GTK just sent me this list from 1998 with my sisters. I was was the reigning Women’s World Champion that year and I was supposed to defend my title 2 years (FIDE rule) after I won it in February 1996. I spent a lot of money and time to train very hard with GMs Lev Psakhis, Maurice Ashley, the late IM Victor Frias and others, to defend my title. I was ready to go.
Unfortunately, FIDE was never able to come up with the minimum 300,000 SFR guaranteed prize fund or a neutral venue (both are FIDE rules) for the match. FIDE then offered toward the end of 1998 (around 8 months late) to have a match for only $100,000 and in China. All three conditions violated FIDE own rules. In addition, I was already 4 months pregnant and I was not given the proper time to recover.
That was the end of the classical chess matches for the Women’s World Championship title. FIDE then started to employ the knockout system after. I am sad that I was never able to play a second match against Xie Jun. There was a lot of animosity due to the circumstances at that time. We met again at the Olympiad in 2004 and had a chance to clear out any misunderstanding. Our relationship is now very good and I hope to be able to collaborate with her some time in the future to promote chess and especially women’s chess.
Thanks GTK for sharing it.
There won’t ever be another Polgar sisters.
Maybe not but that is why it makes this so special! They made history which is unique in itself. That is why I can appreciate looking back at that moment in time.
GTK
Susan was black and it was a draw. US defeated China 2-1, their first loss in the 2004 Olympiad.
“There won’t ever be another Polgar sisters.”
Of course there will. In China.
I know the pains of raising funds for a chess match that never happens! Perhaps FIDE can help itself out by adding a new role:
Before enagaging participants for a title match, they must procure funding!
That’s what I did in my quest to have a match between two well known combatants. That way, if either of them bail out, the blame can rest on them, and not the organization.
It is unfortunate that we live in a world where rap music artists make millions of dollars per year screaming (can’t call it singing) about killing cops and doing drugs, but intellectually worthy pursuits, like chess, have to suffer such poor perceptions.