FIDE World Chess Championship 1999

The FIDE World Chess Championship 1999 was held at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip between 31 July and 28 August 1999.[1] The championship was won by Russian Alexander Khalifman, making him the FIDE World Chess Champion.

World Chess Championship 1999
Alexander Khalifman
Tournament information
SportChess
LocationLas Vegas, Nevada, United States
Dates31 July 1999–28 August 1999
AdministratorFIDE
Tournament
format(s)
Single-elimination tournament
Host(s)United States Chess Federation
Venue(s)Caesars Palace
Participants100
Final positions
ChampionRussia Alexander Khalifman
Runner-upArmenia Vladimir Akopian
Tournament statistics
Matches played99

Format

The format was a knockout tournament of short matches. This was similar in style to that used at the FIDE World Chess Championship 1998, and had the same advantages and disadvantages – see FIDE World Chess Championship 1998#Controversies.

A change from the 1998 championship was that incumbent champion (Anatoly Karpov) had no special privileges, other than that he (like a number of leading players) was seeded into the second round. In protest at this, Karpov refused to play.[2]

Controversy and non-participants

In addition to Karpov, neither Garry Kasparov nor Viswanathan Anand took part. Kasparov, holder of a rival world championship title, refused to play in any of the FIDE knockout championships, and Anand was negotiating to play a match against Kasparov for his title.[3] (This match never took place – see Classical World Chess Championship 2000).

Only three players in the top fifteen reached the quarterfinals and by the semifinals most of the favourites had been eliminated. Kasparov called three of the quarterfinalists "tourists", perhaps intending only to reflect the surprising results of the earlier rounds, but the remark raised some controversy.[4]

Winner Khalifman was rated 44th in the world at the time,[5] which some compared unfavourably to PCA champion Kasparov being ranked No. 1. Khalifman said after the tournament, "Rating system works perfectly for players who play only in round robin closed events. I think most of them are overrated. Organizers invite same people over and over because they have the same rating and their rating stays high."[6] Perhaps in response, Khalifman was invited to the next Linares chess tournament, and performed creditably (though placing below joint winner Kasparov).[7]

