The Chess Mind

And now it's official: Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria is the new FIDE World Chess Champion, and deservedly so! After many years as a top player but not one of the absolute best, he has completely broken through. His 2004 was a real success, and he has been by far the dominant figure in chess in 2005. Let's hope he continues to play this same, aggressive brand of chess now that he's champion.

That said, there was nothing aggressive about his last-round game, with Judit Polgar, but under the circumstances there was no reason to fish: a quick draw suited both players, and that's just what happened.

A little more surprising, but only a little more, was the last round draw between good friends Peter Svidler and Viswanathan Anand. Something more was at stake here: the second-place finisher is automatically seeded into the quarter-finals of the next cycle's elimination matches. Svidler, as far as I've been able to tell, trailed Anand on tiebreaks, so he had some motivation to make something happen with the White pieces. Whatever his pre-game ambitions, Anand's Petroff was a complete success, Svidler got nothing, and the game wound up a quick draw. Anand and Svidler split 2nd-3rd place money, and as Svidler qualifies into the eighth-finals of the aforementioned event anyway, third place is no failure.

I expected tame draws from the other players as well, given the minimal remaining competitive and financial incentives, but I was wrong! Leko gradually outplayed outgoing FIDE champion Kasimjanov, while Adams' last chance to win a game fell through, as Morozevich's dogged defense saved a draw.

Final Standings:

Topalov 10
Anand, Svidler 8.5
Morozevich 7
Leko 6.5
Adams, Kasimjanov 5.5
Polgar 4.5

UPDATE: THE ANALYSIS IS UP! Click here.