Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnikis 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. He has won three team gold medals and three individual medals at Chess Olympiads...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionChess Player
Date of Birth25 June 1975
CountryRussian Federation
fall black trying
The Berlin Defence suited my strategy for the match. I had a defensive strategy - Actually, I had in my pocket some other sharper stuff to fall back on - but first I wanted to try the defensive strategy with Black and it worked so well.
games one-direction trying
Once he had selected the path he was going down he really had to stick with it in a 16 game match. He had to try and hit in the one direction but unfortunately for him - though fortunately for me! - he hit in the wrong direction.
afraid fantastic great players tend wrong
Don't get me wrong here - Kasparov is a great player, fantastic player. But most of the players tend to be afraid of him when they shouldn't.
berlin defence defensive pocket sharper stuff suited worked
The Berlin Defence suited my strategy for the match. I had a defensive strategy - Actually, I had in my pocket some other sharper stuff to fall back on - but first I wanted to try the defensive strategy with Black and it worked so well.
lose match relationship title
I feel that my relationship with Kasparov now is much the same as it had been before the match - good. As for his reaction, well it can't be nice to lose your title after so long, but he was very generous.
close distant garry ratings sure
You know, our ratings after this match will be very close - I think I can also become the world number one in the not too distant future. However, I'm sure that Garry will also have something to say about this!
My way of playing is very different and Karpov plays very differently as well.
board body emotive opposite respect shows suppose total
In this respect I suppose I'm the total opposite of Garry. With his very emotive body language at the board he shows and displays all his emotions. I don't.
ability game playing strength
The strength of the playing ability is much more important. Only if the strength of the opponent's playing ability is comparable, does the game develop.
accepted endgame home legendary win
I accepted that the endgame was better for White, but he has to win over the board, not with his legendary home preparation - that's crucial!
thinking games champion
Part of my preparation for the World Champion match against Kasparov was to be ready for his off-board tactics. I did not to react to them at all. Once you start thinking about these things during the game, even analysing them, you're caught.
giving style opponents
I don't like to show my emotions at the board, not because they might give something away to an opponent, but because that's my style: I like to keep it to myself.
player style signatures
Every top player has his own style, just as every painter has his own personal signature.
play games faults
Even if you play perfectly, a fault of your opponent's can destroy the entire beauty of the game.