FIDE Grand Prix to take place in Astrakhan
Proposed dates are in late April 2010
Report by Chessdom.com
Governor of Astrakhan region Alexander Zhilkin and FIDE commercial director Geoffrey Borg discussed the possibility of hosting the final Grand Prix tournament in Astrakhan, Russia, in April 2010. “Astrakhan Oblast is interested to invest in the development of chess in this region” – Mr. Zhilkin explained why he agreed to participate in this project, “I am sure that interest will be high”- he added.
Mr. Zhilkin also confirmed that FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov first approached him with the proposal. Astrakhan Oblast is located around the river Volga and its inflow with the Caspian Sea, bordering Kazakhstan on the east and Kalmykia on west.
The two sides have agreed on the playing venue and dates for the competition. According to the Governor, the building of the new Opera House will be finished in the first quarter of the next year, after which the tournament could start. The proposed dates are sometime in the late April, because “then the weather is nice.”
Earlier, Karlovy Vary withdrew from the cycle. News source, thanks to e3e5.com
FIDE is best. USCF sucks.