Last week, I posted about President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and the World Championship in Mexico City next September. Today, ChessBase just published the interesting interview with FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov on Sports Express. According to the President, Kramnik has no problem playing in Mexico City. So the interesting thing what will happen to the official challenge by Topalov for next April? This is the problem when rules and format are changed constantly. Here are 2 of the key questions:

And now the question which all chess fans are interested in – will the reigning world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, play in Mexico?

Ilyumzhinov: I don’t understand why this question arises. Vladimir has never once said that he will not play in the Tournament of Eight in Mexico. When I spoke to him in Bonn, during the opening ceremony of the match with the Machine, I understood that, as world champion, he is concerned about two things. That there should be a clear system for determining the world championship, and that at the end, the title should be decided in a match. And our reforms do both these things.

… This “next time” will depend a great deal on the outcome of the world championship in Mexico. Four of the players are already known: Kramnik, Anand, Svidler and Morozevich. All that remains is to determine the other four.

Ilyumzhinov: I can add that the entire prize fund has already been paid over to FIDE’s account by the Mexico organisers. The players will stay and play in one of the best hotels in Mexico City, the Sheraton. The people of Mexico are greatly looking forward to the world championship.

The full article can be read here. Posted by Picasa

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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