FIDE World Chess Championship 1999
Encyclopedia
The FIDE World Chess Championship 1999 was held in Las Vegas
, United States, between 31 July and 28 August 1999. The championship was won by Russian Alexander Khalifman
, making him the FIDE World Chess Champion.
, 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.
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. (This match never took place - see Classical World Chess Championship 2000
).
Kasparov was dismissive of the FIDE event, saying that most of the participants were "tourists".
Winner Khalifman was rated 44th in the world at the time, which some compared unfavourably to PCA champion Kasparov being rated #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." Perhaps in response, Khalifman was invited to the next Linares chess tournament
, and performed creditably (though placing below joint winner Kasparov).
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.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States, between 31 July and 28 August 1999. The championship was won by Russian Alexander Khalifman
Alexander Khalifman
Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman is a Soviet and Russian chess Grandmaster of Jewish descent; he is also a former FIDE champion.When Khalifman was 6 years old, he was taught chess by his father....
, making him the FIDE World Chess Champion.
Format
The format was a knockout tournament of short matches. This was similar in style to that used at the FIDE World Chess Championship 1998FIDE World Chess Championship 1998
The FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 was contested in a match between the FIDE World Champion Anatoly Karpov and the challenger Vishwanathan 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,...
, 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
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
) 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.
Controversy and non-participants
In addition to Karpov, neither Garry KasparovGarry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
nor Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan Anand
V. Anand or Anand Viswanathan, usually referred as Viswanathan Anand, is an Indian chess Grandmaster, the current World Chess Champion, and currently second highest rated player in the world....
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. (This match never took place - see Classical World Chess Championship 2000
Classical World Chess Championship 2000
The Classical World Chess Championship 2000, known at the time as the Braingames World Chess Championships, was held from October 8, 2000 – November 4, 2000 in London, United Kingdom. Garry Kasparov, the defending champion, played Vladimir Kramnik...
).
Kasparov was dismissive of the FIDE event, saying that most of the participants were "tourists".
Winner Khalifman was rated 44th in the world at the time, which some compared unfavourably to PCA champion Kasparov being rated #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." Perhaps in response, Khalifman was invited to the next Linares chess tournament
Linares chess tournament
The Linares International Chess Tournament , is an annual chess tournament, usually played around the end of February, takes its name from the city of Linares in the Jaén province of Andalusia, Spain, in which it is held...
, and performed creditably (though placing below joint winner Kasparov).
Participants
- , 2751
- , 2726
- , 2723
- , 2720
- , 2716
- , 2714
- , 2713
- , 2710
- , 2700
- , 2697
- , 2694
- , 2691
- , 2684
- , 2681
- , 2679
- , 2677
- , 2673
- , 2670
- , 2670
- , 2667
- , 2665
- , 2662
- , 2659
- , 2658
- , 2652
- , 2650
- , 2650
- , 2649
- , 2648
- , 2643
- , 2640
- , 2634
- , 2627
- , 2624
- , 2620
- , 2616
- , 2610
- , 2609
- , 2609
- , 2609
- , 2609
- , 2607
- , 2606
- , 2601
- , 2597
- , 2594
- , 2593
- , 2593
- , 2589
- , 2586
- , 2577
- , 2576
- , 2574
- , 2569
- , 2565
- , 2565
- , 2564
- , 2564
- , 2563
- , 2563
- , 2561
- , 2559
- , 2558
- , 2557
- , 2554
- , 2553
- , 2551
- , 2547
- , 2545
- , 2543
- , 2541
- , 2538
- , 2537
- , 2536
- , 2535
- , 2530
- , 2530
- , 2529
- , 2528
- , 2527
- , 2523
- , 2517
- , 2515
- , 2515
- , 2511
- , 2505
- , 2502
- , 2500
- , 2487
- , 2478
- , 2477
- , 2458
- , 2454
- , 2423
- , 2400
- , 2389
- , 2387
- , 2368
- , 2330
- , 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.