Corporate Commercial Bank will award the winner in M-Tel Masters 2008 with BGN 100 000 if he is Bulgarian
(Sofia, 8 May 2008) Corporate Commercial Bank will award the winner in the fourth edition of the international super chess tournament M-Tel Masters with BGN 100,000 (around 51,000 euros!) if he is Bulgarian. The financial institution is main sponsor of the competition that starts today in the Central Military Club in Sofia with the first games. For the 6–figure bonus will compete two players – Veselin Topalov and Ivan Cheparinov.
The program for today includes the games Aronian – Topalov, Cheparinov, Xiangzhi and Radjabov – Ivanchuk. They will start at 15:00 local time and can be followed live on mtelmasters.com
Corporate Commercial Bank is a traditional sponsor of the Bulgarian sport. In 2007 the financial institution began unique for Bulgaria campaign named The Big Check in which rewards with BGN 10,000 every Bulgarian sportsman became first in the world and with BGN 5,000 those who were first in Europe. The winners are presented with a symbolic check of Corporate Commercial Bank.
Source: Mtel Masters
This M-tel tourney is designed for Topalov. Dou you think Cheparinov will play his best chess if Topa may win the tournament? Topa plays in reality 8 games and have two more days off compared to Aronian and the others. This is known from F1 where the second driver is ordered to lose against nr 1 if necessary. I guess Aronian and the the others are well payed to eenter this tourney under these condtitions. I am a sceptic? yes, at least the toruney is arranged in reality compared to some strange tourneys in eastern europe and asia, whre the elo where sky rocketed t.ex. for some well known FIDE vice-presidents and others. To let seconds play in the same tournament as the number 1 is ethically questionably. Topa is of course a good player and I wish him all luck, but this Danailov team should not be invited to other tourneys togehter.
Well, I do not agree your view at all. There are many tournaments where there are 2,3 Russian players but they still play against each other. In Baku we had 3 Azeri GMs for God’s sake! I am sure Cheparinov and Topalov will have great games.
I just want to mention that Mtel is probably in top 4 of the most professional tournaments in the world. Everything is top notch as organization. The venue is fantastic, the money is good, they are showing the matches live on national TV(its like the Bulgarian BBC, everybody watches it)and on the website. The tournament really engages people and particularly young people which are the future of chess. Danailov is a top business man. He is really good at organizing events and finding corporate backing. Chess desperately needs such people.
Mr anonymous, you said it is “ethically questionably” to let seconds play in the same tournaments as the number 1… What about Van Wely and Kramnik in Corus? Were were you to tell us how “ethically questionably” is that?
where*
yes, it is ethcically questionably whether its Topa/Chepa or Van Wely/Kramnik, Nielsen/Carlsen etc. For the seconds salary is paid of the nr 1 winnings. And it doesnt matter if they come from the same nation (those cold war days are over), the problem is that they are from the same team! The tourney is probably perfect and its a show in your country these days. Thats good. Players from the same team are not.
the M-Tel masters has the best chess event Web site for sure.