Indians yet to awaken to Anand’s World chess final
Hari Hara Nandanan, TNN
31 July 2009, 03:27am IST
CHENNAI: It’s nearly nine months to go for the World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, and it seems Bulgaria has already stolen a march in mindgames.
The issue in question is that of hosting the April 2010 title bout. India is mulling a much-belated, last-ditch attempt even as Bulgaria is believed to have found enough sponsors to present a good bid.
Furthermore, with Bulgaria throwing in political might in good measure with their Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, a self-confessed chess lover, backing the bid, the chances of Anand playing a World championship final at home for the first time appear remote.
The deadline for presenting the bid to the World chess federation (FIDE) is September 30. The minimum prize fund for the match, prescribed by FIDE, is one million euros (apprx Rs 6.85 crore). The FIDE has to be paid 20 percent of the prize money (minimum Rs 1.35 crore) and other expenses could come to Rs 3 crore, making the total cost close to Rs 11.5 crore.
With the world champ himself expressing his keenness to take on Topalov at home, and the All India Chess Federation (AICF) only now awakening to the possibility, the mood in Sofia is upbeat with reports suggesting that the projected bid from the Bulgarian capital as host has found no opposition either from India or elsewhere.
However, AICF secretary DV Sundar seemed positive when he said the federation would write to NIIT, Anand’s biggest sponsor in the last two decades before making the official bid. “It is very difficult to get sponsors for chess unlike cricket or tennis and hockey,” lamented Sundar. “Unless the Government steps in, raising the bid amount will be tough.”
Meanwhile, speaking to TOI from Mainz, Anand said it would be up to the federation to put in the required bid. “I think it will be great to have the event in India. India has seen a lot of progress in the game. Hosting the event in india will be a big boost and will surely be followed closely by a very large audience.”
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sofia Palace of Culture to Host Topalov vs Anand WCC Match
If Sofia bid to host the world chess championship match between Veselin Topalov and V. Anand with a prize fund of three million euro wins, the venue will probably be the National Palace of Culture. Unlike the match of Veselin against Gata Kamsky, which took place in Hall 6, this time the organization committee will use another hall that has no access to sunlight.
“The Bulgarian Chess Federation submitted the documents for the organization of the match to the Council of Ministers under the previous government, but now we will submit them again, as the previous documents were dated end-May,” said Stefan Sergiev, President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation. Mr. Sergiev and Topalov’s manager, Silvio Danailov, are to be received by PM Boyko borissov by the end of next month.
If the government gives us a go, we will have to submit an application to FIDE by the end of September, including bank warranties and guarantees for the security of the players. The final decision will be announced during the 80th FIDE Congress in Kallithea, Halkidiki, Greece.
Source;-http://paper.standartnews.com/en/
Anand should play where the most money is being offered.
Anand (White) just lost against Aronian.
sure play in Bulgaria and Anand has no chance against Danailov and his cheating antics. Might as well refuse to play.But then Anand will take the money and hope for a miracle!
does anand like money?
There is something I do not understand? Why do not the chess players put up their own money and winner takes all?
Winner must take all. Only in chess the winner gets maybe 60% only.
Mainz
Anand 0/2
Anand – Aronian 0-1
Anand – Nepomniachtchi 0-1
Aronian 2/2
Anand – Aronian 0-1
Aronian – Naiditsch 1-0.
I am happy to see that the people in India is not supporting the Anand match. Everyone who knows anything about chess knows that Kramnik is still the only official World Champion. He is the only person on earth to defeat Garry Kasparov in a match. Look at Anand’s record against Kasparov (8 wins, 26 losses) and the fact that he was thoroughly rousted in the 1995 World Championship. Now look at Topalov’s last match, soundly drubbed by Kramnik with a game in hand at Elista. So now we have the Kasparov loser facing the Kramnik loser in a match for the World Chess Championship? Huh? Huh? Huh? The only thing of merit that will come out of this match is when Danialov starts dismantling Anand’s bidet looking for wires, and then links it back to a Gurka assassination team. That will be entertainment!!! Oh, and how many games will be played? More than 4 becomes too stressful to the current crop of top players, who could not even physically last in a 1980s style match against Kasparov or Karpov. FIDE should hand the title back to Gazza and beg him to come back!!!
“I am happy to see that the people in India is not supporting the Anand match. Everyone who knows anything about chess knows that Kramnik is still the only official World Champion….Bbbrrrrrraaaaaapppp!”
“”I am happy to see that the people in India is not supporting the Anand match….”
Looks like some Kramnik fans found his loss against Anand too traumatic to bear and have not yet recovered from their mental retardation…
Yup. Yall retarted.
“Everyone who knows anything about chess knows that Kramnik is still the only official World Champion.”
I completely agree! FIDE should let Kramnik to play “rematches” until Kramnik wins. After that FIDE should modify the world championship rules a little. They should go back to best of 24 games, with the defending champion (Kramnik) starting with 12-0. Of course the defending champion also has the draw odds, meaning that in case of 12-12 he keeps the title.
Thats what MUST be done by FIDE. Afterall like one of the previous posters said, Kramnik is the only one to defeat the almighty Kasparov.
Cannot expect anything from AICF …
the President loves cricket and golf more than chess whereas the Secretary
does not know even the basic moves!