The Bulgarian’s request to add Topalov into the World Championship in Mexico City has been placed in the agenda of FIDE meeting in Talin.
As reported by the wonderful site www.chessdom.com, FIDE has acknowledged the requests from the Bulgarian Chess Federation. Danailov, Lecheva, and Sergiev will attend the meeting in Talin to represent Topalov. Perhaps there will be something about adding Topalov in the World Championship in Mexico City after all. Stay tune for the update!
Special thanks to our friends at chessdom for bringing us the up to date news.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Adhering to the pre-set rules for the WCC would show neither bias nor favoritism to anyone.
Changing the rules would show clear favoritism to Topalov and disrupt the planned format.
Hopefully all that will happen is for FIDE to point to the signature on the agreement and change nothing.
Ken
The problem with them hearing his case is that he hasn’t got one…
To add interest to the World Championship they ought to add Magnus Carlsen and Judit Polgar. Just because they both lost the qualifier match (which the World Championship was for Topalov) they should be petitioned into the Mexico City tournament by their respective Chess Federations.
I say let him play and then add a WildCard spot to make it an even 10 player event. Have a tournament open to >2700 players to determine the 10th player.
Topalov’s lack of concern for others is a bit troubling here. The 2700 Rule never guaranteed him a match before Mexico. In fact the late start of Elista made a second match almost impossible no matter who had won.
But there is one person who really was entitled to a title shot, and who really has been deprived of it, and that person is Teimour Radjabov.
Over a year ago, he signed for this title match against Topalov:
http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3106
…which was to have been played some time around April 2007, but thanks to Topalov’s defeat, Radjabov’s shot seems to have gone up in smoke.
Topalov seems very concerned about the loss of his own shot, but at least that was lost in over-the-board play. That’s the way it goes. But Radjabov has been left out in the cold through no fault of his own, yet there’s not a word from the Bulgarian Federation about getting him added to Mexico as well.
It’s especially sticky, since Topalov’s claim is based on the 2700 Rule, which is the same rule that Radjabov challenged under. You’d think his challenge would have priority.
no matter what the consequence is, Topalov has his Government and Federation standing behind him. It really means something. When USCF can stand up to support our fighters?
Yes, it seems Topalov should not be allowed to have a spot in the World Championship. I am sure there are numerous other players who can make claims as to why they should be allowed in the World Championship. FIDE should be strict about the rules and stay consistent.
From a subjective point of view, I would love to see Kramnik in the final (now 9 with inclusion). Using past performance and rating, the objective case can easily be made, and the exclusion itself is the anamoly.
Correction: I would love to see Topalov in the final…..
I hope that FIDE desides to place him in Mexico and subsequently Kramnik withdraws and tosses the entire chess world into kaos again.
Talk about making your bed and sleeping in it…When will Topalov stop crying about losing? He was gifted a game and he still could not win.
Enough is enough. What an ass he is making of himself.
Graeme, you’re missing the point here — this is not about Topalov, but about chess. Do you think that the Mexico sponsors are passive in this case? Don’t be so naive…
D.
>>
Dimi said…
Graeme, you’re missing the point here — this is not about Topalov, but about chess. Do you think that the Mexico sponsors are passive in this case? Don’t be so naive…
>>
Well, in that case, I’m still missing the point, because, although you alluded to one, you didn’t actually say what it was.
But if the results of qualifying tournaments don’t matter, then why bother holding them at all? If it’s about the chess, then it seems that the results the chess have to matter. Otherwise, it’s not about the chess.
Herck, I was very sorry when Tal lost to Polugaevsky in the Candidates, but if they’d passed Tal along to the semifinals anyway (on the grounds that he played such interesting chess), it would make the whole thing rather pointless.
As for the Mexico organizers, they would seem to have a choice before them. It’s been suggested many times to replace Kramnik with Topalov, and make it a Candidates Tournament. So far they haven’t been interested. If it comes down to either Topalov or a Championship Tournament, it seems they’ve made their choice.
It seems to me that if FIDE lets Topalov play Mexico then they have broken the contracts.
According to Kramnik interview, it was FIDE that insisted on the clause that the loser can not play Mexico.
Now if Kramnik had lost Fide would never consider letting Kramnik play Mexico.
Now Kramnik is bound by a contract to play Mexico. However, it seems obvious to me that if Fide breaks the contract by allowing Topalov to play Mexico then Kramnik does not have to play Mexico because the contract will be null and void. Broken by Fide.
