NY Times Interviews Kirsan Ilyumzhinov

Finally someone else than Yury Vasiliev got to (sort of) interview FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Dylan McClain received written answers to his query and posted them on the NY Times' Gambit Chess Blog.

Among the four categories - Grand Prix, anti-doping scandal, rating inflation and FIDE's future - my attention returned to the third paragraph on a relatively benign topic of possible introduction of new "super-title":

FIDE is very strict in punishing illegitimate actions of players who want to manipulate the rating system or falsify games in a tournament. Our Ethical Commission has had several cases in which long-term bans were accepted for punishing illegitimate actions of players or arbiters, organizers. If any change may be needed here, it should just strengthen the system which shall exclude illegitimate actions.

This is simply misleading. FIDE does not care to investigate forged tournaments, unless it is already obvious to the entire world - like that circus in Ukraine few years ago. I can name from the top of my head at least five tournaments where norms were prearranged. And FIDE was notified about those.

Aggressive Bu

Bu Xiangzhi might be playing a tournament of his life in Nanjing. Pearl Spring follows the Mtel Masters format, 6-player double round robin with one rest day, and even most of the players are the same (only Svidler and Movsesian replacing Radjabov and Cheparinov). Bu was properly hammered in Sofia, his first super-tournament, finishing tied on last place.

This time we're watching a new player. Combative, daring, confident Bu is sharing the lead with Veselin Topalov after seven rounds (4,5 each). And he almost beat the Bulgarian today!

Bu Xiangzhi and Veselin Topalov

Bu Xiangzhi - Sergei Movsesian
Nanjing, Round 6
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. a4 e6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. a5 Bb4 8. Qa4 Be7 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 b5 11. axb6 Nxb6 12. Qc2 Nxc4 13. Bxc4 dxc4 14. O-O c5 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Rfd1 Qc7 17. Ra4 Be7 18. Bf4 Qc5 19. Ne5 Bb7 20. Rxc4 Qa5 21. Qb3 Rad8 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. Ra4 Qc7 24. Rc4 Qa5 25. h3 Qa1+ 26. Kh2 Ba8 27. Nc6 Bxc6 28. Rxc6 Qf1 29. Qb7 Bf8 30. Bg3 a5 31. Rc7 h5 32. Rxf7 Qd3 33. Rxf6 gxf6 34. Ne4 Bg7 35. Qe7 Rf8 36. Qxe6+ Kh8 37. Qf5 a4 38. Bd6 Rf7 39. Qe6 Qb3 40. Qc8+ Kh7 41. Qf5+ Kg8 42. Ba3 h4 43. Nd6 Rc7 44. Qe4 Qb8 45. Qxa4 Bf8 46. Qg4+ Rg7 47. Qc4+ Kh7 48. Qxh4+ Kg6 49. Qe4+ Kh6 50. Qe6 Kh7 51. Qxf6 Rg6 52. Qf7+ Bg7 53. Qf4 Bh6 54. Qe5 Bg7 55. Qe7 Kh8 56. e4 Bf6 57. Qe6 Kh7 58. Qf5 Qg8 59. g3 Qb3 60. e5 Bg7 61. Nf7 Qd5 62. h4 1-0

Make up your mind?

FIDE President Kirsan Ilymzhinov now says that the decision to implement Candidates Tournament is not final:

- Which rights will the winner of the FIDE Grand prix series 2008-2009 have?

- He will have a right to play an official match against the winner of the FIDE World Cup 2009. And the winner of this match will meet the winner of the match Viswanathan Anand-Topalov/Kamsky to further fight for the World Chess Champion crown. Therefore, it is obvious that the Grand Prix participants have good motivation to play. In this cycle of tournaments, more than 20 top-rated Grandmasters have participated, and in the World Cup 128 chess players from many countries have a chance to fight to the title.

