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Vladimir Kramnik
Kramnik 
Photograph copyright © 2007 Milan Kovacs (www.milankovacs.com)  

Number of games in database: 3,246
Years covered: 1984 to 2023
Last FIDE rating: 2753 (2756 rapid, 2797 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2817
Overall record: +552 -172 =966 (61.2%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 1556 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 English (155) 
    A15 A14 A17 A13 A16
 Sicilian (147) 
    B90 B30 B33 B92 B52
 Queen's Pawn Game (110) 
    D02 A46 E10 D05 E00
 King's Indian (106) 
    E97 E92 E94 E91 E86
 Reti System (101) 
    A04 A06 A05
 Slav (99) 
    D17 D15 D11 D12 D18
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (269) 
    B33 B30 B31 B62 B57
 Ruy Lopez (182) 
    C67 C65 C84 C78 C95
 Queen's Gambit Declined (123) 
    D37 D35 D38 D39 D31
 Semi-Slav (110) 
    D45 D43 D47 D44 D48
 Petrov (102) 
    C42 C43
 Nimzo Indian (81) 
    E32 E21 E46 E54 E34
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Kramnik vs Leko, 2004 1-0
   Kasparov vs Kramnik, 1996 0-1
   Gelfand vs Kramnik, 1996 0-1
   Kramnik vs Kasparov, 1994 1-0
   Ivanchuk vs Kramnik, 1996 0-1
   Kramnik vs Kasparov, 2000 1-0
   Leko vs Kramnik, 2004 0-1
   Kramnik vs Anand, 2001 1-0
   Kramnik vs Morozevich, 2007 1-0
   Topalov vs Kramnik, 1995 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (1999)
   Kasparov - Kramnik Classical World Championship Match (2000)
   Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match (2004)
   Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match (2006)
   World Championship Tournament (2007)
   Anand - Kramnik World Championship Match (2008)

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Wch U18 (1991)
   New York PCA/Intel-GP (1994)
   Amber Blindfold (2003)
   Hoogovens Group A (1998)
   Dortmund Sparkassen (2004)
   16th Amber Tournament (Blindfold) (2007)
   Dortmund Open-A (1992)
   Belgrade Investbank (1995)
   World Cup (2013)
   Qatar Masters (2014)
   Sao Paulo Latin American Cup Open (1991)
   Isle of Man Masters (2017)
   Legends of Chess (2020)
   Biel Interzonal (1993)
   Manila Olympiad (1992)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Kramnik - My Life and Games by JoseTigranTalFischer
   Kramnik - My Life and Games by peckinpah
   Kramnik - My Life and Games by jakaiden
   Kramnik - My Life and Games by Okavango
   Vladi Kramn'd Fredthebear Full of White Russian by fredthebear
   Match Kramnik! by amadeus
   Vladi Others by fredthebear
   My Life and Games (Kramnik/Damsky) by Qindarka
   Kramnik on a King Hunt & vs the World Champions by visayanbraindoctor
   0ZeR0's Favorite Games Volume 75 by 0ZeR0
   Vladimir, the Conqueror by Gottschalk
   Vladimir Kramnik's Best Games by KingG
   Vladimir Kramnik's Best Games by alip
   Power Chess - Kramnik by Anatoly21

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 Levitov Chess Week Rapid
   Kramnik vs Nepomniachtchi (Sep-26-23) 0-1, rapid
   Svidler vs Kramnik (Sep-26-23) 1-0, rapid
   So vs Kramnik (Sep-26-23) 1-0, rapid
   Kramnik vs Anand (Sep-26-23) 1/2-1/2, rapid
   Kramnik vs Aronian (Sep-25-23) 1/2-1/2, rapid

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Vladimir Kramnik
Search Google for Vladimir Kramnik
FIDE player card for Vladimir Kramnik


VLADIMIR KRAMNIK
(born Jun-25-1975, 48 years old) Russia
PRONUNCIATION:
[what is this?]

Former World Champion - and former top ranked player in the world - Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik was born in Tuapse, on the shores of the Black Sea, on June 25, 1975. As a child, Vladimir Kramnik studied in the chess school established by Mikhail Botvinnik. In 2000 he won the Classical World Championship from Garry Kasparov and then won the unified title when he defeated Veselin Topalov in 2006 to become the 14th undisputed World Champion. He relinquished the title in 2007 to his successor, the 15th undisputed (and now former) World Champion, Viswanathan Anand.

Championships

<Age> In 1991 he won the World Under 18 Championship in Guarapuava, Brazil.

