1996 in chess
Encyclopedia
Top players
FIDE top 10 by Elo rating - January 1996- Vladimir KramnikVladimir KramnikVladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007...
2775 - Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry 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....
2775 - Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly 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...
2770 - Vassily Ivanchuk 2735
- Gata KamskyGata KamskyGata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and the current World Rapid Chess Champion. He is also the current United States Chess Champion. As of September 2011, he is rated No. 1 in the United States and No...
2735 - Viswanathan AnandViswanathan AnandV. 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....
2725 - Veselin TopalovVeselin TopalovVeselin Aleksandrov Topalov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster. He currently has the sixth highest rating in the world, and was the challenger facing world champion Viswanathan Anand in the World Chess Championship 2010, losing the match 6½–5½....
2700 - Boris GelfandBoris GelfandBoris Abramovich Gelfand is a Belarus-born Israeli chess Grandmaster. He won the 2011 Candidates Tournament and will challenge Viswanathan Anand for the World Chess Championship 2012.-Biography:...
2700 - Alexei ShirovAlexei ShirovAlexei Dmitrievich Shirov is a Soviet-born Latvian chess grandmaster. He has consistently ranked among the world's top players since the early 1990s, and reached a ranking as high as number four in 1998...
2690 - Judit PolgárJudit PolgárJudit Polgár is a Hungarian chess grandmaster. She is by far the strongest female chess player in history. In 1991, Polgár achieved the title of Grandmaster at the age of 15 years and 4 months, the youngest person ever to do so at that time.Polgár was ranked No...
2675
Chess news in brief
- Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly 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...
defeats Gata KamskyGata KamskyGata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and the current World Rapid Chess Champion. He is also the current United States Chess Champion. As of September 2011, he is rated No. 1 in the United States and No...
10½-7½ in ElistaElista-Twin towns/sister cities:Elista is twinned with the following sister cities. Howell, New Jersey, United States Lhasa, Tibet, China. Ulan-Ude, Buryat Republic, Russia-See also:*Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery*Burkhan Bakshin Altan Sume-External links:...
, KalmykiaKalmykiaThe Republic of Kalmykia is a federal subject of Russia . Population: It is the only Buddhist region in Europe. It has also become well-known as an international chess mecca because its former President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, is the head of the International Chess Federation .-Geography:*Area:...
, to successfully defend his FIDE World Chess ChampionshipWorld Chess ChampionshipThe World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....
Title. FIDE's suggestion of playing the match in BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
is dropped after protests are lodged. - Zsuzsa Polgar defeats Xie JunXie JunXie Jun is a chess grandmaster from China. She had two reigns as Women's World Chess Champion, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2001. Xie is only the second woman to have two reigns, the other being Elisabeth Bykova....
8½-4½ in Spain, to win the Women's World Chess ChampionshipWomen's World Chess ChampionshipThe Women's World Chess Championship is played to determine the women's world champion in chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE....
. - Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry 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....
wins the double round, six-player tournament at Las Palmas. The tournament is one of the strongest of all time, with an average Elo rating of 2757. - Kasparov defeats Deep Blue 4-2, despite losing the first game. As the (Philadelphia) contest progresses, he appears to get the measure of the IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
computer. The world media covers the match with an intense level of scrutiny. - Veselin TopalovVeselin TopalovVeselin Aleksandrov Topalov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster. He currently has the sixth highest rating in the world, and was the challenger facing world champion Viswanathan Anand in the World Chess Championship 2010, losing the match 6½–5½....
has a very successful year, including an outright win at the 3rd Lord Novgorod tournament with 6/10. - Vladimir KramnikVladimir KramnikVladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007...
and Topalov tie for first at Dos HermanasDos HermanasDos Hermanas is a Spanish city south of Seville in Andalusia, with a population of 125,086 as of 2010.The city's name, which means "two sisters", dates from its founding in 1248 by King Ferdinand III of Castile and honours the sisters of Gonzalo Nazareno, one of the king's principal military...
with 6/9, ahead of Kasparov and Viswanathan AnandViswanathan AnandV. 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....
. - The annual Wijk aan ZeeWijk aan ZeeWijk aan Zee is a small town on the coast of the North Sea in the municipality of Beverwijk in the province of North Holland of the Netherlands. The prestigious Tata Steel chess tournament formerly Corus chess tournament and before that called Hoogovens tournament takes place there every year.Due...
CorusCorus chess tournamentThe Tata Steel Chess Tournament formerly called the Corus chess tournament takes place every year, usually in January, in a small town called Wijk aan Zee, part of the larger Beverwijk in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands...
