View source for Classical World Chess Championship 2000

{{Short description|Chess match between Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox chess match
|location = [[Riverside_Studios | Riverside Studios]], [[Hammersmith]], [[London]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]
|comp1 = Garry Kasparov
|comp2 = Vladimir Kramnik
|image1 = [[File:Garri kasparow 20070318.jpg|center|Garry Kasparov|140px]]
|image2 = [[File:Vladimir Kramnik 2005.jpg|center|Vladimir Kramnik|140px]]
|title1 = Defending champion
|title2 = <br />Challenger
|flag1 = RUS
|flag2 = RUS
|dob1 = 13 April 1963
|age1 = 37 years old
|dob2 = 25 June 1975
|age2 = 25 years old
|qual1 = Winner of the [[Classical World Chess Championship 1995|1995 Classical World Chess Championship]]
|qual2 = Runner-up of [[#Qualification|1998 Candidates Match]] (replacement for {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Alexei Shirov]])
|elo1 = 2849 
|elo2 = 2772 
|elo1_ref = <ref name=a>{{cite web |url=https://ratings.fide.com/toparc.phtml?cod=5 |title=Top 100 Players – October 2000 |publisher=Ratings.fide.com |access-date=18 October 2020 |archive-date=18 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818090729/https://ratings.fide.com/toparc.phtml?cod=5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|elo2_ref = <ref name=a />
|rank1 = 1
|rank2 = 3
|prev = 1995
|prev_link = Classical World Chess Championship 1995
|next = 2004
|next_link = Classical World Chess Championship 2004
|score1 = 6½
|score2 = 8½
}}
The '''Classical World Chess Championship 2000''', known at the time as the '''Braingames World Chess Championships''',<ref>Due to the sponsorship by Braingames, the match was known at the time as the Braingames World Chess Championships. Kramnik would later refer to the title as the "Classical" World Championship, hence this 2000 match was also a match for the "Classical" title.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic308.html The Week in Chess 308] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115021159/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic308.html |date=15 November 2018 }} 2 October 2000</ref> Kramnik won the match with two wins, 13 [[draw (chess)|draws]] and no losses.<ref name="TWIC313">[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic313.html The Week in Chess 313] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115022238/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic313.html |date=15 November 2018 }} 6 November 2000</ref> To the supporters of the lineal world championship, Kramnik became the 14th world chess champion.

==Background==

Following the split in the [[world chess championship]] in 1993, there were two rival world titles: the official [[FIDE]] world title, and the [[Professional Chess Association|PCA]] world title held by [[Garry Kasparov]]. The rationale behind Kasparov's title was that he had not been defeated in a match, but in fact had defeated the rightful challenger [[Nigel Short]] in 1993, so FIDE had no power to strip the title from him.

The PCA then held [[Interzonal]] and [[Candidates Tournament|Candidates]] matches from 1993{{ndash}}1995, and Kasparov [[Classical World Chess Championship 1995|successfully defended his PCA title in 1995]] against [[Viswanathan Anand]].

The PCA folded in 1996.  The initial contract with [[Intel]] had expired.  Kasparov was looking for a new sponsor, but hadn't been able to find one.<ref>Garry Kasparov.  ''Deep Thinking''.</ref> However, Kasparov still claimed he was the rightful world champion, so Kasparov looked for other ways to select his next challenger.

==Qualification==

Without the sponsorship of the PCA, Kasparov found he was unable to organise a series of qualifying matches to choose a challenger. Eventually in 1998, he announced that, based on their [[Elo rating system|ratings]] and results, Anand and [[Vladimir Kramnik]] were clearly the next two best players in the world, and that they would play a match to decide who would challenge for Kasparov's title.<ref name="TWIC172">[https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic172.html The Week in Chess 172] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017085245/https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic172.html |date=17 October 2019 }}, [[The Week in Chess]], 23 February 1998</ref>

Anand, however, as a participant in the FIDE world championship cycle, believed he was contractually obligated to not participate in a rival cycle and declined the offer.<ref name="TWIC174">[https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic174.html The Week in Chess 174] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818090745/https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic174.html |date=18 August 2024 }}, [[The Week in Chess]], 9 March 1998</ref> So instead a match was organised between Kramnik and [[Alexei Shirov]], from 24 May to 5 June 1998 in [[Cazorla, Andalusia|Cazorla]], [[Spain]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/caroluschess/world-championship-match/1998-shirov---kramnik-challenger-match |title=1998 Shirov – Kramnik Challenger Match (2000 cycle) |access-date=15 November 2013 |archive-date=14 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514203810/https://sites.google.com/site/caroluschess/world-championship-match/1998-shirov---kramnik-challenger-match |url-status=dead }}</ref> Shirov was chosen because he was next in the PCA rating list,<ref name="TWIC181">[https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic181.html The Week in Chess 181] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818090618/https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic181.html |date=18 August 2024 }}, [[The Week in Chess]], 27 April 1998</ref><ref>[https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic177.html#12 WCC World Rankings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207090048/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic177.html#12 |date=7 February 2020 }}, [[The Week in Chess]] 177, 30 March 1998</ref> and because of his strong performance at the Linares 1998 super tournament.<ref name="TWIC174" /><ref name="TWIC222">[https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic222.html#4 Shirov Press Statement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930232509/https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic222.html#4 |date=30 September 2011 }}, [[The Week in Chess]], 8 February 1999</ref>

