The Challenge Match
On January 19, 2007 Silvio Danailov and sent FIDE a new
bank guarantee (the first was not
accepted by FIDE's financial partners) made out by the Bulbank UniCredit
Group for a sum of two million dollars to cover a proposed challenge match between
former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov and the current unified world champion
Vladimir Kramnik. FIDE has confirmed that this guarantee has been received and
that all documents were in order.
A decision on the proposed challenge match will be taken on the 27th of January,
during the FIDE Presidential Board meeting in Antalya, Turkey. FIDE has also
briefed the Kramnik team about the current situation. On January 28 (Sunday),
at the end of the Wijk aan Zee tournament, we expect Vladimir Kramnik to make
a full public statement on the matter.
We are told that the exact wording of FIDE's letter to Topalov/Danailov, which
has not yet been released publicly, is: "Your proposal will be discussed
in Antalia on the 27th of January, and then we will decide when the match Kramnik-Topalov
will take place.” In this connection it will be interesting to see how
FIDE proposes to meet the deadlines specified in its own rules.
As we mentioned in a previous
article the FIDE rules state that any player with a FIDE rating of 2700
and above can issue a challenge for a match of 12 games for the World Championship
title against the incumbent World Champion. The challenger’s side must provide
a sum of one million US$ as guaranteed prize money for the incumbent World Champion,
as well as all organisational costs, including a 20% contribution fee to FIDE.
The exact rules for the challenge are to be found on the FIDE
site. In the case of Topalov's challenge it would seem very difficult to
meet the deadlines. On the one hand we find the following passage in the rules:
2.3 The match should be terminated at least six (6) months before the start
of the World Championship Tournament, due to be held in September/October
2007.
2.4 The challenger’s side should present the bank guarantees, for the
whole sums described in articles 2.1.a, 2.1.b and 2.2, at the same time as
his proposal, after which FIDE shall organise the match within a 5-month period.
Rule 2.4 would appear to mean that FIDE undertakes to implement a valid proposal
within a period of five months after it has been issued. That could be interpreted
as being between zero and five months. However in a different passage we find
the following:
3. 21. 1. 1 After the Presidential Board (or the FIDE President) has approved
who shall be selected to organize the event, the challenger’s side shall
deposit, not later than 45 days before the start of the match, in escrow,
net and free of all taxes, with the FIDE bankers the full sums of money, as
described in articles 2.1.a, 2.1.b and 2.2, and all costs related to FIDE
as stipends, travel, full board and lodge and other administrative costs for
communications etc in accordance with a budget agreed between FIDE and the
Organizers.
Not later than 45 days before the start of the match, FIDE shall also be
reimbursed for its direct expenses incurred in the organization of the match.
This shall be a fixed sum of 35,000 USD towards the budget of the World Chess
Championship Committee (WCCC) plus a fixed sum of 25,000 USD for the expenses
of the live transmission of the games via the internet, as described below
in article 3.21.1.4. The WCCC shall advise and help the Organiser(s) on protocol,
budget, infrastructure, media, commentary, bulletin and other technical problems.
If this 45-day-period is taken into account, then the proposed world championship
challenge by Topalov and Danailov runs into serious scheduling problems. There
are less than eight months between the date of the bank guarantee being issued
and the start for the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City (September 12th
2007). The match itself would last for at least 15 days, leaving less than the
prescribed 45 days for the preparation and organisation of the match.
The tournament in Wijk aan Zee ends on January 28th, after which Veselin Topalov
is scheduled to play in the Morelia/Linares tournament, which lasts from February
16 to March 2nd. But a world championship challenge would have to end before
March 12th in order for the six-month period before the next world championship
to elapse, as specified in section 2.3 of the rules quoted above. At the very
least Topalov would have to cancel his participation in Morelia/Linares.
Danailov: Give us 48 hours!

Unflinching: Veselin Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov
In Wijk aan Zee we had an opportunity to discuss the situation with Topalov's
manager Silvio Danailov. Even if, we said, by a very generous interpretation
of the rules and a radical adjustment of schedules it was actually possible
to hold a challenge match in February-March of this year, did he actually believe
that, after the extremely hostile atmosphere of the 2006 world championship
match in Elista, Vladimir Kramnik would actually agree to play a new match in
Sofia, Bulgaria, where it is scheduled to be held? Danailov's reply: "Why
not?" (long question, short answer). "After all that happened would
Veselin for instance agree to play a match in Moscow?" we insisted. "Immediately,"
said Silvio. "Give us 48 hours and we will be there, ready to play."