel Short).

The first round matches were held in Wijk aan Zee in January 1994, and the second round matches and semifinals in Sanghi Nagar in July–August 1994 and February 1995, respectively. If tied after the specified number of games (which happened only in the Kamsky-Anand match), rapid chess games were played as tie breaks.[4]

The format was a departure from all previous world championships, in that the reigning champion (Karpov) was not seeded directly into a championship match. Instead, he joined the competition at the semifinal stage.

First round (best of 8) Second round (best of 8) Semifinals (best of 10) Final
 United States Gata Kamsky 4½  
 Netherlands Paul van der Sterren 2½      United States Gata Kamsky 6  
 India Viswanathan Anand 4½      India Viswanathan Anand 4  
 Germany Artur Yusupov 2½        United States Gata Kamsky 5½  
 Netherlands Jan Timman 4½        Russia Valery Salov 1½  
 France Joël Lautier 3½      Netherlands Jan Timman 3½  
 Russia Alexander Khalifman 1      Russia Valery Salov 4½  
 Russia Valery Salov 5        United States Gata Kamsky
 Belarus Boris Gelfand 5        Russia Anatoly Karpov
 England Michael Adams 3      Israel Boris Gelfand 4½  
 Israel Leonid Yudasin 2½      Russia Vladimir Kramnik 3½  
 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 4½        Israel Boris Gelfand 3  
         Russia Anatoly Karpov 6  
              
              
   

1996 Championship final

The final was held in Elista, Russia, and played as best of 20 games.

FIDE World Chess Championship Match 1996
Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total
 Anatoly Karpov (Russia) 2770 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 10½
 Gata Kamsky (United States) 2735 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 7½

Karpov won and retained his title.

References

  1. ↑ 1993 FIDE Interzonal - Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
  2. ↑ 1994-96 FIDE Candidates Matches - Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
  3. ↑ 1996 Karpov - Kamsky FIDE Title Match - Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
  4. ↑ WCh 08 g6: Anand Won, Kramnik Done, Mig Greengard blog, October 20, 2008 (see comments in final paragraph)

Further reading