<National> He was =1st in the 1990 RSFSR (Russian) Championship in Kuibyshev, Russia, but placed 2nd on tiebreak behind Andrei Vasilyevich Kharlov. He was =3rd in the Russian Superfinals (2013) after a last round battle with Ian Nepomniachtchi for =1st and the possibility of the title for the first time. However, he lost the game and scored 5.5/9, placing =3rd.

<World> Kramnik’s early attempts at storming the citadel of the World Championship met with mixed results. In 1994, he lost a Candidates quarter finals match for the PCA championship to Gata Kamsky by 1½-4½, and a few months later he lost a Candidates semi-finals match for the FIDE championship to Boris Gelfand by 3½-4½. In 1998, Kramnik was defeated by Alexey Shirov by 3½-5½ in the Candidates match held in Cazorla to determine the right to play Garry Kasparov for the Classical World Chess Championship. In 1999, Kramnik lost in the quarterfinals of the FIDE knockout championship in Las Vegas to Michael Adams by 2-4, including the 4 game rapid play-off.

Although Shirov had defeated Kramnik for the right to challenge Kasparov, suitable sponsorship was not found for a Kasparov-Shirov match, and it never took place. In 2000, however, sponsorship became available for a Kasparov-Kramnik match instead. This meant that Kramnik was the first player since 1935 - when Alexander Alekhine selected Max Euwe as his challenger - to play a world championship match without qualifying. Kramnik reached the pinnacle by defeating long-time champion Kasparov in the Kasparov - Kramnik Classical World Championship Match (2000) in London by the score of 8½ to 6½ (+2 =13 -0) without losing a game, becoming the next Classical World Champion in the line that started from Wilhelm Steinitz. It was the first time since the Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match (1921) that the defending champion had lost a match without winning a game and it was also the first time Kasparov had lost a World Championship match. Kasparov said of Kramnik that: <”He is the hardest player to beat in the world.”>

In 2004, Kramnik successfully defended his title as Classical World Chess Champion against challenger Peter Leko at Brissago, Switzerland, by drawing the Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match (2004) in the last game. Lékó was leading the 14-game match until the final game, which Kramnik won, thus forcing a 7 - 7 draw and ensuring that Kramnik remained world champion. Because of the drawn result, the prize fund of 1 million Swiss francs was split between the two players.

Kramnik refused to participate at the FIDE World Championship Tournament (2005), but indicated his willingness to play a match against the winner to unify the world championship. His next title defence in 2006, therefore, was a reunification match with the new FIDE world title holder from the 2005 tournament, Veselin Topalov. The $1 million Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match (2006) was played in Elista, Kalmykia from September 21 to October 13 and after controversially forfeiting the fifth game, Kramnik won the rapid game playoff by 2½ -1½ after the classical games were tied 6-6, thereby becoming the first undisputed unified World Chess Champion since the 1993 split. In the following year, Kramnik lost the unified world title when he finished second to Viswanathan Anand at the Mexico City World Championship Tournament (2007). In October 2008, Kramnik exercised his entitlement to a rematch as a challenger to World Champion Anand in Bonn, Germany, but lost the Anand - Kramnik World Championship Match (2008) match by 4½ to 6½ (+1 =7 -3).

Kramnik's tournament performances in 2009 (see below) raised his rating (average of July 2009 and January 2010 ratings) sufficiently to qualify him for the World Championship Candidates (2011). In the first round he beat Teimour Radjabov by the narrowest of margins*: after tieing the classical games 2-2 (+0 =4 -0), and the rapid games 2-2 (+0 =4 -0), he won the blitz playoff by 2.5-1.5 (+2 =1 -1) to move to the semi final match against Alexander Grischuk, which he lost 1.5-0.5 (=1 -1) in the blitz tiebreaker after he drew the classical games 2-2 (+0 -0 =4) and the rapid games 2-2 (+0 -0 =4), thereby eliminating him from the contest. Participating in the World Championship Candidates (2013) on the basis of his rating, Kramnik came =1st with Magnus Carlsen on 8.5/13 after both lost their last round games. As the first tiebreaker (individual score against the other player in the tournament) left them level, the second tiebreaker (greater number of wins in the tournament) relegated Kramnik to second place due to scoring four wins to Carlsen's five.

Kramnik was seeded directly into the World Chess Championship Candidates (2014), as he met the pre-condition that he participate in the World Cup (2013). During the Cup, he defeated Zambian IM Gillan Bwalya in the first round, compatriot GM Mikhail Kobalia in the second round, Ukrainian GM Alexander Areshchenko in the third round, veteran Ukrainian GM and twice former Candidate Vassily Ivanchuk in the Round of 16 (round four), his third Ukrainian opponent in the shape of GM Anton Korobov in the quarter final (round five), one of the wildcards of the event, French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave match in the semi final (round 6) before defeating compatriot GM Dmitry Andreikin in the final by 2.5-1.5 (+1 =3). His win also guaranteed qualification in the World Cup 2015, although he would qualify by rating alone. At the Candidates in March 2014, he placed 3rd with 7/14 behind Anand and Karjakin.

