
From March 14 to April 1, 2013, FIDE and AGON – the World Chess Federation’s
commercial partner – are staging the 2013 Candidates Tournament for the
World Chess Championship 2013. It will be the strongest tournament of its kind
in history. The venue is The IET,
2 Savoy Place, London. The Prize Fund to be shared by the players totals €510,000.
The winner of the Candidates will become the Challenger to Viswanathan Anand
who has reigned as World Champion since 2007.

The main sponsor for the Candidates is State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan
Republic SOCAR,
which has sponsored elite events chess in the past.

Socar is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and
transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical
products in domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to
industry and the public in Azerbaijan.
The Opening Ceremony
The FIDE World Candidates Tournament 2013 was officially opened on Thursday
night by FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov at IET London, Savoy Palace. The
tournament’s opening ceremony was attended by chess officials, sponsors,
and international chess media.

The invitation we all received
The Opening Ceremony was a brief affair and the players did not stay long after
the tournament was declared open. The following pictures were provided by Ray
Morris-Hill.

Guests at the reception at the Institution of Engineering
& Technology

AGON chief organiser Andrew Paulson and FIDE President
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
stand for the National Anthem. In the background FIDE CEO Geoffrey Borg

Andrew Paulson opens the proceedings with a brief
speech
Paulson pointed out the new design of the playing hall and the ChessCasting
software that will be used to transmit the games live to the world. "It's
a new design to make more aesthetic the experience of watching or being a spectator
at a tournament," said Paulson. One novelty is that small interactive tablets
will be handed out to spectators in the playing hall which will allow the audience
to have a personal experience in the hall while watching the players –
something that's unique for any sport. Andrew Paulson also mentioned the special
security measures with unique technology prepared by the organizers that will
be used for the first time on this event.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov declares the tournament officially
open
Ilyumzhinov reminded the guests of the long chess tradition in London, where
19th-century players like Howard Staunton, Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker
achieved successes. "Over the next three weeks London will be the main
chess centre in the world. Attention of millions of chess lovers will turn to
London. It's here the challenger for the title of World Champion will be determined.
The Candidates Tournament is the main and most expected tournament of the year
in the chess world," said Ilyumzhinov.

The world's highest ranked player, Magnus Carlsen,
Elo 2872

Second seed Vladimir Kramnik, rated 2810

Third seed Levon Aronian, rated a single point
below Kramnik

Fourth seed and fourth in the world, Teimour Radjabov,
with his wife
In good spirits: Aronian, Kramnik and vice-Champion
of the world Boris Gelfand

Magnus leaves early to prepare for his Friday match
against Aronian

The event posters (click to enlarge) designed by
the renowned illustrator Andrzej Klimowski
Players
Schedule and results
Round 1 March 15 at 14:00 |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
|
|
Round 2 March 16 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
|
|
Round 3 March 17 at 14:00 |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
|
|
Round 4 March 19 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
|
|
Round 5 March 20 at 14:00 |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
|
|
Round 6 March 21 at 14:00 |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
|
|
Round 7 March 23 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Playchess commentary: GM Alejandro
Ramirez
|
|
Round 8 March 24 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Playchess commentary: GM Alejandro
Ramirez
|
|
Round 9 March 25 at 14:00 |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Playchess commentary: GM Maurice
Ashley
|
|
Round 10 March 27 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
|
|
Round 11 March 28 at 14:00 |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
|
|
Round 12 March 29 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
|
|
Round 13 March 31 at 14:00 |
Teimour Radjabov
|
-
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Alexander Grischuk
|
-
|
Levon Aronian |
Vladimir Kramnik
|
-
|
Boris Gelfand |
Peter Svidler
|
-
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
|
|
Round 14 April 1 at 14:00 |
Magnus Carlsen
|
-
|
Peter Svidler |
Vassily Ivanchuk
|
-
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Boris Gelfand
|
-
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Levon Aronian
|
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Playchess commentary: GM Maurice
Ashley
|
|
The games start at 14:00h = 2 p.m. London time = 15:00h European time,
17:00h Moscow, 8 a.m. New York. You can find your regional starting time here.
Note that Britain and Europe switch
to Summer time on March 31, so that the last two rounds will start an hour
earlier for places that do not swich or have already done so (e.g. USA).
The commentary on Playchess begins one hour after the
start of the games and is free for premium members.