Participants
  1.  Vladimir Kramnik (RUS), 2751
  2.  Alexei Shirov (ESP), 2726
  3.  Alexander Morozevich1 (RUS), 2723
  4.  Gata Kamsky (USA), 2720
  5.  Michael Adams (ENG), 2716
  6.  Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR), 2714
  7.  Peter Svidler (RUS), 2713
  8.  Anatoly Karpov1 (RUS), 2710
  9.  Veselin Topalov (BUL), 2700
  10.  Nigel Short (ENG), 2697
  11.  Peter Leko (HUN), 2694
  12.  Boris Gelfand (ISR), 2691
  13.  Sergei Rublevsky (RUS), 2684
  14.  Zurab Azmaiparashvili (GEO), 2681
  15.  Evgeny Bareev (RUS), 2679
  16.  Judit Polgár (HUN), 2677
  17.  Viktor Korchnoi (SUI), 2673
  18.  Valery Salov (RUS), 2670
  19.  Jan Timman (NED), 2670
  20.  Matthew Sadler (ENG), 2667
  21.  Zoltán Almási (HUN), 2665
  22.  Sergei Shipov (RUS), 2662
  23.  Kiril Georgiev (BUL), 2659
  24.  Vadim Zvjaginsev (RUS), 2658
  25.  Ilya Smirin (ISR), 2652
  26.  Alexander Beliavsky (SLO), 2650
  27.  Sergei Movsesian (CZE), 2650
  28.  Konstantin Sakaev (RUS), 2649
  29.  Alexei Fedorov (BLR), 2648
  30.  Michael Krasenkow (POL), 2643
  31.  Vladimir Akopian (ARM), 2640
  32.  Vladislav Tkachiev (FRA), 2634
  33.  Sergei Tiviakov (RUS), 2627
  34.  Ivan Sokolov (BIH), 2624
  35.  Boris Gulko (USA), 2620
  36.  Alexander Khalifman (RUS), 2616
  37.  Nick DeFirmian (USA), 2610
  38.  Matthias Wahls (GER), 2609
  39.  Aleksej Aleksandrov (BLR), 2609
  40.  Tony Miles (ENG), 2609
  41.  Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR), 2609
  42.  Utut Adianto (INA), 2607
  43.  Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB), 2606
  44.  Jonathan Speelman (ENG), 2601
  45.  Alex Yermolinsky (USA), 2597
  46.  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM), 2594
  47.  Jaan Ehlvest (EST), 2593
  48.  Joel Benjamin (USA), 2593
  49.  Sergey Dolmatov (RUS), 2589
  50.  Gilberto Milos (BRA), 2586
  51.  Eduardas Rozentalis (LTU), 2577
  52.  Karen Asrian (ARM), 2576
  53.  Peng Xiaomin (CHN), 2574
  54.  Hannes Stefánsson (ISL), 2569
  55.  Vlastimil Babula (CZE), 2565
  56.  Zsuzsa Polgar1 (HUN), 2565
  57.  Lev Psakhis (ISR), 2564
  58.  Hichem Hamdouchi (MAR), 2564
  59.  Goran Dizdar (CRO), 2563
  60.  Dragoljub Velimirović1 (YUG), 2563
  61.  Vasilios Kotronias (CYP), 2561
  62.  Rafael Leitão (BRA), 2559
  63.  Rogelio Antonio Jr. (PHI), 2558
  64.  Jordi Magem Badals (ESP), 2557
  65.  Robert Zelcic (CRO), 2554
  66.  Bartłomiej Macieja (POL), 2553
  67.  Maia Chiburdanidze (GEO), 2551
  68.  Alejandro Sergio Hoffman (ARG), 2547
  69.  Dmitry Gurevich (USA), 2545
  70.  Sergey Kudrin (USA), 2543
  71.  Dimitri Reinderman (NED), 2541
  72.  Dibyendu Barua (IND), 2538
  73.  Mikhail Kobalia (RUS), 2537
  74.  Altin Cela (ALB), 2536
  75.  Julio Becerra Rivero (CUB), 2535
  76.  Ralf Åkesson (SWE), 2530
  77.  Mohammed Al-Modiahki (QAT), 2530
  78.  Daniel Fridman (LAT), 2529
  79.  Christian Bauer (FRA), 2528
  80.  Pablo Ricardi (ARG), 2527
  81.  Kevin Spraggett (CAN), 2523
  82.  Stefan Đurić (YUG), 2517
  83.  Friso Nijboer (NED), 2515
  84.  Peter Heine Nielsen (DEN), 2515
  85.  Pavel Kotsur (KAZ), 2511
  86.  Alexander Ivanov (USA), 2505
  87.  Levon Aronian (ARM), 2502
  88.  Andrés Rodríguez (URU), 2500
  89.  Darmen Sadvakasov (KAZ), 2487
  90.  Alexander Zubarev (UKR), 2478
  91.  Tal Shaked (USA), 2477
  92.  Esam Mohamed Ahmed Nagib (EGY), 2458
  93.  Alonso Zapata (COL), 2454
  94.  Imad Hakki2 (SYR), 2423
  95.  Liang Chong (CHN), 2400
  96.  Watu Kobese (RSA), 2389
  97.  Slim Bouaziz (TUN), 2387
  98.  Amir Bagheri2 (IRI), 2368
  99.  Alexander Kozak (RUS), 2330
  100.  Vladimir Feldman (AUS), 2330

1 Morozevich, Karpov, Z. Polgar, and Velimirovic had to be replaced with the following players:

2 Hakki and Bagheri did not appear due to the visa problems.

Results, rounds 1–4

Section 1
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
1 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 1½
33 Russia Sergei Tiviakov ½
33 Russia Sergei Tiviakov 4½
69 United States Dmitry Gurevich 3½
1 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 1½
17 Switzerland Viktor Korchnoi ½
17 Switzerland Viktor Korchnoi 4
49 Russia Sergey Dolmatov 2
49 Russia Sergey Dolmatov 2½
85 Kazakhstan Pavel Kotsur 1½
1 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 3
9 Bulgaria Veselin Topalov 1
9 Bulgaria Veselin Topalov 4
41 Ukraine Ruslan Ponomariov 2
41 Ukraine Ruslan Ponomariov 1½
77 Qatar Mohammed Al-Modiahki ½
9 Bulgaria Veselin Topalov 1½
57 Israel Lev Psakhis ½
25 Israel Ilya Smirin 1½
57 Israel Lev Psakhis 2½
57 Israel Lev Psakhis 2½
93 Colombia Alonso Zapata 1½