He qualified by rating to play in the World Cup (2015) where he met and defeated Peruvian Deysi Estela Cori Tello and Cuban GM Lazaro Bruzon Batista in the first two rounds to advance to the third round where he lost to Dmitry Andreikin in the first set of rapid game tiebreakers, thereby bowing out of the event.

Tournaments

Kramnik won Chalkidiki 1992 with 7.5/11, and in 1993, he played in Linares, finishing fifth and defeating the then world number three, Vassily Ivanchuk. Following some solid results in the interim which resulted in him winning the 1994 PCA Intel Grand Prix, major tournament triumphs were soon to follow, such as Dortmund 1995, Horgen 1995, Belgrade 1995, =1st in Dos Hermanas in 1996 and 1997, =1st in Tilburg 1997 (8/11). Dortmund became a favourite stop, as Kramnik has gone on to win nine more times in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, Dortmund Sparkassen (2006), Dortmund Sparkassen (2007), Dortmund Sparkassen (2009) and Dortmund Sparkassen (2011), as either equal or clear first; in the 2011 edition of the event he won by 1.5 points despite losing in the last round. In 2000, Kramnik won his first Linares tournament, completing his set of victories in all three of chess' "triple crown" events: Corus, Linares, and Dortmund. Kramnik later captured additional Linares victories in Linares (2003) (shared) and Linares (2004) (outright). He won the Tal Memorial (2007) with 6.5/9, 1.5 ahead of Shirov. Kramnik had exceptionally good results in 2009, winning once again in Dortmund and then winning the Category 21 (average ELO = 2763) Tal Memorial (2009) in Moscow with 6/9 and a TPR of 2883. At the time, the average ELO rating of the field made it the strongest tournament in history. He also participated in the London Chess Classic (2009) in December, finishing second to Magnus Carlsen. These magnificent results qualified him for the 2011 Candidates on the basis of his boosted ratings. Kramnik began 2010 at Corus Group A (2010) in the Netherlands, during which he defeated new world number-one Carlsen with the Black pieces in their head-to-head encounter, ending Carlsen's 36-match unbeaten streak. A late loss to Anand knocked him out of first place, and Kramnik finished with 8/13, tying for second place with Shirov behind Carlsen's 8½ points. He came 2nd in the preliminary Shanghai Masters (2010) to qualify for the Grand Slam Chess Final (2010) against Carlsen and Anand, who had pre-qualified. He then won at Bilbao with +2 -0 =4 over world champion Anand, then-world number one Magnus Carlsen, and Shirov. The 2009 Tal Memorial and the Grand Slam Final at Bilbao were the most powerful tournaments (in ratings terms) ever staged. In late 2011, he easily won the 15th Unive (Crown Group) (2011) with 4.5/6 and a TPR of 2903 and finished the year with outright first at the London Chess Classic (2011) with +4 -0 =4 and a TPR of 2934, recovering ground lost following a mediocre performance in the Tal Memorial (2011) where he failed to win a game. In June 2012, he placed =4th at the category 22 Tal Memorial (2012), with 4.5/9 and in July 2012, =3rd (4th on tiebreak) at the category 19 Dortmund Sparkassen (2012) tournament. Kramnik finished 2012 with a surge, placing 2nd at the London Chess Classic (2012) behind Magnus Carlsen, scoring 6/8 (16 points in the 3-1-0 scoring system used in the event) and a TPR of 2937 to Carlsen's 2994.

His final training preparation for the Candidates tournament in March at the category 21 Zurich Chess Challenge (2013), was less than completely successful in terms of results (2.5/6), drawing five and losing one to Anand, although it seemed to contribute to his game fitness at the Candidates as he placed second by the narrowest of margins, scoring equal to Carlsen who won the event and the right to challenge Anand for the World Championship. He placed =4th with 4.5/9, a point behind the winner, in a low scoring Alekhine Memorial (2013) and then had one of his worse ever results at the Tal Memorial (2013), coming last with 3/9 (+0 -3 =6). However, he returned to form in the Dortmund Sparkassen (2013), placing outright second behind Adams, scoring 6.5/9, jointly dominating the category 19 field to the extent that no other player scored better than 50%. In November 2014, Kramnik competed at the category 20 Petrosian Memorial (2014), and was outright second behind Alexander Grischuk with 4.5/7, signalling a mild return to form after a slump that saw him exit the world's top 10 for the first time since he entered the top 10 in January 1993. There followed 2nd at the powerful Qatar Masters (2014), with 7/9, and =1st at the London Chess Classic (2014).

