FIDE World Chess Championship 2004

• The tournament was held according to the Olympic system , in the first 5 rounds two parties were held, in the semi-finals - 4 games each, in the final - 6 games.
• Time control in regular games: 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 15 minutes until the end of the game with 30 seconds added after each move, starting from the first.
• In case of equal results, the game was played in quick chess with a time control of 25 minutes + 10 seconds after each move.
• If quick chess did not reveal a winner, the players played two blitz games with a time control of 5 minutes + 10 seconds after each move.
• Finally, in case of equality after blitz, armageddon was appointed (6 minutes white, 5 minutes black).

The conditions of the tournament, in particular the venue, unnecessarily short time control and the use of the Olympic system, were criticized by the chess community, as a result of which a number of the strongest chess players, in particular Anand and Svidler , refused to participate in the tournament. Also, Kasparov , Kramnik and Leko did not take part in the championship. As a result, only two of the 10 strongest chess players in the world participated in the tournament.

List of participants (rating indicated on April 2004):

In the final, in accordance with the regulations, 6 games were played, ending with a score of 3: 3. In the next game of quick chess, Kasymjanov won with black, playing the Sicilian defense , after which he reduced the second game to quick chess to a draw, thus becoming the winner of the tournament.

• World Chess Championship on the FIDE Page
• Tournament games at chessgames.com