Field for Mtel Masters 2008 announced

Dimitar Naydenov, tournament press officer, sent us information about the incoming Mtel Masters 2008. For the first time Veselin Topalov and Ivan Cheparinov will play one against eachother. Teimour Radjabov, Levon Aronian, Vassily Ivanchuk and Chinese Xiangzhi Bu are forming the outstanding field of fearless fighters. The tournament takes place on 7-18 May in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Chessdom reports that former world champion Boris Spassky will play a simul on the opening day.

Boris Spassky: Karpov and Kasparov didn't appreciate Fischer

"Marriage has given me the opportunity to travel abroad, however, only after two years of war with the sports committee. In 1978, I became a citizen of France, and at the same time headed the Soviet team at the Chess Olympiad in Argentina. Up until 1983, I played under the Soviet flag and then I won the tournament in Linares ahead of Karpov. Whether this result was the trigger, I do not know, but soon I stopped receiving Soviet salary and invitations to the Soviet tournaments. The same year I issued a brief statement in the French Press Agency, and explained the reasons why I refuse to play under the Soviet flag. In 1984, I played for the first time in French team at the Chess Olympiad in Greece."

Boris Spassky about his life in Russia and France, about Fischer, Keres, Botvinnik, world championship and women.