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Fischer made the distinction between the Chess Classic and other classical tournaments. Speed and entertainment, service and amenities for the spectators and participants were the ingredients of a unique merger that took place once a year between the 2000-year old royal game and the ancient city of Mainz. The main goal of the organizers back in 1994 was to connect the small world of chess with everyday society. Explaining the complex game of chess to a bigger audience, for chess amateurs and laymen with the use of modern technology was the next step, which was thoroughly and systematically implemented in the event.
The full 2010 Mainz Chess Classic team, with organisers, helpers and some
participants (click picture to enlarge)
This yearly meeting place for chess players was highly appreciated by professionals and amateurs and the Chess Classic became a nationally and internationally renowned event, without a doubt one of the highlights on the international chess calendar. The clarity and reliability of the annual world championships in rapid chess and Chess960 and the clear qualification rules in the open tournaments was appreciated by everyone – over the years the organizers had created their own brand. The Chess Classic atmosphere with the spacious Rheingoldhalle, Congress Centre and Hilton Mainz, on the banks of the river Rhine, but still in the centre of the city Mainz was perfect and unparalleled for a top-class and mass sports event.
Over 700 participants in the Grenke Rapid Chess Open
If all the conditions in Mainz are perfect: why on earth will there be no next tournament, numerous friends of the Chess Classic are bound to ask? And it is a justified question. Maybe the answer of Vladimir Kramnik back in 2001, who was chess world champion at that time after his heroic win over Gary Kasparov, comes closest to the truth. During the Champions Dinner, one of the main sponsors of the event asked him: “How important is this first and unique match with the FIDE World Champion Viswanathan Anand from India, here in Mainz?” The answer was: “Not so important, this is just a rapid chess match”.
The first Chess Classic in Mainz 2001: Lord Mayor of Mainz Jens Beutel,
Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand, organizer of the Chess Tigers e.V. Hans-Walter
Schmitt & Jürgen Wienecke
The city of Mainz, its Lord Mayor Jens Beutel and the Chess Tigers e.V. with its chairman Hans-Walter Schmitt would like to thank the long-time sponsors, players and spectators, the international journalists and many volunteers in this seventeen breathtakingly years that rushed past. We have shaped and organized the event seven years in Frankfurt, followed up by ten years in Mainz with inspiration and expertise. We have put our heart and passion into the Chess Classic. There is a quote by the Austrian dramatist and novelist Arthur Schnitzler, which says it all: “Am Ende gilt doch nur, was wir getan und gelebt – und nicht, was wir ersehnt haben.“ (“In the End, all that matters is what we have done and lived – not what we have longed for”).
We would like to apologize to our Chess960 world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, Chess960 world champion Hikaru Nakamura and his challenger Alexander Grishuk, the current GrenkeLeasing world champion Gata Kamsky, the eleven-time winner Viswanathan Anand and the numerous friends of the Chess Classic, because there will be no title matches in 2011. However, should a “white knight” show up, who wants to grant the Chess Classic a secure financial future, the Chess Tigers are ready to go!
Chess Tigers e.V
Chairman Hans-Walter Schmitt
Year |
Winner |
Players |
Mode |
Result |
Cat. |
EloØ |
1996 |
Alexei Shirov |
4 |
round robin/final |
6½/8 |
18 |
2681 |
1997 |
Viswanathan Anand |
4 |
round robin/final |
7½/10 |
19 |
2705 |
1998 |
Viswanathan Anand |
4 |
round robin/final |
5½/10 s |
22 |
2781 |
1999 |
Garry Kasparov |
4 |
round robin |
7½/12 |
21 |
2764 |
2000 |
Viswanathan Anand |
6 |
round robin |
7½/10 |
21 |
2767 |
2001 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
ten rounds/match |
5/10 |
22 |
