http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4659
Looks like not much has changed at top level chess.
Except that there is nothing on the FIDE site to confirm this.
Other possible errors in the Chessbase.com report:
According to the FIDE calendar, the upcoming FIDE Presidential Board meeting is May 30-June 2, not May 31-June 1. That probably has more to do with non-essential parts of the meeting.
There’s an obvious typo in the date of June 29th, 2008.
I’m so sick of these baby GM’s. Kamsky should just play in Bulgaria. Geez, this garbage started with Fischer and has never stopped. The Celtics won their playoff on the road against Detroit. That shows a true professional.
GROW UP GRANDMASTERS!
If you think it started with Fischer, you need to study your chess history.
Correction noted. But Fischer took it to a new level, and I guess made it “acceptable” somehow. My main point however is, does Kamsky really feel that his success against Topalev depends upon not playing in Bulgaria? I would buy this argument if, for example, a Soviet was asked to play in America during the Cold War, or an American in the Soviet Union, given the atmosphere. But, please, Bulgaria? Gata, take the money and play before you blow it!
I’m not so sure Fischer took it to a new level, he just got more media attention.
In the past there were World Champions who refused to play certain competitors at all.
That even dates back to Morphy, who couldn’t get matches against the best player(s) in Europe, so he returned to New Orleans.
When Joe Lewis did this in boxing, the media dubbed it the ‘Bum of the Month’.
There were also money demands that make the current situation look like chump change. One challenger was asked to raise a $100,000 purse back in the days when that was a much larger amount of money that what Kamsky’s purported bid, which appears to have melted into the ether, is for today.)
fide.com is reporting that Kirsan has guaranteed the match in Lviv, Ukraine. So I guess the match between Kamsky and Topalov is on.
Interesting.
It looks like the match will begin on Nov 26th, a few days after the Dresden Olympiad ends.
That should make for interesting conversations in Dresden.
There should be a large scale migration of FIDE officials and their retinue from Dresden to Lvov, too.
In Bulgaria, Topalov is somewhat of a rock star apparently. It’s very prudent not to play the match there.