......Topalev ------ vs. -------Kramnik......
Posted on 09/29/2006 3:32:57 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
The future of the world chess championship was in question Friday when a player did not show up for the fifth game and threatened to withdraw from the match after he was accused of cheating and locked out of his private bathroom.
Vladimir Kramnik, a Russian, was accused by the manager for his opponent, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, of taking too many bathroom breaks _ an apparent suggestion that he was secretly using a technical device or a computer program to help him with his moves.
Kramnik, the Classical World Champion, had been leading Topalov, the World Chess Champion, 3-1 after four games in the 12-game match _ the sixth attempt to reunify the chess world since then-world champion Garry Kasparov broke away from FIDE in 1993.
But Kramnik boycotted game five, angered by an Appeals Committee decision to lock the private bathrooms for both players and insist that each use a common bathroom for the rest of the match. Topalov was also unhappy with the decision; his manager said it would not prevent Kramnik from cheating since he would still be alone in the lavatory.
The committee decision followed a protest by Topalov's manager, Silvio Danailov, who viewed videotapes of the players' relaxation rooms behind the stage. There is no video camera in the bathrooms themselves.
"The World Champion Veselin Topalov is outraged by the suspicious behavior of his opponent Vladimir Kramnik, who actually makes his most significant decisions in a toilet," Danailov said. "During every game, he visited the relaxation room 25 times on average and the bathroom more than 50 times."
The Topalov team demanded that the committee stop the use of the relaxation rooms and adjacent private bathrooms, have an arbiter accompany the players to the bathrooms, and present the videotapes from the relaxation rooms to journalists.
Kramnik later protested the committee's ruling in an open letter to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of the FIDE chess governing body, saying the decision to lock the private bathrooms "violated both the rules and regulations." He threatened to withdraw from the match.
"The decision to grant Mr. Danailov full access to videotapes is incorrect and outrageous," Kramnik added. "I did not sign the contract for acting in a reality show. This goes against all ethical norms and violates my privacy."
Topalov's team, however, was also not satisfied with the Appeals Committee's decision _ and submitted another protest.
"The ruling in its present form is not satisfactory to us since it practically does not result in any change. Mr. Kramnik will be able to visit the new bathroom an unlimited number of times without being subject to further control."
"If the match were to continue, the World Champion would refrain from shaking hands with Mr. Kramnik before the games and would not take part in joint press conferences with him. Veselin Topalov will make statements for the media separately."
Kramnik accused the members of the Appeals Committee of supporting Topalov. He also said now that the match has begun, the conditions should not be changed.
"I am ready to continue the match and play the fifth game tomorrow on the conditions that were accepted prior to the start of the match. My dignity does not allow me to stand this situation," Kramnik said.
The match was scheduled to conclude Oct. 13. The two 31-year-old players were to share the tax-free $1 million prize no matter who wins the title.
Huh???
"...actually makes his most important decisions in the toilet..."
Chess is the greatest board game of the past, presnet and future.
It does,however, have a long history of peculiar champions.
"My dignity does not allow me to stand this situation,"
Throwing a hissy fit over a bathroom is his idea of "dignity".
Maybe he needs the quiet in order to channel with the spirits of Botvinnik, Keres, Petrosian, Tal, Alekhine, Capablanca and Lasker.
Maybe the resort cooking does not agree with him.
......Topalev ------ vs. -------Kramnik......
If I thought a guy spent that much time in the head, I also would refuse to shake his hand! :)
Well, have both players sitting on the porcelain thrones while playing. This would neatly solve the problem. An especially important or good move could even be accompanied by the sound of an extra flush.
Drinking Al Gore's recipe of iced tea?
I think to play good chess, ya gotta be a little twisted.
Having scruples hurts - not helps - a chess player.
I've actually been able to beat my Fritz twice out of about a hundred games.
Apparently you haven't seen the board game on the Millenium Falcon in Star Wars. 3CP0 must have taken to many bathroom breaks for Chubacca.
Full contact chess is clearly the answer here. More fun to watch, takes less time, and the only breaks would be compound fractures!
Politics has Watergate, CBS has Rathergate and the chess world has Toiletgate.
It is interesting to see that the loser who used to be in the chess club in high school... just grow up to be bigger losers.... Thing either one of these guys will ever see a woman naked without having to first provide a credit card number?
Bring Deep Blue out of retirement. Computers don't take potty breaks - just the occassional core dump.
I thought that using a flush to win was for card games.
Hey! I resemble that comment (somewhat above average chess player).
;-)
I used to be a master class chessplayer.
In the days before computers, I once had an opponent cheat by going up to his room in the hotel where the tournament was being held at the critical moment of the game in order to consult books. That kind of stuff happens.
It sure sounds to me like Kramnik is cheating.
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