2015 saw Kramnik starting his competitive year by placing outright 3rd behind the winner Anand and runner-up Hikaru Nakamura, ahead of Sergey Karjakin, Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana respectively, in the standard section of the RR category 22 Zurich Chess Challenge (2015). He won the final section of the Zurich event, namely the Zurich Chess Challenge (Rapid) (2015), but the added points were insufficient to give him the overall lead and he finished with 3rd prize behind Nakamura and Anand respectively. A relatively poor performance at the Gashimov Memorial (2015) where he scored only 4/9 was followed by a solid performance at the Russian Premier League 2015 (see below) and a below average 3.5/7 for fourth place at the annual Dortmund Sparkassen (2015). He saw out the year with equal third, scoring 6.5/9 at the powerful Qatar Masters (2015), half a point behind the joint leaders Magnus Carlsen and the rising Chinese star Yu Yangyi. Kramnik started 2016 with equal third on 5/9 at the Norway Chess (2016) behind Carlsen and Aronian respectively after also coming third in the preliminary Norway Chess (Blitz) (2016) used to determine the draw. Several months later in July he placed =2nd (with 4/7) behind Vachier-Lagrave at Dortmund Sparkassen (2016). Kramnik's year in standard time chess finished with a reasonably efficacious equal third at the London Chess Classic (2016), a point behind the winner Wesley So.

In April 2017, Kramnik was second on tiebreak ahead of co-runners up Wesley So and Veselin Topalov at the category 21 Gashimov Memorial (2017), scoring 5/9, half a point behind the winner Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Two months later he again placed equal second, this time at the category 22 Altibox Norway (2017), scoring 5/9 alongside Hikaru Nakamura, a point behind the winner Levon Aronian.

Team Events

<Olympiads> Kramnik has won three team and and individual gold medals at the Olympiads as well as two team silvers. He played in the gold medal winning Russian teams in the Manila 1992, Moscow 1994 and Yerevan 1996 Olympiads, his first gold medal being awarded to him as an untitled 16 year old in 1992 when he scored eight wins, one draw, and no losses to record a remarkable TPR of 2958. In 1994, he came fifth on the second board with 8/11 and a 2727 TPR. In 1996, he scored a relatively meagre 4.5/9 on the second board. He did not participate in any more Olympiads until 37th Chess Olympiad (2006) in Turin, when he again won a gold medal with overall best performance on the top board with 6.5/9 (2847 TPR). In the Olympiad (2008) in Dresden, he scored 5/9 on top board and a 2735 TPR. Kramnik played board one for the silver medal winning Russian team in the Chess Olympiad (2010) in Khanty-Mansiysk, coming fifth with a scored of 5.5/9, winning 2 and drawing 7 with a TPR of 2794. At the Chess Olympiad (2012) held in Istanbul, he again played top board scoring 5/9 and coming 7th on that board, leading his team to another silver medal. At the Chess Olympiad (2014), he again played board 1 for Russia. He played board two for Russia in the Chess Olympiad (2016), scoring individual gold for his board, and team bronze with his countrymen.

<National Team Events> In 1991, 2490-rated FM Kramnik represented Russia on board 2 at the World U26 Championship played at Maringá; with a perfect score of 6/6 he helped Russia to win gold, and won individual gold for his performance. He played in the European Team Championships on one occasion, in 1992, when the then FM was rated 2590. Again representing Russia, this time on board 3, he helped his team to win gold with a 6/7 effort, and won individual gold for board 3 as well as a gold medal for the best rating performance at the event, that being a 2863 performance, ahead of Kasparov's 2809 performance that won rating silver. That same year (1992), he also played on the USSR team against the Rest of the World. He played for Russia twice in the World Team Championship, in 1993 and 2013. On the first occasion, he lead his country to a bronze medal, and on the second occasion - at the FIDE World Team Championship (2013) - to a gold medal.

<European Club Cup> Kramnik participated in the European Club Cup between 1995 and 1999 inclusive, in 2005 and again in 2015 and 2016. He started off playing board one with SV Empor Berlin in 1992 and 1993, moved on to Sberbank-Tatarstan Kazan in 1994 where he helped the club to bronze, then played board one with the powerful Agrouniverzal Zemun team in 1998 and 1999, winning team silver in 1999. Since then, he played for NAO Paris in 2005, winning team bronze and for the Siberia Novosibirsk team in the European Club Cup (2015) and European Club Cup (2016) winning team gold in 2015 as well as an individual gold for board 1.

