FIDE World Chess Championship 1998
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The FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 was a remarkable event that brought together two of the greatest chess players of their time: reigning champion Anatoly Karpov (Russia) and challenger Viswanathan Anand (India). The championship was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, and culminated in a dramatic match that required rapid tiebreaks to determine the winner. Karpov ultimately defended his title.
Winner/Reigning Champion: Anatoly Karpov
Born: May 23, 1951, in Zlatoust, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Anatoly Karpov had dominated the chess world for over two decades. A master of positional play and strategic maneuvering, he became world champion in 1975 and successfully defended his title multiple times. Karpov was known for his patient, relentless style, slowly squeezing his opponents in seemingly equal positions.
At the age of 46, Karpov entered the 1998 championship as the reigning FIDE world champion, facing a much younger and energetic challenger in Anand. Despite being considered past his prime by some, Karpov proved once again why he was one of the greatest players in chess history.
«Chess is my life, but my life is not just chess.» – Anatoly Karpov
Challenger: Viswanathan Anand
Born December 11, 1969, in Madras (now Chennai), India
Viswanathan Anand was widely regarded as one of the fastest and most intuitive players in chess. His attacking prowess, combined with exceptional calculation skills, made him a fearsome opponent.
Anand qualified for the championship after winning the FIDE Knockout Tournament in Groningen, Netherlands, where he defeated players like Michael Adams, Boris Gelfand, and Alexei Shirov in an exhausting series of matches. This grueling qualification process left him with little time to rest before the final against Karpov, a controversial aspect of the championship.
«Chess is a universal language that brings people together.» – Viswanathan Anand
Match Overview
Format and Prize Fund
- The championship followed a best-of-six classical game format.
- If tied after six games, two rapid tiebreak games (25 minutes per player) were played.
- If still tied, further blitz games (5 minutes per player) would decide the title.
- The total prize fund was $1.5 million, with Karpov receiving $1 million and Anand $500,000.
Previous Encounters
Karpov and Anand had met numerous times in elite tournaments prior to this championship. Their styles were vastly different: Karpov was a strategic grinder, while Anand was an attacking genius with rapid play proficiency.
Notably, Anand had beaten Karpov in a 1996 rapid match, reinforcing the notion that he had an edge in faster time controls. However, in classical formats, Karpov remained a formidable challenge.
Final Score
| Player | W–L–D | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Anatoly Karpov | 4 – 2 (2 draws) | 5.0 |
| Viswanathan Anand | 2 – 4 (2 draws) | 3.0 |
FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 Games
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
FIDE World Chess Championship 1998
Anatoly Karpov, Russia
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FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 Sources
Quote Sources
- FIDE Press Conference (1998) – Official statements from Karpov and Anand.
- New in Chess Magazine (1998 Issues 2 & 3) – Grandmaster commentary on the championship.
General Sources
- ChessBase: «Anand vs. Karpov – The 1998 FIDE Championship» (chessbase.com)
- British Chess Magazine (February 1998 Issue) – Analysis and reactions.
- The New York Times (January 1998) – Tournament reports and interviews.
Image Credits
📷 «Anatoly Karpov, 1998» – Сергей Рубанко (Sergey Rubanko), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source
📷 «Viswanathan Anand, 1998» – GFHund, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source
Sources, image credits, and attributions for this championship are listed on this page. For general information about the World Chess Champions timeline, visit the main page.