Section 2
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
5 England Michael Adams 2
73 Russia Mikhail Kobalia 0
37 United States Nick DeFirmian ½
73 Russia Mikhail Kobalia 1½
5 England Michael Adams 1½
21 Hungary Zoltán Almási ½
21 Hungary Zoltán Almási 3
53 China Peng Xiaomin 1
53 China Peng Xiaomin 1½
89 Kazakhstan Darmen Sadvakasov ½
5 England Michael Adams 4
Russia Alexey Dreev 2
13 Russia Sergei Rublevsky 3
45 United States Alex Yermolinsky 1
45 United States Alex Yermolinsky 2½
81 Canada Kevin Spraggett 1½
13 Russia Sergei Rublevsky ½
Russia Alexey Dreev 1½
65 Croatia Robert Zelcic 2½
Russia Alexey Dreev 3½
Russia Alexey Dreev 1½
61 Cyprus Vasilios Kotronias ½
61 Cyprus Vasilios Kotronias 1½
97 Tunisia Slim Bouaziz ½

Section 3
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
29 Belarus Alexei Fedorov 1½
35 United States Boris Gulko ½
35 United States Boris Gulko 1½
71 Netherlands Dimitri Reinderman ½
29 Belarus Alexei Fedorov 1½
19 Netherlands Jan Timman ½
19 Netherlands Jan Timman 1½
87 Armenia Levon Aronian ½
51 Lithuania Eduardas Rozentalis 0
87 Armenia Levon Aronian 2
29 Belarus Alexei Fedorov 2½
27 Czech Republic Sergei Movsesian 3½
11 Hungary Peter Leko 1½
79 France Christian Bauer ½
43 Uzbekistan Rustam Kasimdzhanov ½
79 France Christian Bauer 1½
11 Hungary Peter Leko 1½
27 Czech Republic Sergei Movsesian 2½
27 Czech Republic Sergei Movsesian 2
59 Croatia Goran Dizdar 0
59 Croatia Goran Dizdar 1½
95 China Liang Chong ½

Section 4
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
7 Russia Peter Svidler 1½
39 Belarus Aleksej Aleksandrov ½
39 Belarus Aleksej Aleksandrov 2
75 Cuba Julio Becerra Rivero 0
7 Russia Peter Svidler ½
23 Bulgaria Kiril Georgiev 1½
23 Bulgaria Kiril Georgiev 2
91 United States Tal Shaked 0
55 Czech Republic Vlastimil Babula 1½
91 United States Tal Shaked 2½
23 Bulgaria Kiril Georgiev ½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 1½
15 Russia Evgeny Bareev 1½
47 Estonia Jaan Ehlvest ½
47 Estonia Jaan Ehlvest 1½
83 Netherlands Friso Nijboer ½
15 Russia Evgeny Bareev 1½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 2½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 1½
67 Georgia (country) Maia Chiburdanidze ½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 2½
63 Philippines Rogelio Antonio Jr. 1½
63 Philippines Rogelio Antonio Jr. 2
99 Russia Alexander Kozak 0

Section 5
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
2 Spain Alexei Shirov 2½
34 Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivan Sokolov 1½
34 Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivan Sokolov 1½
70 United States Sergey Kudrin ½
2 Spain Alexei Shirov 3
50 Brazil Gilberto Milos 1
18 Russia Valery Salov 0
50 Brazil Gilberto Milos 2
50 Brazil Gilberto Milos 1½
86 United States Alexander Ivanov ½
2 Spain Alexei Shirov 1½
10 England Nigel Short ½
10 England Nigel Short 1½
78 Latvia Daniel Fridman ½
42 Indonesia Utut Adianto 0
78 Latvia Daniel Fridman 2
10 England Nigel Short 1½
26 Slovenia Alexander Beliavsky ½
26 Slovenia Alexander Beliavsky 1½
58 Morocco Hichem Hamdouchi ½
58 Morocco Hichem Hamdouchi w/o
94 Syria Imad Hakki

