28 Facts About Veselin Topalov

Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and former FIDE World Chess Champion.

Veselin Topalov lost his title in the World Chess Championship 2006 against Vladimir Kramnik.

Veselin Topalov was ranked world number one from April 2006 to January 2007.

Veselin Topalov regained the top ranking in October 2008 until January 2010.

Veselin Topalov has competed at nine Chess Olympiads, winning board one gold in 2014 and scoring best overall performance in 1994.

Veselin Topalov won in Linares, Corus, Dortmund, Stavanger and Pearl Spring tournaments.

Veselin Topalov's father taught him to play chess at the age of eight.

At age 12, Veselin Topalov began working with the controversial Silvio Danailov, a relationship that continues today.

Veselin Topalov became a Grandmaster in 1992 and won in Terrassa.

Veselin Topalov made his Olympiad debut in Moscow 1994, leading Bulgaria to a fourth-place, defeating Garry Kasparov on board one.

Veselin Topalov played in Linares 1994, Linares 1995, Amsterdam 1995.

Veselin Topalov tied for first at the 2002 NAO Chess Masters in Cannes and won at Benidorm in 2003.

Veselin Topalov scored his first major success at Linares 2005, tying for first place with Garry Kasparov, and defeating Kasparov in the last round, in what was to be Kasparov's last tournament game before his retirement.

Veselin Topalov followed this up with a one-point victory at Mtel Masters.

Kramnik defeated Veselin Topalov to become the first undisputed champion in thirteen years.

Veselin Topalov indicated that this was not a compromise decision but his own.

On 14 December 2006, Veselin Topalov directly accused Kramnik of using computer assistance in their World Championship match.

On 14 February 2007, Veselin Topalov's manager released pictures, purporting to show cables in the ceiling of a toilet used by Kramnik during the World Championship match in Elista.

In January 2007, Veselin Topalov finished in joint first place at Corus along with Levon Aronian and Teimour Radjabov.

In November 2007, Veselin Topalov won the Vitoria Gasteiz charity event.

Veselin Topalov won the Pearl Spring event held in Nanjing as well as Villarobledo Chess Festival.

Veselin Topalov lost his chance to compete in the 2007 world championship tournament when he lost the 2006 reunification match.

Veselin Topalov was given direct entry to a "Challenger Match" against the winner of the Chess World Cup 2007.

Veselin Topalov won the 2010 Linares chess tournament held in February, defeating Boris Gelfand in the last round.

In Game 1, Veselin Topalov quickly defeated Anand in 30 moves, utilizing a very sharp line of attack that broke through Anand's Grunfeld Defence.

Veselin Topalov chose to accept a pawn sacrifice by Anand, hoping to force a result and avoid a rapid chess tiebreak round.

Veselin Topalov subsequently resigned, allowing Anand to retain the World Championship.

Veselin Topalov has competed on first board at nine Chess Olympiads, winning individual gold in 2014 and scoring best overall performance in 1994.