Historical Escort

GM Kamsky is the only American player ever to qualify to compete in the World Chess Championship since Bobby Fisher. For the past 17 years GM Kamsky is the highest rated American grandmaster and one of the strongest chess players in the world. As a result his popularity among the general chess playing public is unquestionable.

The 2008 World Chess Championship will be GM Kamsky’s third attempt to fight for the Championship. The first attempt to become world champion was in 1995 and if successful Gata Kamsky being 20 years old would be the youngest champion in history. However the World Chess Championship match Kamsky-Karpov was delayed by FIDE for one year and finally held in 1996 in Elista, Russia. The match was organized preposterously dishonest with violations of all sports and moral canons all of which left Gata Kamsky less than one in a million chance to win.

What actually occurred in Elista was more shocking than reports about “the Toilet War” flushed from the Kramnik-Topalov match. What people do not know is that the organizers of the 1996 World Championship Kamsky-Karpov match had arranged for a ‘hidden’ back stage computer room just before players’ resting rooms and bathrooms. That room was used by Karpov’s seconds, grandmaster Vasukov who accompanied Karpov in the match with Korchnoi and master Gagarin. Kamsky senior learned about this room after game 9 of the match.

Karpov’s assistants had four computers, chess board and radio station—for direct connection to Moscow, Karpov’s seconds and his resting room where there were monitors as well. It is clear that professional chess players, like Karpov that reached the level of the world championship do not require ongoing help, however an advice that is received during a critical moment of the game may become a turning point changing a draw to a victory or a loss to a draw. Accordingly, while the 9th game of the match was in progress and players made 8th move, the monitors in a “hidden room” showed moves 19, 20, and…23. The live analysis of all variations was made using the best world’s chess database while the matches were played on a stage.

The door to that room was always open to the hallway where A. Karpov was passing thru to get to his resting room. There were numerous cameras and TV monitors that depicted playing hall, hallway and players’ resting rooms. Heavy militia presence would not allow unauthorized people to get to the hallway and the playing hall, everything was calculated to the finest details.

Kamsky-senior protested and requested to stop an advance analysis of chess variations. He called the attention of Mr. Geurt Gijssen, the arbiter, to show what was going on; that Karpov’s people were analyzing positions from 10 to 15 moves in advance with turned on radio station and that any position could be transmitted to the monitors in Karpov’s resting area in a split second. Kamsky-senior demanded to stop an advance analysis and close the room. At that time Gata Kamsky was loosing to Karpov with the score of minus 3. Confronted in the act, Karpov’s people responded that they are planning to write a book and will continue with analysis.

This was a calculated plan: if Kamsky-senior stops the match because of such clear violation, then Karpov will get the total prize money and the title. Was the FIDE president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, aware of what was going on in Elista under his command, is unclear. However Kirsan Ilyumzhinov denied to see Kamsky-senior regarding his complains and further did not take any corrective measures.

Unable to fight against Russian political machine, computers, coaches and seconds working for Karpov, Gata Kamsky decided to stop playing chess as his protest against dirty chess methods and numerous violations of sport’s and ethical rules during the 1996 Kamsky-Karpov match. Devastated from this loss, Gata needed almost 8 years before he returned to the professional chess.

Gata was playing in a two-year 1993-1995 World Chess Championship cycle where the final match should be held in March 1995.

Note that in 1993 Gary Kasparov left FIDE. He created his own Professional Chess Association (PCA) and held the final championship Kasparov-Short match under the umbrella of the PCA so that he did not have to pay FIDE 20% from the prize fund. In 1992 Karpov lost to Short in the championship match, nevertheless he took advantage of the moment and announced himself a world champion without any qualification. He delays the final Kamsky-Karpov match from 1995 to 1996, out of fear of losing to Kamsky in a fair chess game. At the same time, in 1995, Karpov was instrumental in electing a new FIDE president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who replaced Compamanes. From 1992 till 1998 Karpov was practically running FIDE. It was not till 1999 that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is able to expel an impostor champion Karpov who was responsible for destroying many prominent chess players including Fisher, Korchnoi, Sokolov and Kamsky, who most vividly experienced Karpov’s dishonest fighting methods.

Gata Kamsky’s first attempt to become world champion was in 1995 and if successful Gata being only 20 years old would be the youngest champion in history. However the World Chess Championship match Kamsky-Karpov was intentionally delayed by FIDE and Karpov for one year and finally held in 1996 in Elista, Russia. The match was organized preposterously dishonest with violations of all sports and moral canons all of which left Gata Kamsky less than one in a million chance to win.