2796 |
2002 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4½/8 |
20 |
2748 |
2003 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
20 |
2746 |
2004 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
21 |
2750 |
2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
21 |
2754 |
2006 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
21 |
2751 |
2007 |
Viswanathan Anand |
4 |
round robin/final |
6½/10 |
20 |
2730 |
2008 |
Viswanathan Anand |
4 |
round robin/final |
7/10 |
21 |
2768 |
2009 |
Levon Aronian |
4 |
round robin/final |
7½/10 |
19 |
2721 |
2010 |
Gata Kamsky |
701 |
11 rounds open |
10/11 |
19 |
2727 |
Year | Winner | Result |
Players |
Top 10 Ø |
1994 |
Alexander Chernin |
8½/11 |
183 |
2569 |
1995 |
Bogdan Lalic |
9½/11 |
158 |
2580 |
1996 |
Eric Lobron |
10/11 |
263 |
2618 |
1997 |
Waleri Beim |
9/11 |
277 |
2608 |
1998 |
Fritz on Primergy |
9½/11 |
319 |
2642 |
1999 |
Loek van Wely |
9½/11 |
432 |
2663 |
2000 |
Sergei Rublevski |
12½/15 |
292 |
2657 |
2001 |
Michael Adams |
9½/11 |
484 |
2667 |
2002 |
Viktor Bologan |
9/11 |
498 |
2654 |
2003 |
Alexander Grischuk |
9½/11 |
500 |
2675 |
2004 |
Alexander Grischuk |
9½/11 |
542 |
2686 |
2005 |
Teimour Radjabov |
9½/11 |
546 |
2705 |
2006 |
Rustam Kasimdzhanov |
9½/11 |
632 |
2699 |
2007 |
David Navara |
9½/11 |
762 |
2714 |
2008 |
Ian Nepomniachtchi |
9½/11 |
693 |
2686 |
2009 |
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov |
10/11 |
694 |
2717 |
2010 |
Gata Kamsky |
10/11 |
701 |
2727 |
Date | Player | Elo |
Color |
Result |
% |
Time |
08.07.94 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2725 |
W |
+34/=5/-1 |
91.25% |
(4:22h) |
09.07.94 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2725 |
W |
+36/=4/-0 |
95.00% |
(3:02h) |
30.06.95 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
2730 |
W |
+32/=8/-0 |
90.00% |
(4:58h) |
17.11.95 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2725 |
B |
+33/=7/-0 |
91.25% |
(3:19h) |
29.06.96 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
2775 |
B |
+24/=14/-2 |
77.50% |
(5:05h) |
28.06.97 |
Veselin Topalov |
2725 |
W |
+31/=7/-2 |
86.25% |
(4:27h) |
20.06.98 |
Peter Leko |
2670 |
W |
+33/=6/-1 |
90.00% |
(3:35h) |
04.07.99 |
Judit Polgar |
2677 |
W |
+32/=6/-2 |
87.50% |
(2:58h) |
19.06.00 |
Garry Kasparov |
2851 |
W |
+35/=5/-0 |
93.75% |
(4:20h) |
20.06.00 |
Vassily Iwanchuk |
2709 |
W/B |
+31/=5/-4 |
83.75% |
(4:46h) |
21.06.01 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2794 |
W |
+36/=2/-2 |
92.50% |
(3:19h) |
22.06.01 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
2797 |
W |
+33/=7/-0 |
91.25% |
(4:58h) |
14.08.02 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
2743 |
W |
+30/=8/-2 |
85.00% |
(4:09h) |
04.08.04 |
Alexei Shirov |
2725 |
W/B |
+25/=11/-4 |
76.25% |
(5:05h) |
10.08.05 |
Alexander Grischuk |
2720 |
W |
+29/=8/-3 |
82.50% |
(2:45h) |
15.08.06 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2779 |
W |
+31/=8/-1 |
87.50% |
(4:02h) |
13.08.07 |
Vassily Iwanchuk |
2762 |
W |
+35/=4/-1 |
92.50% |
(4:52h) |
28.07.08 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2798 |
W |
+38/=2/-0 |
97.50% |
(4:31h) |
27.07.09 |
Levon Aronian |
2768 |
W |
+34/=6/-0 |
92.50% |
(3:52h) |
06.08.10 |
Viswanathan Anand |
2800 |
W/B |
+34/=4/-2 |
90.00% |
(4:23h) |
14.08.02 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk (25 opp) |
2459 |
W |
+15 /=3/-6 |
70:00% |
(5:29h) |
Year | Player | Machine | Result |
1998 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Fritz on Primergy |
1½:½ |
1999 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Fritz on Primergy |
2½:1½ |
2000 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Fritz on Primergy |
1½:½ |
2000 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Fritz on Primergy |
½:1½ |
2000 |
Peter Leko |
Fritz on Primergy |
1½:½ |
2000 |
Alexander Morosevich |
Fritz on Primergy |
½:1½ |
2000 |
Alexei Shirov |
Fritz on Primergy |
1:1 |
Year | Winner | Players |
Mode | Result |
Cat |
IPSØ |
2001 |
Peter Leko |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4½/8 |
20 |
2741 |
2003 |
Peter Svidler |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4½/8 |
