The original story with the cheating allegations appeared on Saturday January
27,2007, in the printed edition of one of Germany's largest newspapers, the
Süddeutsche Zeitung.The author is Martin Breutigam, an International Chess Master
and longtime contributor to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin,
and other major newspapers. ChessBase published
a translation of the article with permission of the author. The
condition for linking to the article was that the full text had to be given
and translation as close to the original as possible. The original German article
is here.
Daily News & Analysis, India (28.01.2007)
Arbiter opens Topalov file: Veselin Topalov and his manager Silvio Danailov
are being closely watched by the chief arbiter at the Corus Chess Championship
after an International Master accused the duo of using ‘illegal’
resources to win. [Full
article]
Novinite – Sofia News Agency (27.01.07)
Bulgaria's top chess player Vesselin Topalov was involved in another scandal
after Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper accused him of using
help during games from his manager. The newspaper claimed Topalov used his manager
Silvio Danailov to get hints for his moves on the chessboard and that could
be clearly seen on the Wijk aan Zee tournament. Suddetusche also claims
there are rumours Topalov won the San Luis 2005 world tournament using illegal
means, because his manager showed him which were the best moves according to
a computer program. According to the author Danailov and Topalov communicated
in a secret, non-verbal manner. [Full
article]
International News, Bulgaria (29.01.07)
A new cheating allegation against Veselin Topalov was made at the weekend, just
as the world No 1 ranked grandmaster started his grudge game against the world
champion, Vladimir Kramnik, in the elite Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
An article in a German newspaper claimed that the Bulgarian's manager, Silvio
Danailov, made suspicious hand and facial movements while in eye contact with
his player during Topalov's second-round game a week earlier against the Dutch
champion, Loek van Wely. Each time Van Wely moved, Danailov would leave the
hall, make a mobile phone call and then return. While Topalov considered his
next move his manager would scratch himself several times behind his ear or
tap his glasses with his finger. [Full
article]
India Times (30.01.07)
This year's Corus chess tournament would sadly not be remembered for the right
reasons in the wake of accusations of cheating by world's top rated Bulgarian
and eventual joint winner Veselin Topalov. The heroics of Armenian Levon Aronian,
who emerged as the joint winner along with Topalov and Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan,
or for that matter, the mediocre show by five-time winner Viswanathan Anand
– were all overshadowed by the scandal. One of his supporters backed Topalov
amid the accusations. "Veselin Topalov is a man that works for chess, its
development, and promotion. If you people, that write articles with no facts
or credible arguments, do not care about the future development of chess and
the ones that work for its promotion, you should at least not hinder that process,"
he wrote in his website. [Full
story]
Short
take: Veselin Topalov could have been cheating
Vijay Tagore, Tuesday, January 30, 2007 22:59 IST
Did Veselin Topalov cheat in Corus, in San Luis and elsewhere? Yes, if one
goes by circumstantial evidence. One is tempted to infer that the Bulgarian
Grandmaster could be the recipient of external help while wrestling with the
top brains of the world.
In the Corus championship, which concluded in Wijk aan Zee, Topalov’s
behaviour was reportedly suspect. It was not the first time though that Topalov
has faced such allegations. Immediately after the San Luis championship, a Bulgarian
website reported that the former world champion had received outside help. Most
GMs believe that Topalov occasionally, if not constantly, was in non-verbal
communications with his manager Silvio Danailov but no one voiced his opinion.
But for the first time, someone has.
Nigel Short, a former world championship finalist, tells DNA that Topalov could
have received external help. “It is my understanding that the majority
of players in San Luis privately believe that Topalov received signalling from
Danailov during play. The essence of these allegations, which I heard personally
from disgruntled players in Argentina at the time, was not that Topalov constantly
received computer advice but only at critical junctures. Indeed, if one were
to cheat, a player of Topalov’s strength would only need two or three
computer moves per game to put him at an overwhelming advantage vis-a-vis his
opponents.”
The British GM says he observed something sinister in San Luis, where Topalov
bulldozed his rivals to emerge a run-away winner. In fact, Topalov had 6.5 from
seven games which could be equivalent to running 100 metres in about 9 seconds
at that level of competition. “In San Luis I did observe, indeed I was
quite struck by the fact, that Danailov sat in close physical proximity to Topalov
during play. Furthermore, his not infrequent entering and exiting the hall would
have provided facile opportunities for receiving communication from a third
party. In fact any half-decent player with a laptop and an analysis engine is
likely to be better appraised of the position, upon entering the room, than
the GMs seated at the board themselves.”
Short believed the World Chess (Fide) should order an inquiry. “I believe
there is a clear case for setting up an independent committee of decent honorable
people to examine the dozens of hours of TV footage from San Luis (the whole
event was recorded). Furthermore any evidence available from Mexico and Linares,
Wijk aan Zee, etc. should also be examined.”