What actually occurred in Elista was more shocking than reports about “the Toilet War” flushed from the Kramnik-Topalov match. What people do not know is that the organizers of the 1996 World Championship Kamsky-Karpov match had arranged for a ‘hidden’ back stage computer room just before players’ resting rooms and bathrooms. That room was used by Karpov’s seconds, grandmaster Vasukov who accompanied Karpov in the match with Korchnoi and master Gagarin. Kamsky-senior learned about this room after game 9 of the match.

Karpov’s assistants had four computers, chess board and radio station—for direct connection to Moscow, Karpov’s seconds and his resting room where there were monitors as well. It is clear that professional chess players, like Karpov that reached the level of the world championship do not require ongoing help, however an advice that is received during a critical moment of the game may become a turning point changing a draw to a victory or a loss to a draw. Accordingly, while the 9th game of the match was in progress and players made 8th move, the monitors in a “hidden room” showed moves 19, 20, and…23. The live analysis of all variations was made using the best world’s chess database while the matches were played on a stage. The door to that room was always open to the hallway where A. Karpov was passing thru to get to his resting room. There were numerous cameras and TV monitors that depicted playing hall, hallway and players’ resting rooms. Heavy militia presence would not allow unauthorized people to get to the hallway and the playing hall, everything was calculated to the finest details.

Kamsky-senior protested and requested to stop an advance analysis of chess variations. He called the attention of Mr. Geurt Gijssen, the arbiter, to show what was going on; that Karpov’s people were analyzing positions from 10 to 15 moves in advance with turned on radio station and that any position could be transmitted to the monitors in Karpov’s resting area in a split second. Kamsky-senior demanded to stop an advance analysis and close the room. At that time Gata Kamsky was loosing to Karpov with the score of minus 3. Confronted in the act, Karpov’s people responded that they are planning to write a book and will continue with analysis.

This was a calculated plan: if Kamsky-senior stops the match because of such clear violation, then Karpov will get the total prize money and the title. Was the FIDE president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, aware of what was going on in Elista under his command, is unclear. However Kirsan Ilyumzhinov denied to see Kamsky-senior regarding his complains and further did not take any corrective measures.

Unable to fight against Russian political machine, computers, coaches and seconds working for Karpov, Gata Kamsky decided to stop playing chess as his protest against dirty chess methods and numerous violations of sport’s and ethical rules during the 1996 Kamsky-Karpov match. Gata was morally and psychiatrically devastated and needed almost 10 years before he was able to psychologically rejuvenate. In a mean time he finished his degree in jurisprudence and in 2004 he returned to the professional chess.

2004 was the year of Gata Kamsky’s return to the professional chess. Gata started as an average player and by 2005 he already earned his second opportunity to advance in the World Chess Championship as the only American qualifier. However, Gata was fighting alone, absent any financial assistance and seconds, and was eliminated from the championship that cycle.

Back in his Super-GM routine, Gata Kamsky qualified to compete in the 2008 Championship with an incredible victory at the 2007 World Chess Cup. Over one hundred thousand professional chess players worldwide were competing for 128 spots in the 2007 World Chess Cup, organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The competition was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, under the Olympic Knock-Out system, from November 22 to December 18, 2007, and is considered the toughest and most grueling competition among chess grandmasters. Gata fought thru to the top of this pyramid winning all matches in the World Cup and now he has another chance at the World Championship Title.

Now Kamsky is ready and able to compete for the World Championship once again and this time he is insisting on equal treatment and a neutral venue for the world championship semi-final Topalov-Kamsky match. It is clear that both Topalov and Kramnik were given an exceptional favors by FIDE to compete in the semi-final and the final matches without qualification. But for the FIDE’s change of its rules, Gata Kamsky would be playing for the championship against Anand in 2008!

Compare the current Championship to only a few years ago when winners of the World Cup were crowned as World Champions. To the contrary, Gata Kamsky has to play first against GM Topalov at the 2008 World Chess Championship semi-final match to earn the right to play with the winner of the Kramnik- Anand match for the title of World Champion. The terms and the place of the Topalov-Kamsky match are unclear till April 11, 2008, however FIDE is siding and favoring the Bulgaria and Topalov by forcing Kamsky to play the match in Bulgaria with a nominal prize fund, once again violating all ethical and sports norms.

On behalf of Gata Kamsky we are trying to reach out to his supporters. Please contact the Foundation and join Gata Kamsky in his fight for the World Championship to continue the legacy of Bobby Fisher.