Last U.S. hopeful loses
By David R. Sands
Washington Times
June 16, 2007
The last American in is out now as Brooklyn GM Gata Kamsky lost his candidates’ finals match this week to veteran Israeli GM Boris Gelfand in Elista, Russia.
With his 3.5-1.5 win, the 39-year-old Gelfand earned a spot in the eight-player FIDE world championship tournament to be held in September in Mexico City. Also qualifying in match play this week were top-seeded Armenian GM Levon Aronian, who edged Spain’s Alexei Shirov 31/2-21/2; Hungary’s Peter Leko, a 31/2-11/2 winner over Russian Evgeny Bareev; and Alexander Grischuk, who defeated fellow Russian Sergei Rublevsky in a rapid playoff after the two split their match at 3-3.
Already seeded into the 14-round double-round-robin event in Mexico are defending FIDE champ Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, India’s Viswanathan Anand and Russians Alexander Morozevich and Peter Svidler. The most prominent no-show will be former FIDE titleholder Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, who, by a quirk of the rules, was not given a slot in the Mexico event.
Kamsky, returning to the game after an absence of nearly a decade, did well to reach the second round of matches in Elista. He was badly outclassed in the openings by the supersolid Gelfand and fell behind early with a shaky loss in Game 2.
Here is the full article.
The USCF should have helped Gata. But they’re too busy attacking our top players.
Gata needs to get his openings up to par to current 2750 players because in middlegame and endgame he can hold his own against anybody. It would be nice if US/USCF helped out our top ranking player.
I think everyone had too much high expectations of Gata, to reach the second round of the Candidate matches is a great accomplishment, especially with him not 100% committed to chess.
Well done Gata!
Here is part of my view on this important matter.
first I more than agree with Jenifer that uscf must provide support.
However, the money should not and can not come out of the dues. The USCF basically has no money to fund it. However the USCF falls on its face here. It shows no leadership at all. It should have been out there as soon as Kamsky qualified in the world cup and been finding sponsors for him for the candidates matches. He should have been working with a second on a full time basis and he should continue to work with a second on a full time basis.
Let us look at the help that Magnus Carlsen gets. Sponsors pay all the bills. All travel expenses and all costs for his permanent seconds. When Magnus plays he plays as a TEAM. Even his father gets free transportation and hotel expenses. All this adds up to some important money over the course of each year. No one can afford it on their own. Genius chess players are not all born super rich.
Kasparov used to have 3 to 5 seconds working for him full time all year around. No fooling around. no wonder he was so difficult to beat.
YES USCF is responsible for financing but that financing must come through Sponsorship. Unfortunately the USCF is too busy throwing away sponsors to find a new one for Kamsky. That is but one reason we need change in the vision of the uscf.
Kamsky deserved much more than a 2nd for a couple of weeks of the tournament. He deserved a full time 2nd all year around. Topalov definitely has a full time 2nd and a full time manager. all this makes a huge difference.
Kamsky was abandoned and left to hang all by himself.
America is the Richest Country in the World and has not a nickle for its best chess player. Who is responsible if not the USCF. Of course the USCF is to blame for Kamsky’s failure.
I want change in USCF.
NO. I Demand change in the USCF.
I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of the USCF doing NOTHING for chess. They have failed in their mission of doing all that they can to promote chess in the richest country in the world.
And when good things are done by Susan Polgar for chess what do I read on the USCF Forums???? Nothing but criticism. Including criticism by some in the administration of the uscf and some EB member or members.
It is a disgrace that the President of USCF has sent out a letter postcard of criticism of Susan Polgar and at least one EB member has repeatedly said negative things about her and continues to get away with that right here on the forums. Some people might think there is no ethics here at the uscf.
I hope the present election shows that there is a mandate for change from the membership.