6 , ▁F IDE ▁had ▁already ▁announced ▁the ▁conditions ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Ch ess ▁Championship ▁ 2 0 0 7 : ▁an ▁eight - player ▁tournament ▁which ▁included ▁F IDE ▁World ▁Champion ▁V es elin ▁Top al ov , ▁but ▁not ▁" Class ical " ▁World ▁Champion ▁Vladimir ▁K ram nik . ▁F IDE ▁later ▁organized ▁a ▁reun ification ▁match ▁between ▁K ram nik ▁and ▁Top al ov ▁( the ▁World ▁Ch ess ▁Championship ▁ 2 0 0 6 ), ▁with ▁K ram nik ▁to ▁take ▁Top al ov ' s ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁tournament ▁if ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁match . ▁K ram nik ▁did ▁win ▁the ▁match ▁and ▁the ▁reun ified ▁World ▁Ch ess ▁Championship , ▁and ▁so ▁Top al ov ▁was ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁World ▁Championship . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁F IDE ▁announced ▁that ▁Top al ov ▁would ▁get ▁special ▁privileges ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Ch ess ▁Championship ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁qual ifying ▁cycle , ▁while ▁K ram nik , ▁if ▁he ▁lost ▁his ▁title ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( which ▁he ▁did , ▁coming ▁second ▁behind ▁Vis wan athan ▁An and ), ▁would ▁play ▁a ▁match ▁with ▁the ▁tournament ▁champion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁head - to - head ▁record ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁match ▁An and ▁and ▁K ram nik ▁played ▁ 5 1 ▁games ▁against ▁each ▁other