The big show underway

The World Chess Title Match between Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov and the current world champion, Viswanathan Anand of India, was formally opened in Sofia.

Bulgaria’s Topalov will have the advantage to play with the white pieces in the first match, it became clear during the opening ceremony that took place in the Military Club in downtown Sofia.

The World Chess Title Match was opened by the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the President of the international chess federation FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

Topalov and Anand will play 12 games. In case they finish with a tie, they will hold a tiebreaker including 4 games of fast chess.

Earlier on Wednesday, the international chess federation FIDE announced that the actual first game will be postponed by one day.

FIDE says that in accordance with chapter 7.4 of the match regulations as well as article 2.4 of the World Chess Championship Agreement the competition is to start on Saturday, April 24th 2010, at 3 pm.

The Indian Chess Federation asked for the match to be postponed by 3 days over the delayed arrival to Sofia of India’s defending champion Viswanathan Anand after his flight was canceled due to the volcanic ash cloud drifting over Europe.

Similarly to thousands of air travelers around the world, Anand was stranded in Frankfurt and had to take a 40-hour car trip to Bulgaria. The Indian Federation insist their champion is too tired which will give an advantage to Bulgarian Veselin Topalov. The Bulgarian Organizing Committee refused Tuesday to postpone the first game.

The official statement of FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos to Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, who is also the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, explaining the FIDE motives for the delay can be read HERE.