At the Russian Team Championship (2015), Kramnik played board 1 for Siberia Novosibirsk, winning gold for that board; his effort also helped his team to win gold. He repeated his individual effort in the Russian Team Championship (2016), this time helping his team to a bronze medal in the double round robin 5-team contest.

Matches

In 2004, he won a simul against the German National Team 2½:1½.

In October 2002, Kramnik played an eight game match against Deep Fritz (Computer) in the Brains in Bahrain (2002) match, drawing 4-4 after leading 3-1. In 2006 the German organization Universal Event Promotion (UEP) staged a return match of six games between Kramnik and Deep Fritz in Bonn, which Kramnik lost, +0 -2 =4.

In April 2012, Kramnik and Levon Aronian played, as part of their preparation for the 2012 Candidates Tournament, a six-game training match in Zurich. The Kramnik - Aronian (2012) match was drawn 3-3 (+1 -1 =4). From late November to early December 2016, he played a rapid and blitz match against Yifan Hou at the Kings Tournament in Romania, winning both by significant margins, the rapid by 4.5-0.5 and the latter by 6/9 (+5 -3 =2).

Rapids

Kramnik has been an excellent and consistent performer at rapid and blindfold play. He won or shared the overall lead at Amber in 1996 (outright overall 1st), 1998 (=1st with Shirov with 15/22), 1999 Monaco (14½/22), 2001 (=1st with Topalov with 15/22), 2004 (=1st with Morozevich with 14.5/22), and 2007 (outright overall first with 15½/22). He also won the 2001 rapid play match against Lékó by 7-5, drew the 2001 rapid play Botvinnik Memorial match with Kasparov 3:3 and the 2001 rapid play match against Anand 5:5, lost the 2002 Match Advanced Chess Kramnik vs. Anand (Leon) 3½:2½, was runner up to Anand in the Cap D'Agde FRA (2003), won the 2009 Zurich Champions Rapid (2009) with 5/7 and shared 1st in the 2010 President's Cup in Baku with 5/7. In tandem with the London Classic 2014, Kramnik came =1st in the blitz event and =3rd in the rapid play open.

Kramnik came in equal 5th with 10/15 in the World Rapid Championship (2015), 1.5 points behind the winner Carlsen, and half a point behind the joint runners up Nepomniachtchi, Radjabov and Leinier Dominguez Perez. He followed up the next day with equal second alongside Vachier-Lagrave scoring 15/21, half a point behind the outright winner Alexander Grischuk at the World Blitz Championship (2015).

Ratings

Kramnik entered the top 100 in January 1992 and has remained there since that time. He rose rapidly in the rankings such that a year later in January 1993, he entered the top 10 where he has been ensconced since, apart from a few months in 2014. Yet during that time he made it to world #1 in only two rating periods.

In January 1996, Kramnik became the world top rated player. Although he had the same FIDE rating as Kasparov (2775), He became number one by having played more games during the rating period in question. He became the youngest ever to reach world number-one, breaking Kasparov's record; this record would stand for 14 years until being broken by Magnus Carlsen in January 2010.

Ironically, during his reign as world champion, Kramnik never regained the world number-one ranking, doing so only in January 2008 after he had lost the title to Viswanathan Anand. As in 1996, Kramnik had the same FIDE rating as Anand (2799) but became number-one due to more games played within the rating period. Kramnik's 12 years between world-number one rankings is the longest since the inception of the FIDE ranking system in 1971.

In July 1993 soon after his 18th birthday, he crossed 2700 for the first time and has remained in the 2700+ rating ever since. In April 2001, he became the second of only eight chess players to have reached a rating of 2800 (the first being Kasparov, followed by Anand, Topalov, Carlsen, Aronian, Caruana and Grischuk). Kramnik's highest standard rating to date is 2811 achieved in May 2013 when he was ranked #3 in the world.

Other

In 1995, Kramnik served as a second for Kasparov during the latter’s successful defence of his Classical World Chess Championship against Anand, and in an ironic counter point in 2010 he served as a second for Anand during the World Champion’s successful defence against Topalov.

Kramnik has a form of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis. In January 2006, Kramnik announced that he would miss the Corus Group A (2006) to seek treatment for this condition. He returned from treatment in June 2006, playing in the 37th Chess Olympiad, winning gold by top scoring on the top board. Kramnik's performance in winning the Classical World Championship in 2000 won him the Chess Oscar for 2000, while his 2006 victory in the reunification match earned him the Chess Oscar for 2006.

