Kramnik – Topalov World Championship Match 2006

dates: 23 September–13 October 2006
location: Elista, Kalmykia, Russia
score: Classical 6–6; rapid 2½–1½ (Kramnik–Topalov)
winner: Vladimir Kramnik

Vladimir Kramnik at the 2005 Corus tournament. This photograph is not from a world championship match. Photo: steenslag.

The 2006 match in Elista brought together classical world champion Vladimir Kramnik and FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov. Its purpose was to reunify the title after the split that began in 1993. Twelve classical games were scheduled, followed by rapid tiebreaks if the score was level.

Kramnik won the first two games. A dispute over the playing arrangements led him to forfeit game 5 without making a move; the official point awarded to Topalov remained part of the score. Topalov later won games 8 and 9, and Kramnik answered in game 10. Classical play ended 6–6.

Four rapid games decided the title on 13 October. After a draw, the players exchanged wins before Kramnik won the fourth game to take the playoff 2½–1½ and become the unified world champion. The collection preserves all sixteen official results. Fifteen games have moves to practise: eleven classical games and all four rapid games.

The zero-move fifth game is recorded below as a forfeit. It has no Start link and is excluded from the practice completion total. Games 13–16 are the rapid playoff; their supplied round numbers remain intact so that the article, results table and trainer use the same sequence.

Vladimir Kramnik's Profile Veselin Topalov's Profile

Match results

Kramnik – Topalov World Championship Match 2006 final standings and game-by-game scores
Player	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Game 9	Game 10	Game 11	Game 12	Game 13	Game 14	Game 15	Game 16	Points
Vladimir Kramnik	1	1	0½	0½	0	0½	0½	0	0	1	0½	0½	0½	1	0	1	8½
Veselin Topalov	0	0	0½	0½	1	0½	0½	1	1	0	0½	0½	0½	0	1	0	7½

Each game column shows the score earned by that player. 1 = win, ½ = draw, 0 = loss. Points are out of 16.

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Game 1: Kramnik wins the opening marathon

Game 1 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4, reaching catalan structures play (E04). Vladimir Kramnik won with White after 75 moves. The running score was 1–0 (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	75	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 2: A second win for Kramnik

Game 2 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4, reaching slav structures play (D18). Vladimir Kramnik won with Black after 63 moves. The running score was 2–0 (Kramnik–Topalov). Kramnik followed his opening White win with a Black victory, taking a two-point lead before the dispute that interrupted the match.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 0-1	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	63	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 3: Catalan structures: a 38-move draw

Game 3 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4, reaching catalan structures play (E04). The game was drawn after 38 moves. The running score was 2½–0½ (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	38	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 4: Queen’s Gambit Declined: a 54-move draw

Game 4 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6, reaching queen’s gambit declined play (D47). The game was drawn after 54 moves. The running score was 3–1 (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	54	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 6: Slav structures: a 31-move draw

Game 6 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4, reaching slav structures play (D17). The game was drawn after 31 moves. The running score was 3½–2½ (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	31	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 7: Queen’s Gambit Accepted: a 60-move draw

Game 7 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6, reaching queen’s gambit accepted play (D27). The game was drawn after 60 moves. The running score was 4–3 (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	60	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 8: Topalov wins over the board

Game 8 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6, reaching queen’s gambit declined play (D47). Veselin Topalov won with Black after 52 moves. The running score was 4–4 (Kramnik–Topalov). This was Topalov’s first victory over the board; his earlier point in game 5 had been awarded by forfeit. The classical score was level again.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 0-1	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	52	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 9: Topalov takes the classical lead

Game 9 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5, reaching slav structures play (D12). Veselin Topalov won with White after 39 moves. The running score was 4–5 (Kramnik–Topalov). Topalov’s second consecutive win put him ahead for the first time. Kramnik answered in the next round.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	39	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 10: Kramnik levels the score

Game 10 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+, reaching queen’s indian defence play (E10). Vladimir Kramnik won with White after 43 moves. The running score was 5–5 (Kramnik–Topalov). Kramnik restored equality. Two more classical draws followed, so the title had to be decided at rapid time controls.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	43	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 11: Slav structures: a 66-move draw

Game 11 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5, reaching slav structures play (D12). The game was drawn after 66 moves. The running score was 5½–5½ (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	66	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 12: Classical play finishes level

Game 12 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5, reaching slav structures play (D12). The game was drawn after 47 moves. The running score was 6–6 (Kramnik–Topalov). The official classical score finished 6–6, including the unplayed fifth game. Four rapid games were scheduled for the next day.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	47	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 13: Rapid playoff: an opening draw

Rapid playoff game 1 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4, reaching slav structures play (D18). The game was drawn after 47 moves. The running score was 6½–6½ (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	47	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 14: Rapid playoff: Kramnik takes the lead

Rapid playoff game 2 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6, reaching queen’s gambit declined play (D45). Vladimir Kramnik won with White after 45 moves. The running score was 7½–6½ (Kramnik–Topalov). Kramnik took the first lead in the rapid playoff. Topalov’s reply in the third rapid game ensured that the fourth would be decisive.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	45	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 15: Rapid playoff: Topalov equalises

Rapid playoff game 3 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5, reaching slav structures play (D12). Veselin Topalov won with White after 50 moves. The running score was 7½–7½ (Kramnik–Topalov).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Veselin Topalov – Vladimir Kramnik 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	50	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 16: Rapid playoff: Kramnik reunifies the title

Rapid playoff game 4 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6, reaching queen’s gambit declined play (D47). Vladimir Kramnik won with White after 45 moves. The running score was 8½–7½ (Kramnik–Topalov). Kramnik won the rapid playoff 2½–1½. This result reunified the classical and FIDE world titles after thirteen years of division.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Veselin Topalov 1-0	Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match	2006	45	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Sources and image credits

By IgniteChess Editorial Published 2026-10-12

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