Bidding to play Garry Kasparov

by ChessBase
4/20/2006 – Right, we know he has retired and is now concentrating on politics. But if you want to play a game of chess against him you still can, live and in person, at the New York Athletic Club. Tickets for participants, who can bring up to three guests each, can be obtained on eBay's nonprofit "Giving Works". Bidding start on April 21st.

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Press release

eBay hosts chance to challenge Garry Kasparov

All-time greatest chess player at charity event

25 auction winners and their guests will join Garry for a 25-board simultaneous exhibition followed by a sit-down dinner at the famed NY Athletic Club on June 12th for the benefit of Kasparov Chess Foundation.

New York, NY, April 20, 2006 – For those who have dreamed of competing against a World Champion, twenty-five lucky bidders will have the opportunity to prove their chess prowess against the highest ranked player of all time, Garry Kasparov. The two-part auction will take place on eBay Giving Works, eBay’s dedicated part of the site for nonprofit auctions. Interested bidders can visit http://www.ebay.com/chess, with bidding beginning on April 21, at 9 PM (EST) and closing on May 1 at 9 PM (EST) for the first twelve seats, and the remaining 13 spots being auctioned off on May 2 at 9 PM (EST) and ending on May 12 at 9 PM (EST).

Not just a game, but a memory in the making, the head-to-head competition takes place on June 12th in Manhattan’s famed New York Athletic Club. The 25 highest bidders will be able to invite up to 3 guests each to share in the evening of festivities, which also includes a cocktail hour, full sit down dinner, photos and autographs with Garry, as well as a certificate commemorating the event. All proceeds will benefit The Kasparov Chess Foundation’s efforts to promote chess education in the schools.

This event marks the first time the Foundation is leveraging eBay’s auction platform for a fundraising event and points to the web’s increasing role in promoting philanthropic causes. To ensure safe bidding and a smooth auction process, the Kasparov Chess Foundation has hired Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency, to oversee the activity on eBay. Bidders will need to be prequalified in order to place a bid, which will start at $2000 per slot.

“What makes this event truly unique, is that people from all over the world can bid to challenge Garry, as well as help raise needed funds to introduce this wonderful game to children who may not otherwise be exposed to it,” commented Michael Khodarkovsky, President of the Kasparov Chess Foundation.

For more information on bidding please contact Auction Cause at (323) 655-0554, or via the web at www.auctioncause.com.

About the Kasparov Chess Foundation

Founded by World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, KCF's mission is to bring the many educational benefits of chess to children by providing a complete chess curriculum and enrichment programs. The Foundation promotes the study of chess as a cognitive learning tool in curricular classes and after-school programs in the public and private school sectors. For more information, please visit http://www.kasparovchessfoundation.org.

Addendum

How many errors can you spot in the one simple eBay chessboard shot? Our readers noted that the black king and queen are on the wrong squares (black king on a black square, opposite the white queen), and the knights and bishops are are also exchanged for both sides. No, we have checked: Kasparov will not be playing some form of Fischer Random. The photographer got it wrong. In all fairness we must mention that the board is the right way around – for once in this kind of artistic context.


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