Topalov, Veselin
Topalov, Veselin,
1975–, Bulgarian chess player. Topalov won the under-14 world championship in 1989 and placed second in the under-16 the following year, becoming a grandmaster in 1992 and a potential challenger for the world championship by 1996. Subsquently, however, his career stagnated. In 2005, after tying Garry KasparovKasparov, Garry, 1963–, Armenian chess player, b. Azerbaijan (then in the USSR) as Garik Kimovich Wainshtein. He became the world junior champion at the age of 16 and was International Chess Federation (FIDE) champion from 1985 to 1993. His first title match (Sept.
..... Click the link for more information. for first in a tournament, Topalov, who is noted for his strong midgame play, won the World Chess Federation (FIDE) championship later in the year. However, another claimant to the title of world chess champion, Vladimir KramnikKramnik, Vladimir,
1975–, Russian chess player, b. Tuapse. Kramnik started to play chess at the age of four, and at eleven began studying with both Mikhail Botvinnik and Garry Kasparov.
..... Click the link for more information. , did not compete in the event and subsequently (2006) defeated Topalov in a world championship reunification match. Topalov unsuccessfully challenged Viswanathan AnandAnand, Viswanathan,
1969–, Indian chess player. India's youngest national champion at the age of 16, he won the world junior championship and earned the title of grandmaster in 1987.
..... Click the link for more information. for the world championship in 2010.