Press release
FIDE Press Release on Topalov-Kamsky Challenger Match
Wednesday, 19 November 2008 13:27
FIDE is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached for organisation
of the Challenger Match between Topalov and Kamsky. There has been full agreement
between FIDE and the players regarding all aspects of the Match.
The Match will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 16th to 28th February, 2009
with a prize fund of USD 250,000 which will be shared equally by the players.
Both teams agreed on the following appointments:
Appeals Committee:
Nigel Freeman (BER) Chairman
Boris Kutin (MNE)
Vanik Zakarian (ARM)
Arbiters:
Ignatius Leong (SIN)
Ashot Vardapetian (ARM)
Match Supervisor:
Hal Bond (CAN)
Gata Kamsky announced that Mr Chernenko is no longer his Representative and
that he has appointed Emil Sutovsky as his Official Representative in all negotiations
and as chief of his delegation and spokesperson for the team.
FIDE is pleased that the meetings with both delegations were conducted in a
very friendly and constructive atmosphere and thanks both teams for their cooperation.
We did a quick interview with Israeli GM Emil Sutovsky, former European Champion,
who was Gata Kamsky's official representative during the negotiations with FIDE
and the Bulgarian delegation representing Veselin Topalov.
ChessBase: What happened to the Lvov bid? Is that off
the table and why?
Emil Sutovsky, representative of Gata Kamsky
Sutovsky: Well, the Lvov bid never materialized. The money
was not transferred and negotiations had to be terminated at some point. Who
is to be blamed for it? I think, the answer is quite clear.
Is Gata happy about playing in Sofia?
No, Gata is not happy about playing in Sofia, but we decided that such a messy
situation can't last forever.Of course, it was possible to start with an accusations,
reopen the bidding procedure, etc. But we preferred to agree to Sofia after
we got FIDE's promise that everything will be done in order to ensure the equal
terms. Of course, it would be much better to play on the neutral territory,
or in the US. But alea jacta est!
Is Gata sure he will get a fair match?
We hope to be treated fairly. I have to say that FIDE, and personally Mr. Georgios
Makropulos, who was in charge for negotiations, is trying to do the best they
can in order to ensure the fair conditions.
Was it a tough to hammer out this deal?
It was just a long process, with a lot of details to be fixed. It took some
seven hours on the first day of negotiations, and three hours on the second
day.
Have the contracts now all been signed?
No, the contracts are not signed yet, but it seems that we finally have an
agreement on all the important points.
ChessBase reports on this match
The following articles are in descending chronological order, i.e. the
latest are at the top, the oldest at the bottom.
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Kamsky-Topalov: Bulgarian offer, Chernenko's $935,000
guarantee
14.11.2008 – The Bulgarian
Chess Federation confirmed that it wishes to host the match, but is
"extremely surprised why the financial arrangements have been changed"
[from $150,00 to $250,000]. Now Gata Kamsky's manager Oleksandr Chernenko
tells us that his US $935,000 bid will be transferred to FIDE the moment
he sees the contracts and knows what he is paying for. Open
letters.
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Gata Kamsky: 'The time for the negotiation is over'
08.11.2008 – "The only way to fight FIDE is
to expose their mistakes," writes the World Championship candidate, "and
fight them in a court of law. I would respectfully request all USCF Board
members to unite and find ways to make sure that justice and fairness
will prevail." Kamsky accuses FIDE of providing Topalov a backdoor into
the final steps of the qualification proceedings. Open
letter. |
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Roustam Kamsky: 'Gata’s life could be in danger'
07.11.2008 – Yesterday we published a press
release by FIDE which re-opened the bidding for the Kamsky-Topalov World
Championship qualification match. Today we received a letter from Gata
Kamsky's father protesting this decision and the pressure it put on the
players to confirm their participation in a match for which no specific
conditions are known. Open
letters by Roustam Kamsky and the USCF. |
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Kamsky-Topalov match to be held in Bulgaria – maybe
06.11.2008 – The Bulgarian Chess Federation
had made a $150,000 bid for this special qualifier match for the world
championship, but then Gata Kamsky's manager Alexander Chernenko offered
a $750,000 prize fund for it in Lvov, Ukraine. Unfortunately the bank
garantees were not forthcoming, and after a final deadline FIDE has reopened
the bidding procedure. Press
release.