Section 6
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
6 Ukraine Vassily Ivanchuk 2
38 Germany Matthias Wahls 0
38 Germany Matthias Wahls 1½
74 Albania Altin Cela ½
6 Ukraine Vassily Ivanchuk 2
22 Russia Sergei Shipov 0
22 Russia Sergei Shipov 2½
54 Iceland Hannes Stefánsson 1½
54 Iceland Hannes Stefánsson 3½
90 Ukraine Alexander Zubarev 2½
6 Ukraine Vassily Ivanchuk 1½
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 2½
14 Georgia (country) Zurab Azmaiparashvili 1½
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 2½
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 2
82 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Stefan Đurić 0
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 2½
62 Brazil Rafael Leitão 1½
66 Poland Bartłomiej Macieja 2½
Switzerland Vadim Milov 1½
66 Poland Bartłomiej Macieja ½
62 Brazil Rafael Leitão 1½
62 Brazil Rafael Leitão w/o
98 Iran Amir Bagheri

Section 7
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
4 United States Gata Kamsky 1½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 2½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 3½
72 India Dibyendu Barua 2½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 1½
52 Armenia Karen Asrian ½
20 England Matthew Sadler ½
52 Armenia Karen Asrian 1½
52 Armenia Karen Asrian 2½
88 Uruguay Andrés Rodríguez 1½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 2½
12 Israel Boris Gelfand 1½
12 Israel Boris Gelfand 1½
44 England Jon Speelman ½
44 England Jon Speelman 1½
80 Argentina Pablo Ricardi ½
12 Israel Boris Gelfand 4
France Joël Lautier 2
28 Russia Konstantin Sakaev 1½
France Joël Lautier 2½
96 South Africa Watu Kobese 0
France Joël Lautier 2

Section 8
First round Second round Third round Fourth round
            
30 Poland Michael Krasenkow 2½
40 England Tony Miles 1½
40 England Tony Miles 2½
76 Sweden Ralf Åkesson 1½
30 Poland Michael Krasenkow ½
24 Russia Vadim Zvjaginsev 1½
24 Russia Vadim Zvjaginsev 2½
Sweden Ulf Andersson 1½
92 Egypt Esam Mohamed Ahmed Nagib 0
Sweden Ulf Andersson 2
24 Russia Vadim Zvjaginsev 1
16 Hungary Judit Polgár 3
16 Hungary Judit Polgár 1½
84 Denmark Peter Heine Nielsen ½
48 United States Joel Benjamin 3
84 Denmark Peter Heine Nielsen 4
16 Hungary Judit Polgár 1½
64 Spain Jordi Magem Badals ½
32 France Vladislav Tkachiev 2
68 Argentina Alejandro Sergio Hoffman 0
32 France Vladislav Tkachiev 1
64 Spain Jordi Magem Badals 3
64 Spain Jordi Magem Badals 2
100 Australia Vladimir Feldman 0

Results, rounds 5–7
Quarterfinals Semifinals (best of 4) Final (best of 6)
         
1 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 2
5 England Michael Adams 4
5 England Michael Adams ½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 2½
27 Czech Republic Sergei Movsesian 1½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 2½
31 Armenia Vladimir Akopian 2½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 3½
2 Spain Alexei Shirov ½
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 1½
46 Romania Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 2½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 3½
36 Russia Alexander Khalifman 1½
16 Hungary Judit Polgár ½

Championship final
FIDE World Chess Championship Final 1999
Rating123456Points
 Vladimir Akopian (Armenia)2640 0½10½½2½
 Alexander Khalifman (Russia)2616 1½01½½3½

References
  1. David Clayton (25 August 1999). "Two battle for chess crown at Caesars as the grand game makes a move — toward a new image". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  2. The Week in Chess 247, 2 August 1999
  3. Opening Ceremony for Wijk aan Zee, The Week in Chess, Special Report, 14-Jan-2000
  4. The Week in Chess 249 - 16 August 1999
  5. The Week in Chess 243 - 5 July 1999
  6. Press Conference with FIDE Champion Alexander Khalifman Archived 7 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 28 August 1999, Chess Scotland
  7. The Week in Chess 279 - 13 March 2000
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