FIDE World Chess Championship 2002 FIDE World Chess Championship 2002 The FIDE World Chess Championship 2002 was held in Moscow, Russia. The first six rounds were played between 27 November and 14 December 2001, and the final match started on 16 January and ended on 23 January 2002. The Ukrainian Grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov, aged 18, won the championship and became the youngest FIDE World Champion. At the time of this championship, the World title was split. The Classical World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, did not participate, as well as the previous Classical Champion and world's highest-rated player, Garry Kasparov. However, all other strongest players of the
FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 be required to compete; but that as part of the "Prague Agreement", his defense of his title in the Classical World Chess Championship 2004 entitled him to direct entry to a match against the FIDE World Champion for the unified world title. After the tournament, he expressed his willingness to play such a match against Topalov. Although Topalov initially declined Kramnik's offer, he later acceded. The two contested the FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 to reunify the title, with Kramnik emerging the winner. FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 took place in Potrero de los