On 30 December 2006 he married French journalist Marie-Laure Germon and they have a daughter, Daria, who was born 28 December 2008, and a son, Vadim, born 28 January 2013.

Sources and references Website: http://www.kramnik.com/; Biography: http://www.kramnik.com/eng/biograph...; Extended and candid interview with Kramnik by Vladislav Ivanovich Tkachiev in August 2011: http://whychess.org/node/1605; Live rating: http://www.2700chess.com/; * http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp...; Wikipedia article: Kramnik

Last updated: 2019-04-15 02:16:11

 page 1 of 130; games 1-25 of 3,246  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Kramnik vs Serdyukov 1-0311984BelorechenskB78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long
2. A Oganyan vs Kramnik 0-1311984BelorechenskB89 Sicilian
3. Remezov vs Kramnik  0-1521985KrasnodarB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
4. Kramnik vs Zhukov 1-0381986BelorechenskB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
5. Zaitsev vs Kramnik 0-1491986Team TournamentB83 Sicilian
6. Kramnik vs Otsarev 1-0181987Baku TrainingB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
7. I Odesskij vs Kramnik 0-1251987URS-chT U16A52 Budapest Gambit
8. Shilov vs Kramnik 0-1371987USSR Boys' ChampionshipB33 Sicilian
9. Kramnik vs A Chjumachenko 1-0321987GelendzhikB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
10. Kramnik vs Mayorov 1-0341987GelendzhikC12 French, McCutcheon
11. Yakovich vs Kramnik 1-0421988URSB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
12. Kramnik vs Danislian ½-½601988URS-chT U18B15 Caro-Kann
13. Golubev vs Kramnik 0-1381988URS-chT U18B33 Sicilian
14. Kramnik vs G Tunik 0-1381989Chigorin Memorial-BB46 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
15. M Sorokin vs Kramnik ½-½521989Chigorin Memorial-BA81 Dutch
16. G Kallai vs Kramnik ½-½221989Chigorin Memorial-BA81 Dutch
17. J Ivanov vs Kramnik ½-½121989Chigorin Memorial-BA85 Dutch, with c4 & Nc3
18. Kramnik vs B Podlesnik 1-0371989Chigorin Memorial-BB33 Sicilian
19. Khenkin vs Kramnik ½-½171989Chigorin Memorial-BD39 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin, Vienna Variation
20. Kramnik vs A Panchenko ½-½601989Chigorin Memorial-BB58 Sicilian
21. A V Filipenko vs Kramnik 0-1401989Chigorin Memorial-BB00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
22. Kramnik vs Yakovich ½-½141989Chigorin Memorial-BB33 Sicilian
23. Kramnik vs R Shcherbakov ½-½351989Chigorin Memorial-BB58 Sicilian
24. Kramnik vs A Grosar ½-½471989Chigorin Memorial-BB58 Sicilian
25. Sakaev vs Kramnik 1-0211989URS-ch U18A85 Dutch, with c4 & Nc3
 page 1 of 130; games 1-25 of 3,246  PGN Download
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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 25 OF 25 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Sep-15-23  fabelhaft: Nakamura weighs in:

<I've heard that Kramnik thinks that Naroditsky and I are actually cheating, that's how insane Kramnik is>

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comm...

Sep-15-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: added to my profile
Sep-15-23  dehanne: <While we are at it, can we ask for a video from Kramnik about what he thinks of the genocide in Ukraine? Conducted by the people who gave him millions. Cheered on by Karjakin, whom he traveled to Moscow to play with in the autumn of 2022. Insinuations can be damaging and as Kramnik says, we should make our own mind up (about something unspoken).> Ouch.
Sep-15-23  EvanTheTerrible: Niemann said that in response to his proposal for Kramnik, he was invited to Levitov Chess Week (not clear if as a participant or just to attend) so that he might play some games and help resolve this spat. He said that he would not be attending due to a conflict with the World Junior Championship, but that he is in contact with Kramnik about a potential training camp with him. I am not sure how open Kramnik is to having his mind changed, as his Chess.com bio still accuses Niemann.
Sep-16-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <Now would like to update on the Hans Niemann story. I received few days ago a polite and respectful letter by email from the representative of Hans expressing his wish to have a training session together.

