There have been a lot of rumors about the upcoming World Championship in Mexico City since the Topalov – Kramnik WC match finished about ten days ago on October 13th 2006. I asked the Chief Organizer and Director of the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City, Mr. Jorge Saggiante about this matter. This was what he told me this morning:
“We have a contract with FIDE to host the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City next fall. We will not permit FIDE to change the format of the World Championship from what that has been agreed to.
We already transferred 100% of the prize funds to FIDE’s account and we have spent a significant amount of money and effort to promote this World Championship. We expect FIDE to stand by their words and honor the contract that we signed.
The people in Mexico are looking forward to an incredibly exciting event. The world will witness one of the most spectacular chess events in history next year in Mexico City.”
As I mentioned before, I have met countless organizers in my 30+ years in chess. Mr. Jorge Saggiante is definitely among one of the most professional organizers that I have ever met. I fully expect the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City to be a fabulous event.
Well then, I certainly hope that after 2007, we’ll have a proper format to determine the championship.
thx. What’s ur take on the tournament in general Susan and do you feel it should be a candidates match or the actual world championship itself?
Promote all you want, call it what you want – it will not be a world championship – just another super tournament that’s all.
If I were the organizer, I’d ask for a quick return of the money. It is clear to everyone who doesn’t refuse to see, that now with a Unified Champion there is NO NEED for a tournament like this. Its credibility is something next to zero.
Why be a stubborn organizer, Mehiko? Adjust to the new situation and offer to host A REAL CHAMPIONSHIP: a match with Kramnik and THE CHALLENGER. Or better yet host a candidates event and then THE MATCH.
Kramnik never world chapmion
just puppet champion
Well, I think the knockout format is not going to last. I do feel for the organizer and the 2007 one should go on, if for nothing else, than for ethics sake. FIDE should stand by its word and as you ehard they have already spend considerable amount of time and money.
However, after 2007 the championship matches between the champion and the challenger should be back. The chess fans want this.
The Mexican organizers ought to keep their money and stop making themselves a joke.
Kramnik is a worthy champion because he won a match not a tournament.
kramnik is not a worthy champion
Please let 2007 be the LAST tournament chosen world champ – and return to zonals, interzonals, candidates matches and a wc match.
So they paid for a 2007 WC Match? Let it be Kramnik v Radjabow or whoever is going to play him. THAT is a WC match.
Why the winner of Mexico = World Champ? Why not Linares or Dortmund etc? The point is one tournament is no different than the others.
The classical title no longer exists. There is only 1 title, which was the point of unification under FIDE. Furthermore the WC match participants agreed as part of their contract to the 2007 Mexico format for the winner.
Oops!
Some problems with text processing. Meant to say: Kramnik is a worthy champion!
The derogatory post toward Mr. Saggiante was deleted. You may express your opinion but no personal insults will be allowed on this site. Please respect the rule on this blog.
Thanks!
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
As I mentioned in another subject, the Mexico event was organized before it became known that the Kramnik-Topalov match will actually take place. If it didn’t, Mexico would have been the best “world championship substitute”.
However, the Kramnik-Topalov match took place and now we have a unified world champion. At this point the Mexico “invitational” no longer can be looked at as a real world championship, but I can see how and why the organizers can’t just “call it off”. It will however, create new confusions. Except of course if Kramnik will play and win the tournament. Any other variation will again mess up the title. If Kramnik plays and comes in third, what then? The same story all over again, he will claim that he just didn’t win a tournament, but he was not defeated in the type of match world championship titles are acknowledged for almost a century. Then Kramnik will claim to be the world champ, as well as the winner of the Mexico tournament? What then? The winner will play Kramnik for the title? That’s crazy.
I am puzzled that FIDE didn’t make any, at least theoretical arrangements, in case if the Kramnik-Topalov match takes place (as it did), as for how to continue and select the world champion in the future. Surely, they didn’t think that the yearly invitational tournament which was not really accepted to put forth a real world champ, suddenly will from 2007?
Very confusing.
Gabor
“I am puzzled that FIDE didn’t make any, at least theoretical arrangements, in case if the Kramnik-Topalov match takes place”
Gabor, this is FIDE. Since when did they show foresight in anything?
The censorship here is like in a communist dictatorship, but let it not be forgotten, that the Mexicans paid for the rights to the FIDE title, at a time when the Classical title existed outside of FIDE. If the Mexicans will insist on the Tournament being THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, then the title will be de-unified. That is a fact. Also it is bad PR for sponsors to piss off their target groups. Chess fans want to see a match.
“We have a contract with FIDE to host the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City next fall. We will not permit FIDE to change the format of the World Championship from what that has been agreed to.”
That’s pretty clear, then. It means the title has to be split up again, at least temporarily. Because what they agreed to was a tournament for FIDE’s world title only. Not for the Classical Title, not for the Unified Title. To put the entire Unified Title on the line in Mexico would mean changing the format, which they say they won’t agree to.
>>Kramnik never world chapmion
just puppet champion
>>
You misspelled “Topalov”.
So Fide signed a contract with a bunch of selfish people who what what they want and they want it now.
I have no sympathy for Mexico. They knew the risks going into the contract. They must have taken measures to control the risk.
I just do not buy their position at all. If they want to help chess then they should help chess not make things worse.
We do not need people making things worse. We need people who help make things better.