Chennai gets World Chess Championship match
Press Trust Of India
Updated Aug 11, 2011 at 07:38pm IST
Chennai: In an apparent bid to placate India after Chennai was deprived of the World Chess Championship Match between Vishwanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand of Israel next year, the game’s world governing body has now offered the 2013 edition of the prestigious event to the city.
In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said the world body would want All India Chess Federation to host the 2013 Match.
“This is to recall that the FIDE delegation headed by President called on the Chief Minister for the organisation of this match at Chennai. The Hon’ble Cheif Minister was spontaneous in giving her consent to organise this match at Chennai and sanctioned an amount of USD 4.4 million towards expenses which included USD 2.25 million as prize money,” Ilyumzhinov said in the letter released by AICF Vice-President D V Sundar.
“However, the match was allotted to Moscow as their bid towards prize money was USD 2.55 million. Impressed by the Chief Minister’s love for the game of chess and graciously agreeing to his request, the FIDE President has offered the 2013 match to the All India Chess Federation,” according to the letter.
The FIDE president said “to our knowledge this is the first time ever that FIDE has offered a title match to anyone directly.”
Chennai was tipped to host the Championship Match and the chess fraternity was waiting in anticipation that world champion Anand will defend his title at his home city. The match was later given to Moscow, apparently because the Russian capital had offered more prize money.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com
Why should India bid for a match in 2013 when Gelfand is the world champion?
It is not like India is desperate to fund a World Chess Championship match.
They only offered to show support for a favourite son.
Such money could finance Indian chess for many years to come but the Tamil Nadu government would not do that as it is not for chess.
FIDE just wants the 20& of prize fund secured in advance
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,its good to know that FIDE in its decision level had come up to directly offer the opportunity for India to host chess game in 2013.[ Its really a good and welcoming decision ]
Credit should go to Indian Government and in specific to TamilNadu state Honorable Chief Minister “Ms.J Jayalalithaa’s” spontaneous response to the bidding process for the up coming tournament(Though we lost the bid),which had correctly signaled, Indians zeal towards the sport to the decision makers in FIDE.
FIDE should also be credited for their gracious direct offering to India to host 2013 event,made at the decision making level.
By
Venky { India – Chennai ]
Makes no sense. Vishy will be the defending champion and in 2013 would Carlsen, Kramnik or Aronian agree to a title match against Anand in India?
Ok, maybe a dumb question here, but if there’s a World Championship match in Moscow next year, how can there be another in 2013 in India? I thought that the World Championship cycle was every 3 years. I realize I haven’t been keeping up with the chess scene for awhile, but was this something that changed recently?
Vishy will have accomplished a monumental achievement if he is to successfully defend his title against the likes of Aronian, Carlsen, Kramnik, or any of the others in the 2013 World Chess Championship. Good luck to all the participants.