20 |
2745 |
2004 |
Peter Svidler |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4½/8 |
19 |
2723 |
2005 |
Peter Svidler |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
19 |
2716 |
2006 |
Levon Aronian |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5/8 |
21 |
2754 |
2007 |
Levon Aronian |
4 |
round robin/final |
6½/10 |
20 |
2747 |
2009 |
Hikaru Nakamura |
4 |
round robin/final |
7½/10 |
21 |
2763 |
Year | Winner | Plrs |
Mode | Result |
Cat |
IPSØ |
2006 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
5½/8 |
8 |
2453 |
2008 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
4 |
round robin/final |
8/10 |
10 |
2504 |
Year | Winner | Plrs |
Mode | Result |
Cat |
IPSØ |
2006 |
Vlastimil Hort (Sen) |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4/8s |
12 |
2539 |
2006 |
Pentala Harikrishna (Jun) |
2 |
eight rounds/match |
4½/8 |
15 |
2624 |
Year | Winner | Result |
Players |
Top 10 Ø |
2002 |
Peter Svidler |
9/11 |
131 |
2653 |
2003 |
Levon Aronian |
9½/11 |
179 |
2675 |
2004 |
Zoltan Almasi |
9½/11 |
207 |
2688 |
2005 |
Levon Aronian |
9½/11 |
207 |
2696 |
2006 |
Etienne Bacrot |
9½/11 |
248 |
2696 |
2007 |
Victor Bologan |
9½/11 |
280 |
2717 |
2008 |
Hikaru Nakamura |
9/11 |
236 |
2687 |
2009 |
Alexander Grischuk |
9½/11 |
263 |
2727 |
Date | Player | IPS | Clr | Result | % | Time |
13.08.03 |
Peter Leko |
2746 |
W |
+15 /=5/-0 |
87.50% |
(3:18h) |
13.08.03 |
Peter Svidler |
2744 |
W |
+15 /=5/-0 |
87.50% |
(2:46h) |
04.08.04 |
Peter Svidler |
2755 |
W |
+15 /=4/-1 |
85.00% |
(2:46h) |
16.08.06 |
Levon Aronian |
2752 |
W |
+16 /=3/-1 |
87.50% |
(2:29h) |
06.08.10 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
2504 |
W |
+16 /=4/-0 |
90.00% |
(3:13h) |
Year | Player | Computer | Result |
2000 |
Artur Jussupow |
Fritz on Primergy |
0:2 |
2004 |
Levon Aronian |
The Baron |
1:1 |
2005 |
Zoltan Almasi |
Shredder |
0:2 |
2005 |
Peter Svidler |
The Baron |
1½:½ |
2006 |
Peter Svidler |
Spike |
½:1½ |
2006 |
Teimour Radjabov |
Shredder |
0:2 |
Year | Player | Players |
Mode | Result |
2005 |
Spike / Böhm/Schäfer |
19 |
Swiss System |
5½/7 |
2006 |
Shredder / Mayer-Kahlen |
20 |
Swiss System |
7½/9 |
2007 |
Rybka / Rajlich |
4 |
round robin/final |
6½/9 |
2008 |
Rybka / Rajlich |
4 |
round robin/final |
11½/16 |
2009 |
Rybka / Rajlich |
4 |
round robin/final |
14½/16 |
Chess Classic Mainz 2010 – Back to the roots 30.03.2010 – The world economic crisis is being felt in chess. In Bulgaria the the annual MTel tournament has been cancelled this year, and the very popular Mainz Chess Classic has been reduced to a three-day simul and open. Still, two world champions are part of the former, and a very large elite field of GMs is expected to play in the latter, which carries a prize fund of €30,000. Press release. |
Chess Classic Mainz – counting the days 27.07.2010 – The tenth edition of the Chess Classic Mainz has become a three-day event – but one at which you can see and play against dozens of world-class stars and strong grandmasters. There is also a 40-board simul with World Champion Viswanathan Anand and a 20-board 960 simul with women's world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. It's just ten days away, but you can still join the fun. |
Chess Classic Mainz – twelve players with a perfect
score 08.08.2010 – 701 chess players are taking part in this rapid chess world championship – 165 have international titles, and the average rating of the top ten is 2727! After five rounds 12 players still have a perfect 5/5 score, amongst them Aronian, Gashimov, Karjakin, Grishuk, Bologan, Kamsky, Kasimdhzanov. There were simultaneous exhibitions with Anand, Aronian and Kosteniuk. Big illustrated report. |
Chess Classic Mainz – Kamsky wins with 10.0/11 points 10.08.2010 – The final result of this rapid chess world championship was decided in the final rounds, partially on the basis of nerves. The reigning US Champion Gata Kamsky stormed through the field of 700 players with 9.0 in the first nine games, to clinch it with two final draws. Kamsky's secret: a New York cap worn backwards. Big illustrated final report. |
ChessBase reports on previous Chess Classics