World’s Best Chess Player Suspected of Immoral Ties With a computer

The chess world has been rocked by a scandal. Kommersant has learned that the Association of Chess Professionals is about to begin an investigation of suspicions that former world chess champion and first-ranked player in the FIDE (World Chess Federation) rating Veselin Topalov regular received advice from the auditorium during his matches. It is possible that, if the investigation goes ahead, it will use a video recording of one of his matches that is already in the possession of Kommersant. Topalov’s manager Silvio Danailov has stated that a suit has already been filed against the German journalist whose publication whipped up the scandal and that similar action will be taken against anyone who tries to besmirch Topalov’s reputation.

Pavel Tregubov, president of the Association of Chess Professionals, told Kommersant yesterday that his organization – trade union of sorts, to which most of the top chess players belong – is ready to investigate suspicions that Topalov, the world’s top-rated grandmaster, regular violates rules by receiving advice from his manager and trainer Danailov, who in turn uses computer analyses. “I don’t know yet what measures could be taken, but the problem has become pressing,” Tregubov told Kommersant. “Before computers, there was no sense in a leading grandmaster taking advice. The person giving the advice would not be a better player than the one at the board. Such incidents occurred at children’s or amateur competitions. But now it is possible that the problem has reached the elite level. And I think FIDE should take up the problem, possible jointly with the ACP. If there is weighty enough evidence, we will contact the federation.”

Berik Balgabaev, advisor to FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, told Kommersant yesterday that, if contacted officially, the organization may organize an investigation of the accusations against the Bulgarian chess player. “But we have no right to undertake anything before being contacted,” Balgabaev added. “A special commission has already been established in FIDE headed by vice president Geoff Borg to address the problem of cheating, that is receiving advice, as a whole, and will make proposals to solve it. Believe me, we consider it a serious problem.”

The legendary Anatoly Karpov supported Danailov. The 12th champion of the world told Kommersant that the accusations against Topalov of “computer doping” are “beneath criticism.”

Here is the full article.

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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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