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Bulgaria to Ilyumzhinov: we are worried
27.09.2008 – During the Bilbao Masters tournament
Veselin Topalov's manager IM Silvio Danailov told journalists that there
were no news regarding the Topalov vs Kamsky match. Now Stefan Sergiev,
President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation has appealed to FIDE President:
"Mr. Ilyumzhinov, please inform me where and when the match will take
place!" Full story, now with official
corrections. |
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Topalov: 'Next Year I Will Challenge the World Champion'
24.08.2008 – A few days ago former FIDE world
champion Veselin Topalov visited the International Alcubeirre Tournament
in Spain, where he gave a simultaneous exhibition and spoke to a local
newspaper about Kasparov, the Zaragoza Expo, Scarlett Johansson ("I like
her more in some ways, but my thing is chess"), his chess career and chess
playing computers. Heraldo
interview. |
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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 – Last week Alexei
Shirov published a press release asking FIDE to resolve the crisis surrounding
the special Challengers' Match between Gata Kamsky and Veselin Topalov.
Kamsky's representative replied, and then FIDE came up with a decision
on the venue in Lvov, Ukraine. "This is exactly what I wanted with my
press release five days ago," says Shirov in his new
press release. |
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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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Shirov's press release
29.05.2008 – After numerous
extensions of the deadline for bids to stage the special Challengers Match
between Gata Kamsky and Veselin Topalov FIDE is now faced with a demand
by the next-in-line player to have a chance. Alexei Shirov is willing
to play in Bulgaria, something Kamsky balked at. "According to the match
regulations he should be replaced by me in this case," Shirov says. Press
release. |
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Breaking news: Kamsky-Topalov in Lviv, Ukraine?
11.04.2008 – We reported yesterday on FIDE's
decision to extend the deadline for bids for the Kamsky-Topalov match.
The Bulgarian Chess Federation protested vigorously, but today the reason
for FIDE's decision is becoming clear: there is a US $750,000 bid to stage
the match in Lviv, western Ukraine. This stop press story comes from Yury
Vasiliev of Sport Express. First
details – and doubts. |
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FIDE extends deadline for Topalov-Kamsky, Bulgarians
protest
10.04.2008 – The match between Gata Kamsky
and Veselin Topalov for the right to challenge the World Champion is scheduled
for the second half of 2008. The Bulgarian side offered to finance and
stage the match, but Kamsky balked at playing on the territory of his
opponent. Now FIDE has extended the deadline for rival bids by twelve
days. The Bulgarian Chess Federation has protested
sharply. |
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Challengers Match Kamsky-Topalov to be held in Bulgaria...
14.02.2008 – ...unless a country comes up with
a US $250,000 bid by April 11th. FIDE has announced its decision to tentatively
accept the US $150,000 bid made by the Bulgarian Chess Federation. The
match is scheduled for Nov.-Dec. 2008, after the Anand-Kramnik match.
Spanish Playwright Fernando Arrabal has published the entire correspondence
between FIDE and Kamsky. Press
release and links. |
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Khanty-Mansiysk Final: Kamsky wins, to challenge Topalov
16.12.2007 – American GM Gata Kamsky has won
the FIDE World Cup. In the fourth game he was able to force a perpetual
check and hold Alexei Shirov to a draw, which meant that he had won the
Final with a score of 2.5:1.5 (three draws, one win). Kamsky won, did
not lose a single game and performed 102 points higher than his nominal
2714 rating. Congratulations
Gata! |
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Veselin Topalov and the new FIDE world championship
cycle
24.06.2007 – At the Presidential Board meeting,
which is currently being held in Tallinn, Estonia, FIDE has introduced
a new Grand Prix series and a new world championship cycle. With a high-ranking
Bulgarian delegation presenting a case for Veselin Topalov to enter the
world championship FIDE made some special rules to govern the 2007-2009
stage. We have tried to decipher
the new system. |