Short, who won the Commonwealth chess championship in November in Mumbai, terms
the toiletgate charges against Vladimir Kramnik as a diversionary tactic. “Those
of a cynical mind might view the Danailov/Topalov allegations of Kramnik’s
cheating in Elista to be a smokescreen to deflect scrutiny from their own activities.”
[Full
article]
Guardian
Unlimited (01.02.07)
Experts divided over cheating allegation against Topalov
Leonard Barden, Monday January 29, 2007
A new cheating allegation against Veselin Topalov was made at the weekend just
as the world No 1 ranked grandmaster started his grudge game against the world
champion, Vladimir Kramnik, in the elite Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
An article in a German newspaper claimed that the Bulgarian's manager, Silvio
Danailov, made suspicious hand and facial movements while in eye contact with
his player during Topalov's second-round game a week earlier against the Dutch
champion, Loek van Wely. Each time Van Wely moved, Danailov would leave the
hall, make a mobile phone call and then return. While Topalov considered his
next move his manager would scratch himself several times behind his ear or
tap his glasses with his finger.
It later emerged that the writer of the article, the international master
Martin Breutigam, is an associate of Kramnik's manager, Carsten Hensel (1).
Last week a Topalov aide published a book titled Toilet War, repeating and extending
the allegations that Kramnik had himself used a computer aid during their 2006
world title series in Elista in Russia, which the Muscovite won by a narrow
margin.
Both Van Wely, who attributed his 35-move defeat to being outplayed, and the
chief arbiter voiced no suspicions. However, in the next day's third round when
Topalov had a dubious position against the Ukrainian prodigy Sergey Karjakin
and Danailov again tried to establish eye contact, the referee blocked his view.
It also emerged yesterday that the former Fide champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov
and Russia's world No 8 Alexander Morozevich believed there had been irregularities
when Topalov won the world title in San Luis, Argentina, in 2005.
The latest allegations have left experts deeply divided. Many deride Breutigam's
claims. Topalov himself, quizzed yesterday, laughed off the idea that hand signals
could help his play. An expert who examined the crucial moves in the disputed
games concluded that Van Wely had lost to a normal attack. However, there is
believed to be as yet unpublished video footage of Danailov which has been shown
to the all-time No 1 Garry Kasparov, who thought that there were questions to
answer. At the heart of the argument is Topalov's sudden improvement when he
was 30. The Bulgarians attribute this to hard work. The jury is still out. [Full
article]
(1) Addendum: Martin Breutigam has replied
to this article with the following statement: "I am definitely not an
associate of Kramnik's Manager, Carsten Hensel! I am an independent journalist,
I have an open mind and I’m interested in nothing but the truth. Please
correct this mistake immediately. Thank you very much!"
Short pushes for cheating inqiry
Leonard Barden, Thursday February 1, 2007
Nigel Short, the former world title challenger, has called for an International
Chess Federation inquiry into cheating allegations against the world No1-ranked
grandmaster, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.
Last week a German newspaper published detailed claims by the German international
master Martin Breutigam that Topalov's manager, Silvio Danailov, had often left
the spectator area to make mobile phone calls in the second and third rounds
of the recent Corus Wijk aan Zee elite tournament. On his return he made eye
contact with his player and then hand signals.
Similar claims were made after the Fide world championship at San Luis, Argentina,
in 2005, when Topalov won the title after scoring 6.5/7 points in the first
half. Short, who was the official commentator in San Luis, told the DNAIndia
news group: "I personally heard allegations from disgruntled players in
Argentina at the time that Topalov received computer advice, though only at
critical junctures."
Short, president of the Commonwealth Chess Association, added: "In San
Luis I observed that Danailov sat close to Topalov during play. His not infrequent
entering and exiting the hall would have provided opportunities for receiving
communication from a third party." [Full
article]
Meanwhile Veselin Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov has reacted to the FIDE
announcement rejecting the two million dollar challenge made by the Bulgarians
for a match against Kramnik in the coming weeks.
International News, Belgrade (29.01.07)
Silvio Danailov, Topalov's manager, announced that they are going to file a
claim against FIDE for refusing to organise a rematch between Topalov and Kramnik.
A rematch between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik will not take place according
to FIDE's President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
"We will take this to the Lausanne Court of Arbitration for Sport,"
Silvio Danailov announced for the BTA news agency. "We will file a complaint
as soon as we go through the decision of FIDE Presidential Board and see what
their motives are," he explained. Topalov's manager said that according
to unconfirmed information FIDE have already organized a rematch between Topalov
and Kramnik in secret whatever the outcome of the World Championship in Mexico.
"This is outrageous. FIDE takes us back to the years of Satanism,"
Silvio Danailov commented. "They won't give us a rematch but we are allowed
to take part in the World Championship in Mexico while Kramnik is guaranteed
a rematch whatever the outcome," Danailov said.
"We are not afraid because everything was done according to the law,"
FIDE's President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov replied. [Full
article]