To All National Chess Federations & Media
Dear chess friends,
Today is a historic day for our sport! After months of consultations with both players, I am pleased to announce that the World Championship match Topalov vs Kramnik will be held 21 September – 13 October 2006 in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia.
Both players and their managers have agreed with all the technical details of the match, which will consist of 12 games, and the prize fund will be a guaranteed minimum amount of 1 million US dollars.
This great match will undoubtedly end any confusion about the World Championship status after the unfortunate schism which occurred in 1993. In the beginning of my first term as FIDE President, back in 1995, I promised to work for unity within FIDE in all aspects. As for the World Championship title, it was not easy to satisfy all demands of the involved parties during all these years but we always kept our principles and actions within the true spirit of our motto GENS UNA SUMUS.
Today our efforts have been justified!
We are all looking forward to this great event, the World Chess Championship Match 2006. I would like to stress once more that we shall definitely continue to work for a strong and united FIDE. As we have already done for the past 10 years.
May the best player win!
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
FIDE President
Match Regulations:
1. Match Regulations
1. 1 Format & System
Match System: The World Chess Championship match will consist of 12 games and possible tie-breaks.
2. 1 Schedule of the World Chess Chamopionship MatchThe World Chess Championship match will be played according to the following schedule:
OPENING CEREMONY – 21 September 2006, 7.00 p.m.
DAY 2 – 22 September 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 3 – 23 September 2006, 3.00 p.m – GAME 1
DAY 4 – 24 September 2006, 3.00 p.m – GAME 2
DAY 5 – 25 September 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 6 – 26 September 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 3
DAY 7 – 27 September 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 4
DAY 8 – 28 September 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 9 – 29 September 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 5
DAY 10 – 30 September 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 6
DAY 11 – 1 October 2006, Reversal of Colours – REST DAY
DAY 12 – 2 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 7
DAY 13 – 3 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 8
DAY 14 – 4 October 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 15 – 5 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 9
DAY 16 – 6 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 10
DAY 17 – 7 October 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 18 – 8 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 11
DAY 19 – 9 October 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 20 – 10 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – GAME 12
DAY 21 – 11 October 2006 – REST DAY
DAY 22 – 12 October 2006, 3.00 p.m. – TIE BREAKS
CLOSING CEREMONY – 13 October 2006, 7.00 p.m.
The rest of the regulations can be read here. 
On Day 11, what is reversal of colours? Don’t they alternate colours every game anyway?
hmmm, good question — sticking my neck out, I would say it possibly means that the player who has white for the 6th game will have white again after the rest day…? Therefore breaking strict alternation. That is all I can think of anyway, failing 6 games with white then 6 with black, which would be a bit of a shame 😀
Imagine the schedule “White, Black, rest day.” It’s a bit artificial to have a full day to prepare for one color & have to prepare for the other color when exhausted.
This was an issue in the Kasparov-Kramnik match.
Bill Brock, Chicago
Can someone clear up what is going on with the reversal of colors and how the colors will be played out in all the games. this is not at all clear.