Despite being the underdog, Shirov won the match with two wins, seven draws and no losses.<ref>[http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/9899gkix.htm 1998-99 World Chess Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126194833/http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/9899gkix.htm |date=26 January 2021 }}, Mark Weeks' Chess Pages</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=80070 |title=Shirov-Kramnik WCC Candidates Match (1998) |access-date=15 November 2013 |archive-date=18 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818090622/http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=80070 |url-status=live }}</ref>

:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+World Chess Championship Candidates Match (1998)
|-
! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! Total
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|[[Vladimir Kramnik]]|Russia}} || 2790
| ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 || 3½
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|'''[[Alexei Shirov]]'''|Spain}} || '''2710'''
|style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || '''5½'''
|}

However, during 1998 Kasparov, Shirov and sponsors were unable to come to an agreement.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic200.html The Week in Chess 200] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028193827/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic200.html |date=28 October 2017 }}, 7 September 1998 (Also contains a statement at the time from Kasparov)</ref> Shirov rejected one offer of a match in California, but believed rejecting this offer did not mean waiving his rights for a match.<ref name="TWIC222" /> In December 1998, there was still talk of organising a Kasparov{{ndash}}Shirov match.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic215.html The Week in Chess 215] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628181427/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic215.html |date=28 June 2017 }}, 21 December 1999, "Kasparov in England"</ref>

In February 1999, Kasparov abandoned plans for a match with Shirov and pursued a match with Anand instead, on the basis that Anand was second to Kasparov on the ratings list.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic223.html The Week in Chess 223] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115025955/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic223.html |date=15 November 2018 }}, 15 February 1999&nbsp;– "The reality is that nobody wants to organize such a match. Potential sponsors are much more interested in a match between the number 1 and 2 chess players: Kasparov & Anand."&nbsp;– Kasparov</ref> Negotiations for a 1999 match failed,<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic254.html The Week in Chess 254] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217122818/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic254.html |date=17 February 2020 }}, 20 September 1999</ref><ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic255.html The Week in Chess 255] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115032328/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic255.html |date=15 November 2018 }}, 27 September 1999</ref> as did negotiations in 2000, with Anand expressing dissatisfaction with the contract.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic281.html The Week in Chess 281], 27 March 2000</ref> In March 2000 it was announced that negotiations with Anand had failed and so Kasparov would negotiate a match with the next player in the ratings list—Kramnik.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic282.html The Week in Chess 282] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115015841/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic282.html |date=15 November 2018 }}, 3 April 2000</ref> This time negotiations were successful, and the company Braingames was formed to finance a Kasparov-Kramnik match in October 2000.

Shirov was aggrieved, and even in 2006 maintained that Kramnik was not a valid world champion.<ref>[http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3079 Chessplayers deceived again by FIDE] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808010557/http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3079 |date=8 August 2007 }}, [[Alexei Shirov]], [[Chessbase]], 4 May 2006</ref> However, most supporters of Kasparov's title believe that, despite the unsatisfactory way in which a challenger was chosen, nevertheless the winner of this match would be the true World Champion.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}} Kramnik had a far better record against Kasparov than Shirov did (a point Kasparov emphasised when the match was announced in April 2000).<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic283.html The Week in Chess 283] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323084832/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic283.html |date=23 March 2015 }}, 10 April 2000</ref> In the years that followed, Kasparov maintained an overwhelming plus score in his individual games against Shirov.<ref>[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?yearcomp=exactly&year=&playercomp=either&pid=&player=Kasparov&pid2=&player2=Shirov&movescomp=exactly&moves=&opening=&eco=&result According to chessgames.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001145522/http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?yearcomp=exactly&year=&playercomp=either&pid=&player=Kasparov&pid2=&player2=Shirov&movescomp=exactly&moves=&opening=&eco=&result |date=1 October 2007 }}, Kasparov's lifetime score against Shirov is 15 wins, 14 draws and no losses.</ref>

==Championship Match==

:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Classical World Chess Championship Match 2000
|-
! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! Total
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|[[Garry Kasparov]]|Russia}} || 2849
| ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ || 6½
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|'''[[Vladimir Kramnik]]'''|Russia}} || '''2772'''
|style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 
|style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || '''8½'''
|}

