FIDE World Chess Championship 2002
The FIDE World Chess Championship 2002 was held in Moscow, Russia. The first six rounds were played between 27 November and 14 December 2001, and the final match started on 16 January and ended on 23 January 2002. The Ukrainian Grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov, aged 18, won the championship and became the youngest FIDE World Champion.
Background
At the time of this championship, the World title was split. The Classical World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, did not participate, as well as the previous Classical Champion and world's highest-rated player, Garry Kasparov. However, all other strongest players of the world took part, including the top seed and winner of the previous FIDE World Championship Viswanathan Anand.Playing conditions
The championship was a knockout tournament similar to other FIDE World Chess Championships between 1998 and 2004: the players were paired for short matches, with losers eliminated. The field of 128 participants was reduced to one winner over seven rounds.Rounds 1–5 consisted of a two-game match, followed by tie breaks at faster time controls if required. The time control for regular games was 75 minutes for the first 40 moves and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds added after each move. Tie breaks consisted of two rapid chess games ; followed by two blitz games if required ; followed by a single Armageddon chess game if required. The semifinals were best of four games, and the final was best of eight games, with the same conditions for the tie-breaks.
In addition to previous criticisms of the knockout format, this tournament was criticised by Garry Kasparov for using a faster time control, which Kasparov claimed was lowering the standard of the games.
Participants
All players are Grandmasters unless indicated otherwise.- , 2797
- , 2744
- , 2739
- , 2731
- , 2730
- , 2719
- , 2714
- , 2711
- , 2706
- , 2704
- , 2702
- , 2699
- , 2695
- , 2695
- , 2695
- , 2692
- , 2690
- , 2686
- , 2684
- , 2677
- , 2675
- , 2675
- , 2674
- , 2669
- , 2667
- , 2659
- , 2655
- , 2652
- , 2651
- , 2650
- , 2646
- , 2642
- , 2639
- , 2638
- , 2633
- , 2630
- , 2630
- , 2630
- , 2629
- , 2628
- , 2627
- , 2627
- , 2627
- , 2625
- , 2624
- , 2618
- , 2614
- , 2614
- , 2613
- , 2610
- , 2609
- , 2608
- , 2605
- , 2604
- , 2604
- , 2602
- , 2602
- , 2600
- , 2599
- , 2599
- , 2598
- , 2598
- , 2595
- , 2594
- , 2593
- , 2591
- , 2589
- , 2588
- , 2588
- , 2587
- , 2585
- , 2581
- , 2580
- , 2579
- , 2578
- , 2574
- , 2573
- , 2573
- , 2573
- , 2573
- , 2572
- , 2571
- , 2570
- , 2566
- , 2564
- , 2558
- , 2557
- , 2556, IM
- , 2555
- , 2554
- , 2551, IM
- , 2550
- , 2549
- , 2548
- , 2537
- , 2533
- , 2533
- , 2532
- , 2531, IM
- , 2530
- , 2529
- , 2527
- , 2522
- , 2517, IM
- , 2509
- , 2508
- , 2506
- , 2499
- , 2495
- , 2494, IM
- , 2492
- , 2487, IM
- , 2487
- , 2481
- , 2477, IM
- , 2471, IM
- , 2464, IM
- , 2462, IM
- , 2461, IM
- , 2442, IM
- , 2425, IM
- , 2415, IM
- , 2400, IM
- , 2373, IM
- , 2348, IM
- , unrated, no title
- , 2357, FM
- , 2382, IM
Qualification
- four semi-finalists of the previous championship ;
- the World Junior Champion 2000 ;
- 20 best rated players ;
- 90 qualifiers from the continental championships;
- eight qualifiers from the Internet championship;
- five nominees of the FIDE President.
Schedule
- Round 1: 27 November 2001, 28 November 2001
- Round 2: 29 November 2001, 30 November 2001
- Round 3: 1 December 2001, 2 December 2001
- Round 4: 3 December 2001, 5 December 2001
- Round 5: 6 December 2001, 7 December 2001
- Round 6: 8 December 2001, 10 December 2001, 11 December 2001, 13 December 2001
- Round 7: 16 January 2002 – 24 January 2002, with a rest day on 20 January 2002
Results, rounds 1-4