Tournament is won by Vassily Ivanchuk with 9/13, ahead of Anand (8) and Topalov (7½). - Topalov and Kasparov win at AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
(both 6½/9). - Gelfand, Topalov and Karpov share success at ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(all 5½/9). - The Moscow Grand Prix event is won by Kramnik and the GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
Grand Prix event by Anand. - Alexander KhalifmanAlexander KhalifmanAlexander 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....
wins the Russian Chess ChampionshipRussian Chess Championship-Imperial Russia:In 1874, Emanuel Schiffers defeated Andrey Chardin in a match held in St. Petersburg with five wins and four losses. Schiffers was considered the first Russian champion until his student, Mikhail Chigorin, defeated him in a match held in St. Petersburg in 1879...
, held in ElistaElista-Twin towns/sister cities:Elista is twinned with the following sister cities. Howell, New Jersey, United States Lhasa, Tibet, China. Ulan-Ude, Buryat Republic, Russia-See also:*Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery*Burkhan Bakshin Altan Sume-External links:...
. - The Yerevan Olympiad32nd Chess OlympiadThe 32nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, took place between September 15 and October 2, 1996, in Yerevan, Armenia.- Chess competition :...
is won by Russia (38½/56), ahead of UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
on 35 and USA and England (both 34). Outstanding scorers include the gold medal winning Mohamad Al-ModiahkiMohamad Al-ModiahkiMohammed Ahmed Al-Modiahki is a chess Grandmaster. He was the first player in Qatar to earn the title of grandmaster, and is the country's best player...
of Qatar (8/10), Karen AsrianKaren AsrianKaren Asrian was an Armenian chess Grandmaster.As of the October 2006 FIDE rating list, his Elo rating was 2634, tied for the fourth highest rank in Armenia....
of Armenia (10/12) and Matthew SadlerMatthew Sadler (chess player)Matthew Sadler is an International Grandmaster of chess, and a chess writer.Sadler won the British Championship in 1995 at the age of 21 and again in 1997...
of England (10½/13). Kasparov (7/9), Ivanchuk (8½/11) and Peter SvidlerPeter SvidlerPeter Veniaminovich Svidler is a Russian chess grandmaster.He is six-time Russian champion ....
(8½/11) are among the top names that shine. The U.S. team is without Kamsky, but Alex YermolinskyAlex YermolinskyAlex Yermolinsky is an American chess Grandmaster. In 1993, Yermolinsky won the U.S. Chess Championship, tying for first place with Alexander Shabalov...
takes a silver medal for his board 2 (8/11) performance. There are 114 teams and some 665 players in attendance. - The U.S. Chess ChampionshipU.S. Chess ChampionshipThe U.S. Chess Championship is an invitational tournament held to determine the national chess champion of the United States. Since 1936, it has been held under the auspices of the U.S. Chess Federation. Until 1999, the event consisted of a round-robin tournament of varying size...
, held at Parsippany, New Jersey is won by Yermolinsky. Anjelina BelakovskaiaAnjelina BelakovskaiaAnjelina Belakovskaia is a United States chess player who has achieved the FIDE Woman Grandmaster and International Master titles.She is a three-time U.S...
wins the U.S. Women's Chess ChampionshipU.S. Women's Chess ChampionshipThe U.S. Women's Chess Championship tournament is to determine the woman chess champion of the United States.-List of U.S. Women's Chess Champions:*1937 Adele Rivero*1938 Mona May Karff*1940 Adele Rivero*1941 Mona May Karff*1942 Mona May Karff...
. - Yermolinsky and Alexander GoldinAlexander GoldinAlexander Goldin is a chess grandmaster from the USSR, who is now resident in the United States.He was a joint winner of the Soviet Championship semifinal at Sevastopol in 1986...
tie for first place at the Philadelphia World Open. - GM Chris WardChris Ward (chess player)Chris G Ward is a British chess Grandmaster , chess coach, and author. He won the British Championship in 1996, earning the GM title in the process. He is the author of two well-received books on a variation of the Sicilian Defence known as the Dragon Variation, in addition to a number of other...
wins the British Chess ChampionshipBritish Chess ChampionshipThe British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. There are separate championships for men and women. Since 1923 there have been sections for juniors, and since 1982 there has been an over-sixty championship. The championship venue usually changes every year and has been...
, held in NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. Harriet HuntHarriet HuntHarriet Vaughan Hunt is an English chess player and four times British Ladies' champion.-Biography:A high profile player from an early age, she won five British Junior Girls titles between 1989 and 1991...
takes a second successive British Ladies title. - Gabriel SchwartzmanGabriel SchwartzmanGabriel Schwartzman is a Romanian-born American chess Grandmaster.Schwartzman is originally from Bucharest, Romania and moved to Florida, USA. He played in his first chess tournament at the age of 4, obtained the FIDE Master title when he was 12 years old, and just 3 years later became an...
wins the U.S. Open Chess ChampionshipU.S. Open Chess ChampionshipThe U.S. Open Championship is an open national chess championship that has been held in the United States annually since 1900.-History:Through 1938, the tournaments were organized by the Western Chess Association and its successor, the American Chess Federation .The United States Chess Federation ...