I wrote an answer the next day and sent it. Here are some quotes

"Dear Mr ... Thank you for your kind words and the invitation from Hans. At first, I did not consider that there was a problem between us, nor I accuse Hans in any wrongdoings. I have explained honestly in the Levitov YouTube video the reasons for my confusion that day but it doesn't mean there was necessarily something "fishy". From September 21 till 27 I will participate in Levitov Chess Week in Amsterdam. I talked to Mr. Levitov and he expressed a desire to invite Hans to play a few games with some of the players. There we will have an opportunity to meet and discuss everything. I wish you and Hans all the best and let me know if Hans is willing to come to Amsterdam. All the best, Vladimir Kramnik

I believe it would be great for everyone and mainly Hans Niemann to come and play OTB friendly blitz games with various top GMs, talk with them in a relaxed atmosphere, and have nice pleasant time in the great city. I would also definitely take part if he agrees. Mr. Levitov is ready to compensate all Hans expenses connected with this project

That would dismiss all confusion people might have, close the unpleasant chapter of Niemann's past, and we might have a session with Hans in the future. But of course, it is his choice.

So far I haven't received any answer but the invitation is still in force and I personally hope he will make it to Levitov chess tournament.

Vladimir Kramnik>

https://www.chess.com/member/vladim...

Sep-16-23  fabelhaft: <From September 21 till 27 I will participate in Levitov Chess Week in Amsterdam. I talked to Mr. Levitov and he expressed a desire to invite Hans to play a few games with some of the players>

Niemann plays the World Junior Championships then though.

Sep-16-23  EvanTheTerrible: Hans already said on his stream that he still planned to play the World Junior Championship and hoped there would be a training camp at some later date. I sincerely hope he reconsiders and accepts this offer from Kramnik. Not only is it a very generous offer, but it could seriously turn the trajectory of his career and opportunities around. He should first of all apologize directly to the other players and then prove that he truly is a strong player. I am worried for him that rebuffing such an offer would stymie his career in a way he is not anticipating.
Sep-16-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Disagree. Pulling out of the World U-20 championship, which as the top rated player he has a good chance of winning, at the last minute, would be unprofessional. And I don't think trying to win this title shows a lack of ambition. A <nice pleasant time> in Amsterdam is not an invitation by Kramnik to become his coach.
Sep-16-23  EvanTheTerrible: <A <nice pleasant time> in Amsterdam is not an invitation by Kramnik to become his coach.>

No, but it's more than just an opportunity to talk with Kramnik. It's an opportunity to interact with many top players, some of them his accusers, and try to put this sad chapter to bed.

The players attending (not necessarily willing to play with Hans) are: Anand, Aronian, Dubov, Gelfand, Grischuk, Kramnik, Mamedyarov, Nepomniachtchi, So, and Svidler.

Being able to mend his relationships with these players would probably remove some of the doubts about inviting him to events in the future.

Additionally, Hans planned to play the World Juniors simultaneously with a Champions Chess Tour event. If Hans forgoes the World Juniors, he can focus on the CCT while at the same time mending things with the top guys.

Sep-18-23  iges04: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zQfabZI...
Sep-18-23  fabelhaft: Two game blitz match against Niemann in the Champions Chess Tour AI Cup today, both games were losses for Kramnik, who earlier in the event also lost to an FM.
Sep-18-23  fabelhaft: [Event "Champions Chess Tour AI Cup 2023"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.09.18"]
[Round "01-01"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Niemann, Hans Moke"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2707"]
[BlackElo "2712"]
[TimeControl "600+2"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nc6 3. d4 Bf5 4. Bg2 e6 5. O-O Nb4 6. Ne1 Nf6 7. c3 Nc6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Nd2 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. f3 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 O-O-O 13. e4 Bg6 14. Nd3 h5 15. h4 e5 16. exd5 Rxd5 17. f4 e4 18. f5 Bxf5 19. Rae1 Bh7 20. Nf4 Rdd8 21. Nxh5 f5 22. Qg5 g6 23. Nf6 Rdf8 24. Nxh7 Qxh7 25. d5 Nd8 26. Qe3 Kb8 27. c4 Nf7 28. Qf4 Qg7 29. c5 Qd4+ 30. Qe3 Qxd5 31. Rd1 Qe6 32. b4 Ne5 33. b5 Ng4 34. Qd4 g5 35. hxg5 Qg6 36. b6 Qh5 37. bxc7+ Kxc7 38. Qd6+ Kc8 39. Rfe1 Qh2+ 40. Kf1 f4 41. Qe6+ Kb8 42. Rd8+ Rxd8 43. Qxe4 f3 0-1

Sep-18-23  fabelhaft: In the second game against Niemann today Kramnik here played h4 with five seconds on the clock and lost after Rxb3


click for larger view

Sep-18-23  EvanTheTerrible: After an equal position the entire game, Kramnik missed a fairly simple tactic to gain a winning advantage in the endgame. Niemann to Division 2, Kramnik to Division 3.
Sep-18-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Was Niemann - or anyone else - wearing headphones?
Sep-18-23  EvanTheTerrible: There were no video feeds shown, but I believe for these more serious online events they are not allowed to wear headphones and they have multiple cameras trained on them at all times.
Sep-18-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: I can't sit through an hour of Kramnik droning on.
Sep-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  saffuna: <cio> OK, I'll transcribe what Kramnik said and you can read it.
Sep-19-23  EvanTheTerrible: It seems Kramnik cannot make up his mind.