- According to your statement, Mr. President, the Grand Prix winner will compete with the World Champion. It means that the previous conditions, declared before these series, are still valid? What about the decision of the FIDE General Assembly in Dresden, which states that instead of the match winner of Grand Prix vs. winner of World Cup, a Candidates tournament with 8 players will be held? Does it mean we misunderstood something?

- The FIDE General Assembly in Dresden opened a bid to organize the Candidates tournament started the discussions if this tournament should be organized or not. But the final decision on this issue will be made at the FIDE Presidential Board, which will take place in March next year. Now, we are collecting the bids.

Just to add, the World Champion Vishy Anand, the leading Grandmasters Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlslen are against the inclusion of the Candidates tournament in the cycle...

Elista Grand Prix website writes "that soon there will be an online video conference of the Head of Kalmykia and FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov with the world’s top grandmasters including World Champion Vishwanatan Anand. The main subject of the conference will be the discussion of the questions regarding the development of the world chess as well as the World Championship cycle system. Besides Anand, other former World Champions will be invited to take part in this video conference such as Boris Spassky, Vladimir Kramnik, Veselin Topalov, and other famous grandmasters including Levon Aronian, Magnus Carlsen, senior FIDE officials and the CEO of Global Chess company Geoffrey Borg."

Azerbaijan representatives will complete the Grand Prix

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov confirmed that players from Azerbaijan (Radjabov, Gashimov and himself) do not intend to quit FIDE Grand Prix. Moreover, they are hoping to earn at least one spot in the final candidate tournament. Mamedyarov also said that FIDE should consult top players and respect their opinions. From Azerisport.

Elista Grand Prix is starting tomorrow. See also Grand Reflux.

Grand Reflux

Magnus Carlsen withdrew from the FIDE Grand Prix last week. Levon Aronian expressed his disappointment with an open letter, but he won't quit the series because FIDE President persuaded his native Armenia to fill in for one GP tournament (August 2009).

Finally, Michael Adams walks out, as announced on ChessBase (first hinted here).
ChessVibes have interesting statements from Global Chess CEO Geoffrey Borg and Karlovy Vary organizer Pavel Matocha.

Elista Grand Prix participants:
Teimour Radjabov AZE 2751
Peter Leko HUN 2747
Dmitry Jakovenko RUS 2737
Wang Yue CHN 2736
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2731
Pavel Eljanov UKR 2720
Alexander Grischuk RUS 2719
Evgeny Alekseev RUS 2715
Etienne Bacrot FRA 2705
Vugar Gashimov AZE 2703
Ivan Cheparinov BUL 2696
Vladimir Akopian ARM 2679
Rustam Kasimdzhanov UZB 2672
Ernesto Inarkiev RUS 2669

Magnus puts FIDE in check

Magnus Carlsen announced his withdrawal from the broken FIDE Grand Prix in protest to changes in the World Championship regulations. Will FIDE be worried? They should be. Magnus has pressed the clock and now other players are on move.

We have just informed FIDE by e-mail that Magnus withdraws from the Grand Prix series due to the dramatic change to these regulations approved by the General Assembly.
(According to the regulations the final decision on changes to the regulations is the responsibility of the FPB - and not the General Assembly - but we have been informed by several FIDE executives that the Presidential Board will endorse the GA decision shortly if necessary.)

Magnus is simply not motivated to continue the GP series with the dramatically changed conditions approved in Dresden, and the uncertainty related to any future changes that may be decided by FIDE.
....
To mention one thing, it is hard to understand how diminishing the value of the Grand Prix series can be interpreted as a way of saving the ongoing cycle.

Having withdrawn from the Grand Prix series Magnus does not have to spend more time and energy on the uncertainty involved, and may fortunately now concentrate on playing several well organised and interesting top level events elsewhere. In the first half of 2009 he has agreed to play some Grand Slam events as well as some great rapid events, starting with a rapid tournament in Gjøvik, Norway January 2nd - 5th and the Corus A from January 16th onwards.