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Around the middle of September in Bilbao Silvio Danailov gave an interview to the Russian newspaper Sport Express. The Internet magazine Chess Today translated some fragments, amongst them a statement about the match Topalov-Kamsky: "I think the match will take place," Danialov said, "because Ilyumzhinov personally guaranteed the prize fund and he keeps his word. Alas, Mr. Chernenko, Kamsky's manager, lied to us all for a few months – he had no money, the match couldn't be held in Lvov."
Now the President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation has appealed to FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to clarify the situation. Chess Today provided the text of the letter:
Dear Mr. Ilyumzhinov, The Bulgarian sports community worries about the uncertainty around the semi final match between GM Veselin Topalov and GM Gata Kamsky. The decision taken at the PB meeting in Tallinn in 2007 was welcomed by everyone expecting the end of the schism in the chess family. This decision was confirmed at the November 2007 congress in Antalia. Everyone expected it to become true and the match date to be appointed. Until now this did not happen and that fact practically questions whether the match will take place. On June 1st, after all the deadlines were over, you personally declared that you guarantee the prize fund and took the responsibility for its organization. Since then more than 3 months have passed. We still do not know any details about where and in what conditions will be the match, and the announced by you date November 26th is approaching. Mr Ilymzhinov, please inform me where and when the match will take place. We insist the decision for the match to be reflected in the players contracts, and they to be signed before the other semi final match between GM Kramnik and GM Anand. Further delay could be fatal and to ruin all the efforts so far. I think nobody has interest in the failure of the match Topalov - Kamsky. The Bulgarian chess player who is no. 1 in the current rank list cannot be eliminated from the competition for the world championship. Sincerely yours, 26.09.2008 Sofia, Bulgaria |
Some other snippets of the Danialov press conference in Bilbao were interesting:
Since publishing the above we have received a message from Anton from the site Chessdom telling us that there was a major mistake in our report. "First of all," Anton writes, "the original translation [of the letter] was by Chessdom – later on Chess Today probably picked it up, but the author of the translation is Chessdom."
Second, Anton informed us, there is a development in the situation, on which Chessdom reported exclusively. The article is entitled "Topalov-Kamsky lost in translation" and reads as follows:
This is the new and official translation of the letter:
Here is a transcription of the text, with the differences highlighted in italics:
Actually the timeline of the events were, we are told, as follows:
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'Topalov has not signed' – Challenger Match in
doubt? 25.07.2008 – Just when we thought everything was settled for a World Championship Challengers' Match between Gata Kamsky and Veselin Topalov in Lvov, Ukraine – November 26 to December 14 – Topalov's manager Silvio Danialov says his his client has not yet signed anything. Turns out neither has Kamsky, since according to FIDE "the contract has not been finalized with the organisers". Details. |
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Alexei Shirov replies to Gata Kamsky 02.06.2008 – |
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Ilyumzhinov guarantees Topalov-Kamsky match in Lvov 01.06.2008 – After a great deal of international bickering the matter is now settled: the special Challengers Match between Gata Kamsky and Veselin Topalov will take place between November 26th and December 14th 2008 in Lvov, Ukraine. This has just been announced by FIDE, with President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov guaranteeing the organiser’s offer of US $750,000 with his personal finances. Press release. |
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Topalov vs Kamsky – and the remarkable Mr Chernenko 15.05.2008 – Russian chess journalist Yuri Vasiliev has now confirmed that the semifinal Candidates Match between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky will take place in Lvov, Ukraine, for a prize fund of US $750,000. On the web site ChessPro Vasiliev tells of a lengthy conversation he had with the initiator, Gata Kamsky's manager (and diamond trader) Alexander Chernenko. Must-read interview. |