, aged 19. - Young Frenchman Étienne BacrotÉtienne BacrotÉtienne Bacrot is a French chess grandmaster and currently ranked number one in France.He started playing at 4; by 10 young Bacrot was already winning junior competitions and in 1996, at 13 years of age, he won against Vasily Smyslov...
proves he is already a formidable opponent, when he defeats former World Champion Vasily SmyslovVasily SmyslovVasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
by a match score of 5-1. - Israeli Emil SutovskyEmil SutovskyEmil Sutovsky is an Israeli chess Grandmaster. He is one of the several top chess grandmasters who were born in Baku, Azerbaijan .-Successes:...
wins in MedellínMedellínMedellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
to become the new World Junior Chess ChampionWorld Junior Chess ChampionshipThe World Junior Chess Championship is an under-20 chess tournament organized by the World Chess Federation ....
. - Ukrainian prodigy Ruslan PonomariovRuslan PonomariovRuslan Olegovich Ponomariov is a Ukrainian chess player and former FIDE World Champion.-Early career:Ponomariov was born in Horlivka in Ukraine. In 1994 he placed third in the World Under-12 Championship at the age of ten. In 1996 he won the European Under-18 Championship at the age of just...
wins the European Youth Chess ChampionshipEuropean Youth Chess ChampionshipSince 1991, the European chess union organises the European Youth Chess Championship in the groups under 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 year. Until 2002, there was also a tournament for the under 20, see European Junior Chess Championship.-Boys winners:...
(Under 18 category), aged 12, held in Rimavská SobotaRimavská SobotaRimavská Sobota is a town in southern Slovakia, in the Banská Bystrica Region, on the Rimava river. It has 24,374 inhabitants . The town is a historical capital of the Gömör-Kishont county .-Geography:...
. - Swedish GM Ulf AnderssonUlf AnderssonUlf Andersson is a leading Swedish chess player. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1970 and the Grandmaster title in 1972 .-Career:...
gives a 310 board simultaneous display in AlvsjoÄlvsjöÄlvsjö is a district of the city of Stockholm Municipality in Sweden. Located in Söderort and a district in the borough Älvsjö. It has the biggest rentable facility in northern Europe called Stockholm International Fairs. In 2008, total population was 956 inhabitants....
, Sweden and wins 268, draws 40 and loses 2, in 15 hours and 23 minutes. - Ex-world snooker champion Steve DavisSteve DavisSteve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
is pronounced the new President of the British Chess Federation.
Births
- Illya NyzhnykIllya NyzhnykIllya Nyzhnyk is a Ukrainian chess player.He was born September 27, 1996 in Vinnytsia and gained worldwide attention when he won Group B of the 2007 Moscow Open at the age of 10. He attained a nearly flawless score of 8½/9 and his performance rating was 2633, that of a Grandmaster...
, Ukrainian player who won the 2007 European Youth Chess ChampionshipEuropean Youth Chess ChampionshipSince 1991, the European chess union organises the European Youth Chess Championship in the groups under 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 year. Until 2002, there was also a tournament for the under 20, see European Junior Chess Championship.-Boys winners:...
(Under 12 category) and narrowly missed out on the Under 12 World YouthWorld Youth Chess ChampionshipThe World Youth Chess Championship is a chess competition for girls and boys under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.The first predecessor of the youth championship was the Cadet Championship. It started off unofficially in 1974 in France for players under 18. The 1975 and 1976 editions were also...
title the same year, on tiebreak - ?
Deaths
- Vladimir LiberzonVladimir LiberzonVladimir Mikhailovich Liberzon was a Russian–born Israeli chess grandmaster.-Biography:Liberzon played in several Soviet championships, his best result being fourth at the 36th Championship, Alma-Ata 1968/69...
, Russian born Israeli Grandmaster – August 4 - Julio BolbochanJulio BolbochanJulio Bolbochán was the Argentine chess champion in 1946 and 1948.Born in Buenos Aires, he represented Argentina in seven Chess Olympiads from 1950 to 1970....
, Argentine Grandmaster and twice the national champion - June 28 - Yosef PorathYosef Porath-Biography:Yosef Porath was born Heinz Josef Foerder in Germany. He took the name Yosef Porath in Israel. In 1933, he lost his job after the Nazis assumed power in Germany, and moved to Riga. In 1934 he emigrated to Palestine...
, German born IM, many times the national champion of Israel and Palestine - ? - Predrag OstojicPredrag OstojicPredrag Ostojić was a Yugoslav chess Grandmaster. He won the Yugoslav Chess Championship in 1968 and 1971.Born in Kraljevo, he won the title of International Master in 1962 and of Grandmaster in 1975....
, Yugoslav (Serbian) Grandmaster, twice the national champion - July 5 - Victor BuergerVictor BuergerVictor Buerger was a Ukrainian–British chess player.Victor Berger was a member of London Chess Club....
, Latvian-British player, moderately successful in tournaments of the 1920s and 30s - ?