FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 1999
Press Release #8
REVERSALS OF FORTUNE MARK ROUND 2 OF THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
As Round 2 of the World Chess Championship continued in Las Vegas, the tension mounted. More than the world title is at stake here in Caesars Palace—the total purse is $3 million. For each round that a player advances, his prize money will roughly double. The month-long, seven-round knockout event is sponsored by the World Chess Federation, known as FIDE.
The leading U.S. player, Gata Kamsky, 25, won a smashing victory yesterday against a Russian. Today he lost badly to the same opponent, showing the effects of a three-year layoff. With the match score now 1-1, the two will play tiebreak games tomorrow. Kamsky reached the Final of the World Championship in 1996 but has since devoted himself to his medical studies in New York.
Former U.S. Champion Alex Yermolinsky (called "The Yerminator" by American chess fans) is also tied 1-1 in his match against another Russian. They will play off tomorrow.
The other two Americans were both eliminated today. Former U.S. Champion Boris Gulko succumbed to an overwhelming attack by a player from Belarus. Young Tal Shaked, the local favorite from Arizona, was knocked out by a Bulgarian grandmaster.
The #1 seed Kramnik of Russia won his game and qualified for Round 3. The #2 seed, Shirov of Spain, played perhaps the day’s most dramatic game. Facing elimination after his shocking loss yesterday, Shirov destroyed the same opponent in today’s match despite the handicap of the black pieces. He thus reaches tomorrow’s playoff. Shirov, a native of Latvia, is popular with chess fans around the world because of his daring style.
Judith Polgar of Hungary, 24, the best female chessplayer in the world, pleased her many fans by easily qualifying for Round 3. The event’s only other woman was eliminated in Round 1.
Chess fans around the globe are following the moves live on the U.S. Chess Federation Web site, uschess.org.
CONTACT: Timothy Hanke, Press Officer for the World Chess Championship, at 702-697-5800. Or call Caesars Palace at 702-731-7110, and ask for extensions 5913 to 5927.