Russia's Vladimir Kramnik Wins World Chess Championship
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Russia's Vladimir Kramnik won a match against Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov in a tiebreaker Friday, becoming the first universally recognized world chess champion since 1993.
Kramnik won the tension-filled match by a score of 8.5-7.5 in a final day of quick, time-limited games.
Each of the 41-year-old players was to receive US$500,000 for taking part in the match, which was arranged to heal a 13-year-old schism in the chess world dating back to World Champion Garry Kasparov's withdrawal from the World Chess Federation.
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Kramnik secured his victory in the fourth game Friday, which Kramnik won with White. Friday's score was 2.5-1.5.