Topalov: ‘This match is going to be very tough’
12.02.2009 – It starts next Monday, the special Candidates Match between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky in Sofia. The Topalov team has already taken residence in the Bulgarian capital, Kamsky and his helpers arrive today. Topalov, a Bulgarian who lives in Spain, enjoys the home field advantage – theoretically. There are, as he stresses, also disadvantages. Interview with Dagobert Kohlmeyer.
“This match is going to be very tough”
Interview with Veselin Topalov on his upcoming match against Gata Kamsky
By Dagobert Kohlmeyer
Monday, February 16 is the start of the World Championship Candidates Final between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky, to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria. Former World Champion Veselin Topalov, who is a native of Bulgaria (but lives mainly in Spain) and US grandmaster Gata Kamsky, originally from Novokuznetsk in Russia – he is from a Tatar family and was originally called Gataulla (Gata) Kamskiy – will play an eight-game match. The prize fund is US $250,000, and winner is scheduled to challenge World Champion Viswanathan Anand later this year.
The Topalov team has been in Sofia for a week now, while Gata Kamsky and his team will arrive in the Bulgarian capital today (Thursday, February 12th). The former have taken residence in the five star Kempinski Zografski hotel, while the Kamsky team will be in the five start Hilton just across the street from the venue, the 6th Hall of the National Palace of Culture.
Here is the interview.
Who will win the Topalov – Kamsky match?
V. Topalov
G. Kamsky
Click here to vote.
No chance for Kamsky.
I dread seeing one day Kamsky as world champion. He is clearly not the best chess player anymore, has no charisma, no good team and a weak USCF to support him – altogether, no ability to promote world chess as it deserves to be.
Topalov is under pressure but hopefully he can focus on chess. An entire nation (Bulgaria) is firmly behind him and he is no. 1 on rating list. Having said that I hope Anand will retian the title over either of these two guys until a better WC contender comes by.
Pali
neither will make for a decent World Champion.So I hope,whomsoever wins here loses to Anand.
Wow 2 matches away from world title and gata gets no help thats cold blooded, while topy gets to play in his country under his conditions,and in top form and all kinds of assistance,seems a bit too much to ask but we wish him well and we will see.
Topy doesn’t get anything.
Kamsky had almost a year to find sponsors for a match on neutral ground or in USA. Nobody wanted to organise it. Bulgarians were the only ones who wanted to organise this match so why shouldn’t they get it??? Or do you preffer if the match wouldn’t happen at all?
“Or do you preffer [sic] if the match wouldn’t happen at all?”
Of course!
Kamsky alraedy qualified for a Title-match with winning the Grand Prix. The match against Topalov is completely superfluous and just a free lunch for Topalov.
No wonder only the Bulgarians wanted to organize it.
Let’s say the winner Kamsky-Topalov has to play against Nigel Short in order to qualify for a match against Anand (let’s assume Danailov manages Short and he bribes FIDE); in that case only the British would step up to organize such an event…
Gutter Kamsky or Vaseline Topailov? Good God!
Topalov is at the top of his game and the match is being held in Bulgaria. I hope Kamsky plays well, despite the odds. Anyway, he is used to being the underdog in matches so perhaps he can produce a brilliant game or two. In a short match like this, it just might be enough.
“Gutter Kamsky or Vaseline Topailov? Good God!”
How about Weaselin Topalov?
“Kamsky alraedy qualified for a Title-match with winning the Grand Prix.”
Kamsky didn’t win the Grand Prix, he won the 2007 World Cup!
And no, he did not qualify for the title match. He qualified for the challenger match against Topalov. It was known beforehand that the World Cup winner will have to play against Topalov.
Get your facts straight.
Kamsky has a very good chance….since he will bore Topalov to death!!!