Veselin Topalov

## Background Information

Veselin Topalov is a former FIDE world champion and Bulgarian Chess Grandmaster. He is currently the highest-rated player in Bulgaria and was ranked number one in the world in 2006 to 2007 and 2008 to 2010 respectively. Topalov became the FIDE world chess champion in 2005 and held the title until 2006. He was also a world championship challenger in 2010 in which he played against Viswanathan Anand.

## 2006 World Chess Championship Match

Since Topalov won the FIDE world championship in 2005, he was scheduled to play a match agains the Classical World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. This was the match that reunified the world champion title. This match is considered to be a controversial event, as Topalov's manager accused Kramnik of cheating during the course of the event. Since this occasion, the two players have never shaken hands on the chess board and rarely spoke to another. Topalov lost the match to Kramnik with a score of 7.5 - 8.5.

* Vladimir Kramnik vs Veselin Topalov (1-0) [Game 1]
* Veselin Topalov vs Vladimir Kramnik (0-1) [Game 2]
* Vladimir Kramnik vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Game 5]
* Vladimir Kramnik vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Game 8]
* Veselin Topalov vs Vladimir Kramnik (1-0) [Game 9]

## 2010 World Chess Championship Match

Topalov defeated Gata Kamsky in an eight-game challenger match with a score of 4.5 to 2.5 which automatically allowed him to challenge Viswanathan Anand for the world championship title. The match took place in Sofia, Bulgaria the home turf of Topalov. The match was abrupt by a volcanic eruption hence there were many travel difficulties. Topalov lost the match to Anand with a score of 5.5 - 6.5.

* Veselin Topalov vs Viswanathan Anand (1-0) [Game 1]
* Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov (1-0) [Game 2]
* Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov (1-0) [Game 4]
* Veselin Topalov vs Viswanathan Anand (1-0) [Game 8]
* Veselin Topalov vs Viswanathan Anand (0-1) [Game 12]

## Notable Tournaments and Victories:

One of his best records in his early chess career was winning the 10th Euwe Memorial which commemorated the death of the former world champion Max Euwe. Topalov won the tournament with a score of 6.5/9 scoring six wins, two losses and one draw. He tied for first place with Garry Kasparov who was still considered the true world champion at the time.

* Veselin Topalov vs Garry Kasparov (1-0) [Round 1]
* Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Round 2]
* Veselin Topalov vs Nigel Short (0-1) [Round 3]
* Veselin Topalov vs Jan Timman (1-0) [Round 5]
* Veselin Topalov vs Joel Lautier (1-0) [Round 7]
* Veselin Topalov vs Jeroen Piket (1-0) [Round 9]

He tied for first place in the Corus Group A Chess Tournament in 2006. Topalov scored six wins, one loss and six draws to finish with a score of 9/13. He tied with Viswanathan Anand in terms of the ranking.

* Veselin Topalov vs Gata Kamsky (1-0) [Round 1]
* Veselin Topalov vs Etienne Bacrot (1-0) [Round 3]
* Loek van Wely vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Round 4]
* Veselin Topalov vs Ivan Sokolov (1-0) [Round 7]

Topalov made a few appearances throughout 2018 and 2019. He played a Chess960 match against Garry Kasparov in 2018. It was the first time that the two played against each other since 2005 as Kasparov retired. It is worthy to note that Topalov defeated Kasparov in his last competitive game in 2005. Topalov lead the Chess960 match all throughout the event and eventually defeated Kasparov with a final score of 14.5 to 11.5. He played a rapid and blitz chess match against Leinier Dominguez Perez in Saint Louis Champions Showdown event. Topalov beat Dominguez with a final score of 25.5 to 22.5.

* Leinier Dominguez vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Rapid Game 2]
* Veselin Topalov vs Leinier Dominguez (1-0) [Rapid Game 9]
* Veselin Topalov vs Leinier Dominguez (1-0) [Rapid Game 11]
* Veselin Topalov vs Leinier Dominguez (1-0) [Blitz Game 9]

Topalov won the Salamanca Chess Masters 2018th edition. The tournament consisted of former world champion Anatoly Karpov and veteran chess grandmaster Granda Zuniga. Topalov won the tournament with a score of 6.5/7, scoring six wins and one draw. This put him ahead of Miguel Santos Ruiz who finished with a score of 5/7.

* Veselin Topalov vs Atalik Ekaterina (1-0) [Round 1]
* Veselin Topalov vs Anatoly Karpov (1-0) [Round 3]
* Veselin Topalov vs Anan Matnadze (1-0) [Round 4]
* Veselin Topalov vs Grand Zuniga (1-0) [Round 6]

## Recent Tournament Appearances:

Topalov participated in the FIDE Grand Prix Knockout Format tournaments held in Riga Latvia and Hamburg, Germany. In both occasions, he eliminated Hikaru Nakamura in Round 1 but lost Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in Round 2. This has slimmed his chances of being apart of the next Candidates tournament.

* Hikaru Nakamura vs Veselin Topalov (0-1) [Round 1 Game 1 - Hamburg]
* Veselin Topalov vs Hikaru Nakamura (1/2-1/2) [Round 1 Game 2 - Hamburg]
* Veselin Topalov vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (0-1) [Round 2 Game 1 - Hamburg]
* Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Veselin Topalov (1/2-1/2) [Round 2 Game 2 - Hamburg]

Topalov also made an appearance in the Chess 9LX tournament held in Saint Louis Chess Club. He played a match against the American Grandmaster Wesley So. Despite playing relatively well in the rapid portion of the event, Topalov ultimately lost to the So with a final score of 8 to 18.

Topalov also participated in the annual Shamkir Chess Tournament which commemorates the death of Vugar Gashimov, a renowned player from Azerbaijan. Topalov finished with a score of 4/9, scoring one win against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov but losing two games to Alexander Grischuk and Ding Liren respectively. This placed him in tied for seventh place with David Navara.

* Alexander Grischuk vs Veselin Topalov (1-0) [Round 5]
* Veselin Topalov vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (1-0) [Round 6]
* Veselin Topalov vs Ding Liren (0-1) [Round 8]