GM Veselin Topalov has once again proved to be the best chess player in the world as he won the Corus Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee for a second successive year. At the same time, however, the FIDE Presidential Board decided in Antalya that there would be no return match Topalov-Kramnik for the World Title.
 Topalov gave an exclusive interview for the readers of Standart
 

Topalov, Aronian and Radjabov are posing at the awarding ceremony in Wijk aan Zee (right to left)
Photo Internet

- Hello, Veselin and congratulations for your great victory. What do you think about your performance in the Netherlands?
 - I am pleased with it. My goal was to win the first tournament for the year and boost my ELO rating, thus securing my place at the top of the FIDE ranking.
 - During the tournament you mentioned before journalists that you were absolutely composed in Wijk aan Zee. Have you already recovered from the match in Elista?
 - I think I have. I have to think about the future. After Corus I will play in the Morelia/Linares Tournament and after that in M-Tel Masters in Sofia.
 - Did you make any special preparations and psychological training for the game against Kramnik in Wijk aan Zee?
 - I didn't feel the game against him as something special. Like in any other game, I tried to win it but did not succeed.
 - To what extent were you seeking the revenge?
 - My goal was to show a better performance than Kramnik at Corus tournament and I achieved it.
 - What do you think of the draw in this game?
 I tried to attack but he defended his position and at the end we drew the game.
 - What can you say about the news that there will no return match between you and Kramnik in Sofia?
 - It is an expected development of the situation. Russia wants to dominate in the chess game and these people will do anything possible to keep Kramnik's title for a few more years. I have already said that what we have in FIDE is Russian privatization of the world chess crown. I also think that all important chess events in the future will be organized either in Russia or in Germany, where Kramnik feels at home.
 - How will you accept the FIDE decision not to admit you to the World Chess Championship in Mexico?
 - This was almost bound to happen and I am a kind of used to this thought. The important thing is the winner in Mexico to be a world chess champion, but not Kramnik's challenger.
 - What did you yourself for 2007?
 - I wished myself good health.
 - When can we expect you in Bulgaria?
 - I will return home at the beginning of May to play in the M-Tel Masters tournament.

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