Everyone's favorite science-fiction website, FIDE.com, recently posted Word documents related to the 2005 unification match between Garry Kasparov and new FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov. (Couldn't they find a photo of Kasparov from the last 10 years?) Bidding for sponsorship of the match ends September 15.
It's hard to judge the market interest. The stakes are high, and Kasimdzhanov proved himself by beating Adams, Topalov, Grischuk, and Ivanchuk in Tripoli. But the Unknown Uzbekistani will still be a huge underdog against Kasparov. Last week's suicide bombings in Tashkent don't augur well for local sponsorship, but dictator Karimov is far from predictable. Kasimdzhanov is contractually obligated to play and I doubt Kasparov will hold out for big bucks here when what he really wants is a shot at Kramnik/Leko. The 12-game Kasparov-Kasimdzhanov match is very tentatively scheduled for January, 2005.
Drug testing the players isn't mentioned in the match regulations, but paying for it is in the sponsorship bidding form. Was there drug testing in Tripoli? I don't recall hearing anything about it. A section in the bidding document asks whether or not visas will be guaranteed for players' delegations, guests, and journalists. Better late than never!
Well, i read the regulations and the conditions for the match. I wonder how FIDE organizes its matches with such conditions. 6000$ the arbiters, 10000$ each member of Appeals Comittee (3), FIDE Treasurer, General Secretary, suite for the President, ... it's very difficult to organize this kind of tournaments...
I think we will see a lot of tournaments in so called 3rd world countries...
It's been said many times, but the best thing for chess now would be a World Championship Tournament, a.k.a. 1948. Kramnik, Kasparov, Anand, Shirov, Ponomoriov, & Kasimdzhanov.
I agree with Noyb. Chess world has been in anomaly ever since Kasparov and Short broke up from FIDE as there hasn't been a credible qualification cycle or in regular intervals. A 1948 style event with the top players will result in a more credible unification. In any case, by Jan 2005 is well beyond the dates stipulated by the Prague agreement, which can thus be considered to have lapsed.
Interesting to see Mig trying to build up Kasim's credibility and doesn't mention that most of his wins in the FIDE KO were in rapids/tiebreaks. While he was going on and on about Kramnik reaching the Dortmund final after winning in rapid games.
If there is no credible unification alternative, the ACP tour proposed by Lautier should be a good option.
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1836#statement
It will also solve a lot of the ills discussed in recent discussions.
- More positive/aggressive play as opposed to short draws.
- More activity, as in that case some bad results can be discarded.
- Chance for more positive players (like Moro and Rublevsky) to qualify despite not getting into super-GM tournaments.
Here is the relevant extract:
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Another positive effect is that good results are emphasized and poor ones ignored. Contrary to the current elo rating system, where a participant is sanctioned when playing below expectations and must, as a result, be careful in his choice of tournaments, the ACP points system rewards players for their activity and ambitious play. Since one excellent result and two bad ones will still earn you more points than three average results, taking risks becomes the recommended approach. This should bring more excitement to our sport where until now, elite tournaments have sometimes produced disappointing results for the fans as the players were being too cautious.
*****
Mig, do you think Kasparov should join the ACP tour? And, will he?
Regards,
Kapalik
i agree with noyb too, but I would definitely replace ponomariov by Leko, as he has much more claim to a shot at the crown than pono, who repeatedly spurned his chances. I guess Shirov is in there because of his lost chance after beating kramnik, fair enough. I would also replace kasim by Morozevich on the grounds that he's a better player, and the most exciting since Tal. But that's just me..