<I have decided to stop playing on chesscom from tomorrow on. Just too many obvious cheaters here and nothing is done to clean the platform from those small crooks. Harsh words but true.

Would continue informing those who care publishing interesting statistics though.

Hope would come back one day if it will be cleaned from at least obvious cheaters. I promise will confinue trying my best to save chess from this disease. As much as I can, fighting with natural squeamishness, which is the main reason of my chesscom departure happy.png

The strenth is in truth ✌️>

Sep-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Check It Out: Cheating is an issue, but this sounds more like Kramnik's ego can't take losing chess games to players he considers inferior.
Sep-19-23  fabelhaft: <this sounds more like Kramnik's ego can't take losing chess games to players he considers inferior>

As for the <obvious cheaters> that he supposedly lost to, two of his losses were to Niemann and one to a young Indian player, Garg. While Kramnik was lower rated than Niemann, he was 132 higher than the Indian when they faced each other.

But that doesn’t mean that Kramnik should win by default, especially not when playing badly. Garg won also against for example Oparin. Kramnik’s ”mathematical” argument for players cheating more against him than against Nakamura and Carlsen has been that their accuracy is higher against Kramnik. But Nakamura and Carlsen are better than him and place their opponents under more pressure.

Looking at the games Garg played in the first rounds of the event, he played clearly worst against Kramnik, it was just that Kramnik made more mistakes than his other opponents. After the event was finished but before retiring (again) from chess.com, Kramnik played some casual blitz games and ended with three losses in a row to Tabatabaei.

Sep-19-23  EvanTheTerrible: Kramnik is doing a disservice to his own cause with these complaints. Online cheating is a problem, but it's hard to take seriously with accusations being leveled every time he loses and his poor grasp of statistics.
Sep-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Kramnik - Niemann, chapter 3:

Kramnik vs Niemann, 2023

Niemann vs Kramnik, 2023

https://twitter.com/ChessProblem/st...

Sep-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: On <agadmator>'s latest video, <Kramnik is Done With Cheaters!>, a commenter claims:

<1) I looked at Kramnik's profile earlier today and I think that Kramnik did not post his latest statement after the Hans match but after he played blitz with Amin Tabatabaei.> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ys...

Remains to be seen whether Kramnik will compete in the third division of the AI Cup next week.

Sep-20-23  metatron2: <MissScarlett: <The Kramnik Files : Unveiling the Dark Side of Online Chess> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng3...>

Thanks for this link, I saw until the middle of it and it was interesting.

Kramnik continued with his only-accuracy-score-anti-cheating-system that (as I mentioned) is doubtful (to say least), and Fabi also doubted it there.

At least Kramnik understands that high score means nothing when meansured only on few games, but his claim that in the big numbers his opponents should not get much higher scores against him, then they get against Carlsen and Naka, is also not accurate IMO.

As said <fabelhaft: But Nakamura and Carlsen are better than him and place their opponents under more pressure>, that will be true on the big numbers as well:

They play faster then him, much more versatile and obscure openings that their opponents are not familiar with, create much more tricks and problems along the way, defend more tenaciously, etc. things that normally are not reflected in simple accuracy measurement (as I also wrote in my previous post).

At least here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYg... Kramnik tries to evaluate whether Hans was cheating by using more usful arguments than accuracy-score.. I only saw part of it, and wasn't really convinced, but OK.

===

However, they all agree that cheating is a big problem, especially online, and Kramnik asked the critical question there (that I was asking here as well many times..) :

<What is considered evidence?>

They all agree that strong physical evidence is almost impossible to get, and so those speculative analysis must be used for anti-cheating, <even if it means> that low percentage of players will be <wrongly accused> of cheating..

The price the chess world will pay if it will allow cheating to grow, is much much worse than that option.

That's basically what I said when I speculated about cheating on cg, and got shouted with: "But there is no evidence!!", by a group of posters here, who don't understand what is evidence today, and the damage cheating can do to chess if it grows..

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