Mexico should be a candidates match to choose a challenger to Kramnik. All else is crazy.
If they want to break the rules then put in Magnus. There should be more interest in seeing him play than Topalov who has been fading fast.
If I was Kramnik, I would notify Fide that if they let Topalov play Mexico then he will not play Mexico. Kramnik should say that he considers Mexico to be a tournament to choose a challenger for a Championship Match if Topalov is allowed to play.
>>
Dimi said…
Graeme, you’re missing the point here — this is not about Topalov, but about chess. Do you think that the Mexico sponsors are passive in this case? Don’t be so naive…
>>
Incidentally, if I’m missing the point, so is Sergiev. You may say that Topalov has no right to be there other than that you like his play, but Sergiev claims that he does. None of his arguments have stood up to any examination, granted, but that is his claim, just the same.
How could FIDE listen to their case, when there is no case?
The only case is to ban Topalov from chess!
Here is my case for banning Topalov, I’m sure everyone agrees: Bronstein writes Zurich 1953. Alekhine writes New York 1924. Fischer writes my 60 memorable games. Kasparov writes My Great Predecessors. Alexei Shirov writes Fire on the Board! Topalov has “Toiler war” ghost-written. What a muck.
“If they want to break the rules then put in Magnus. There should be more interest in seeing him play than Topalov who has been fading fast.”
Second that. If they’re going to give a free spot to somebody who’s already been eliminated, then Magnus, not Topalov, should get it after that fantastic performance last week.
Let it be a pay seat. Let him pay $1 million that he had arranged for the revenge match and add it to the Prize fund!. I think Anand and kramnik wont mind it.( I dont think anyone else has that good chance. Also add a clause that he should not get the additional prize money in case he wins (unlikely). Of course add one more player like say Ivanchuk which will definitely make tournament the best ever played in years!!
IMO, Topalov should replace Kramnik in the Mexico championship. Since, the ineer of Mexico is anyway slated to challenge Kraminik, it does not make any sense for Kramnik to participate.
Well, Kramnik and his croonies continue to win the battle of unjust ways to become a world Champion BUT what can be done. We must admit they have won the battle, and it is useless for us, who want to have a dignified, fair World Champion to fight against them. “Them”/the cronies includes the most important chess media people (The Week in Chess, Chessbase etc.), it is hopeless to fight agsint them)*sigh*
The problem with chess is that everybody wants to have a saying to the rules, regardless of who they are and before, during or after the games. Oh just shut up and follow the rules they’ve signed. Loser does not play in Mexico. That was the deal. End of story. “Concreteness” of our game is much more important than changing plans and decisions every now and then.
Graeme, you can doodle and twiddle the logic anyway you want and you
probably wouldn’t even be wrong. Because the entire situation is
pretty messed up… The lid of it is Kramnik’s guaranteed match in
case he doesn’t win Mexico. This wasn’t in the contract, right? Don’t
try to portray Topalov as the only Party who creatively construct the
rules. In light of that — worse things have happened to Chess than
adding Topalov to the Finals — the last man who Won this Tournament.
Don’t get me wrong — personally, I’d prefer if Topalov skips Mexico
because I do not feel that he is very hot right now. But it is not
like the Chess World will turn anymore upside-down than it already
is. I’m sure the Mexico organizers would like to have a solid event
with the full crew present.
The real root cause of all this is that nobody could get Kramnik for
years to play and all kinds of messy clauses got put into place. And
as long as he has the power to do whatever he wants with the help of
Zhukov and the Kremlin crew, crazier things will happen. My view is
that the Grand Slam is the way to go…
D.
>>no matter what the consequence is, Topalov has his Government and Federation standing behind him. It really means something. When USCF can stand up to support our fighters? >>
Do we WANT the USCF to support our players even when they’re in the wrong? I’m not sure I do.
“Well, Kramnik and his croonies continue to win the battle of unjust ways to become a world Champion BUT what can be done.”
Beats me. Your position is basically irrational, kind of like the guy who blames his favorite love-to-hate politician when his picnic is rained out. Topalov tries to breach a contract, and that makes you think how evil Kramnik is. It’s so dumb it’s almost funny.
>>It’s so dumb it’s almost funny.
Hee hee, I especially liked the part about how The Week in Chess, Chessbase, they’re all in on it!
But I don’t think that guy was serious. Probably he was a Kramnik fan lampooning how irrational his enemies sometimes are. Notice that he didn’t actually say anything bad about Kramnik, just assured us that bad things existed.