The idea to discover the greatest world chess-player in blitz attracted organizators of great chess tournaments long time ago. What is it “blitz”? In contrast to chess competitions with classical time control (from 1,5 hours for the game of chess to the each player), this form of chess art is more spectacle and dynamic. Rivals have only 5 (and sometimes less than 5!) minutes for the whole game of chess. The whole competition meets a tight schedule (2,5-4 hours), fancies can see for theirselves, how quickly and precisely their idols count difficult variants, take decisions at the chess-board in conditions of time limit.
Intrigue keeps spectators until “the final gong” – falling of the flag at the chess-clock (as time limit passes). To some degree this sort of game can be called “chess extreme”. Composure, ability to solve non-typical situation quickly and even speed of chess-men movement take here the first place except of strong game of chess. Blitz attracts chess fancies by suddenness plot of critical duels, true democracy. So, the most great “blitz-players” in the world for a long time were Henry Chepukajtis and Valentin Arbakov (both from USSR), that were little known in the broad sections of chess-players.    
Unofficial “kings of blitz” were Miguel Nidorf (Argentina), David Bronshtain, Leonid Shtain, Michail Tal (all from USSR) and some other outstanding grand masters until the moment, when world championships began to conduct. The first unofficial world championship, where the strongest grand masters had played, was hold in the Yugoslavian city Hercog-Novi in 1970. Legendary Robert James Fisher won among 12 competitors, Michail Tal was the second, Victor Korchnoy – the third. But, you know, the tournament was unofficial. Then it was hold a lot of blitz-tournaments, which was date for the ending of official international classical chess competitions. The most outstanding of them: Bugoino (Yugoslavia, 1978, the first place – Anatoliy Karpov), Nikshich (Yugoslavia, 1983, the first place – Harry Kasparov). Main defect of these competitions was that not every master of blitz could take part in them.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) decided to discover the strongest blitz-player in the world in 1988. It was convenient that in this time there was the ending of classical chess championship in Canadian city St. Jhon, where all great chess-players took part. Harry Kasparov and Anatoliy Karpov especially came to Canada to play in the first world championship. The championship was conducted by Olympic system and there were a lot of surprises. Avowed favorites Kasparov and Karpov were out even until semifinals, Michail Tal and Rafael Vaganian (both from USSR) played in the final. “Wizard from Riga” Tal dominated in their duel and won before the appointed time – 3,5-0,5. So, classical chess ex world champion Michail Tal became the first blitz world champion. There was no third place match. 
Inspite of great interest to the first championship from Mass Media and the whole world, the next tournament was conducted in Israel city Ashdod only 18 (!) years later. It’s interesting, that at the same time it was conducted the world championship among dilettantes (chess-players with qualification not over master of sport’s candidate), which former first-grade sportsman from Almaty Alex Gershenkroyn won. And in the tournament of grand masters 15 tense rounds couldn’t discover the winner. Alexander Grischuk and Peter Svidler (both from Russia) came to the finish with the same results. Draw game was good for Peter Svidler, who played with black chess-men, in the final duel according to the «sudden death» rules. But his opponent was more successful. So, Alexander Grischuk became the champion, Svidler was the second, young Azerbaijan grand master Teimur Radzhabov was the third. 
The third World Championship took place in November, 2007. There was new champion – very talented Ukrainian grand master Vassiliy Ivanchuk. The second at finish was world champion in classical chess Vishvanatan Anand from India, last year world champion Alexander Grischuk was the third.
World Championship 2008 will take place in Almaty, in November, 7-8. It is conducted by Kazakhstan’s Chess Federation by non-commercial Charitable Seimar Social Found grant and with the support of JSC “Alliance bank”.
What is the interest for Kazakhstan’s chess fancies in the Fourth championship? There will be the constellation of great chess-players of nowadays, many of them will visit Almaty the first time. But except of this, for the first time Kazakhstan’s grand master, perfect specialist in blitz Murtas Kazhgaleev will take part in the tournament.
We have no doubts, that future championship will give a lot of memorizing, perfect, designing moments to all chess fancies not only in Kazakhstan, but in the whole world. It will be possible to watch the events on 8 chess-boards on-line and live.