===Match games===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 0.5em 0 0 0;"
|-
!  !! White !! Black !! Date !! Result !!width="5%"| Moves !! Winner !! Standing !! Opening !!class="unsortable" width="15%"| Notes / Reference
|-
| 1 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 8 October|| ½–½ || 25 ||  || ½–½ || C67 [[Ruy Lopez]]  || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252041]
|-
| 2 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 10 October|| 1–0 || 40 || Kramnik  || Kramnik leads 1½–½ || D85 [[Grünfeld Defence]] ||Kramnik uncorked a novelty in Grünfeld Defence, after which Kasparov did not use the Grünfeld [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252042]
|-
| 3 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 12 October|| ½–½ || 53 ||  || Kramnik leads 2–1 || C67 Ruy Lopez || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252043]
|-
| 4 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 14 October|| ½–½ || 74 ||  || Kramnik leads 2½–1½ || D27 [[Queen's Gambit]] || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1267516]
|-
| 5 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 15 October|| ½–½ || 24 ||  || Kramnik leads 3–2 || A34 [[English Opening]] || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252044]
|-
| 6 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 17 October|| ½–½ || 66 ||  || Kramnik leads 3½–2½ || D27 Queen's Gambit || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252045]
|-
| 7 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 19 October|| ½–½ || 11 ||  || Kramnik leads 4–3 || A32 English Opening || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252046]
|-
| 8 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 21 October|| ½–½ || 38 ||  || Kramnik leads 4½–3½ || E32 [[Nimzo-Indian Defence]] || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252047]
|-
| 9 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 22 October|| ½–½ || 33 ||  || Kramnik leads 5–4 || C67 Ruy Lopez || |[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252048]
|-
| 10 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 24 October|| 1–0 || 25 || Kramnik  || Kramnik leads 6–4 || E54 Nimzo-Indian Defence  || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252049]
|-
| 11 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 26 October|| ½–½ || 41 ||  || Kramnik leads 6½–4½ || C78 Ruy Lopez ||  [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252050]
|-
| 12 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 28 October|| ½–½ || 33 || || Kramnik leads 7–5 || E55 Nimzo-Indian Defence ||  [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252051]
|-
| 13 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 29 October|| ½–½ || 14 ||  || Kramnik leads 7½–5½ || C67 Ruy Lopez || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252052]
|-
| 14 || Kramnik || Kasparov || 31 October|| ½–½ || 57 || || Kramnik leads 8–6 || A30 English Opening || [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252053]
|-
| 15 || Kasparov || Kramnik || 2 November|| ½–½ || 38 ||  || Kramnik wins 8½–6½ || E05 [[Catalan Opening]] ||  [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1252054]
|}
{{Chess diagram
|tright
| Berlin Defence after 8... Kxd8
|rd|  |bd|kd|  |bd|  |rd
|pd|pd|pd|  |  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |pd|  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pl|nd|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |nl|  |  
|pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|  |  |rl|kl|  
| This position occurred four times—in games 1, 3, 9 and 13—and each time Kramnik (black) was able to draw.}}
According to Kasparov, Kramnik's victory stemmed from his superior opening preparation.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic313.html The Week in Chess 313] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115022238/http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic313.html |date=15 November 2018 }}, 6 November 2000</ref> He relied on the [[Ruy Lopez#Berlin Defence|Berlin Defence of the Ruy Lopez]] to defuse Kasparov's [[King's Pawn Game|1.e4]], an opening Kasparov was not prepared for. Kramnik also won Game 2 with a new idea for White in Kasparov's favourite [[Grünfeld Defence]], which Kramnik discovered during training with [[Boris Gelfand]] a year before the match.<ref>{{Citation|title=Владимир Крамник рассказывает о легендарном матче с Гарри Каспаровым! Интервью второе.| date=14 October 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O87f37AJDkM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/O87f37AJDkM |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-23}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He won Game 10 due to deep knowledge of 4.e3 variation by [[Joël Lautier]] and [[Evgeny Bareev]], his seconds; that variation was chosen because of Kasparov's unimpressive score with it.<ref>{{Citation|title=Владимир Крамник рассказывает о легендарном матче с Гарри Каспаровым! Интервью четвёртое.| date=29 October 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nJDL7uhk8c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/1nJDL7uhk8c |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-08-23}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Opinions and Remarks==
Yasser Seirawan remarked that he had no explanation for the result except that Kramnik played the best chess of his life, and also that he personally knew that Kasparov was going through a divorce which might have affected his game.
<ref>{{citation|title=Seirawan on Kasparov-Kramnik 2000|date=20 December 2020|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsI99-YlZlw}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The Berlin defense surged in popularity after this match, becoming a reliable drawing weapon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chess.com/news/the-berlin-wall-grows-higher-in-sochi|title=The Berlin Wall Grows Higher in Sochi|last=Emmett|first=Ryan|date=2008-08-09|publisher=Chess.com|access-date=2009-03-22|archive-date=21 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921030323/https://www.chess.com/news/the-berlin-wall-grows-higher-in-sochi|url-status=live}}</ref> Kramnik defended his title in the [[Classical World Chess Championship 2004]] against [[Peter Leko]]. The world championship remained split until 2006, when Kramnik defeated FIDE champion [[Veselin Topalov]] in a [[World Chess Championship 2006|reunification match]], becoming the undisputed world chess champion.

==See also==
*[[List of chess games between Kasparov and Kramnik]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Chess}}
{{World Chess Championships|state=expanded}}

[[Category:World Chess Championships|2000 Classical]]
[[Category:2000 in chess]]
[[Category:2000 in London]]
[[Category:Chess in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Chess in London]]