FIDE Grand Prix amp WCH

  

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Thibault de Vassal    (2008-12-05)
FIDE Grand Prix & WCH

Magnus Carlsen withdraws from the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2009

From Magnus Carlsen chess blog - http://blog.magnuschess.com

"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. (...) 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."

Just another 'Grandmaster attack' to the Federation Internationale Des Echecs...


Thibault de Vassal    (2008-12-08 19:33:05)
Levon Aronian's open letter

Now Levon Aronian comments the latest FIDE's decisions in an open letter :

"(...) With the GA's recent actions, it seems that there is a democratic deficit within FIDE. The GA did not consult the players currently taking part in the Grand Prix in their decision processes. Please keep in mind a very important point – these players, including myself, have a legally binding agreement with FIDE regarding the World Championship cycle and the Grand Prix. Therefore it is FIDE's duty to consult the other party of the contract – the participants.

Does this mean that the chess players have lesser rights than others? The GA appears to act with no concern for the players. The decision to suddenly change the World Championship cycle has damaging effects on the career plans of leading chess players. It is also reasonable to ask: why should we go through several tournaments over several years and fight for a place in a tournament that another player gets by losing a match? The GA's decisions remove the motivation for players like myself to take part in the World Championship cycle."

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5059


Thibault de Vassal    (2008-12-12 15:56:50)
Now Michael Adams...

Open Letter from Michael Adams

"I have regretfully withdrawn from the whole Grand Prix series. Some of the reasons I took this decision are the sudden switch of venues at very late notice, the replacement of players whose results thus far will affect the results of the whole Grand Prix both in terms of prize money and World Championship qualification and the fact that when I made my decision the status of some of the future GP events was still unclear.

The changes to the World Championship cycle also concern me as making major changes to a cycle in progress in such a sudden manner is very undesirable. There also seems to be no guarantee that further changes will not be made in a similar manner in the future. The changes are obviously immediately very negative for all Grand Prix participants but also in general it seems to me that the rewards for success in such tough events as the Grand Prix or the World Cup are now much too minimal."

Michael Adams
11th December 2008

Next ?


Thibault de Vassal    (2008-12-15 19:34:43)
Elista Grand Prix starts

Finally a category 19 tournament started in "City Chess" - Elista, Kalmykia.

The participants :

1 Radjabov Teimour AZE 2751
2 Leko Peter HUN 2747
3 Jakovenko Dmitry RUS 2737
4 Wang Yue CHN 2736
5 Mamedyarov Shakhriyar AZE 2731
6 Eljanov Pavel UKR 2720
7 Grischuk Alexander RUS 2719
8 Alekseev Evgeny RUS 2715
9 Bacrot Etienne FRA 2705
10 Gashimov Vugar AZE 2703
11 Cheparinov Ivan BUL 2696
12 Akopian Vladimir ARM 2679
13 Kasimzhanov Rustam UZB 2672
14 Inarkiev Ernesto RUS 2669


Without Anand, Kramnik, Topalov, Adams, Carlsen...


Thibault de Vassal    (2008-12-16 11:22:56)
Ilyumzhinov on FIDE WCH

The latest news...

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5087

To be continued, of course :)


Thibault de Vassal    (2009-01-03 19:02:44)
A world champion with no privilege ?!

... finally, looks like even the top GM are decided to kill the show in the FIDE WCH cycle :

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5129

>> Address by Mr Henrik Carlsen on behalf of GM Magnus Carlsen

"(...) In a future Magnus would like to see a world championship cycle with a minimum of privileges, or no privileges at all.

(...) What about the privileges of the reigning World Champion? This is a difficult question but we see strong arguments for reducing the privileges drastically or even abolishing them outright. In the past, with the right to a re-match, a reigning world champion had about 75% chance of retaining the title against an evenly strong opponent, leaving only 25% chance for all the remaining chess players in the world. It was ridiculous. Even without rematches, the 50% chance of today strongly favours the reigning champion. This may have made sense in the past when there were few serious contenders for the title, but today, with about 30 top players within 100 rating points of the top, this is no longer fair."


There are many good points but I'm not sure the game will win at the end. Any opinion ?!


Don Groves    (2009-01-04 01:35:56)
FIDE or FIFA...

... what's the difference?

The FIFA World Cup champion gets no special privileges in the next cup challenge, why should the FIDE World Champion?


Thibault de Vassal    (2009-01-04 14:06:51)
FIDE or FIFA

Salut Don !

FIFA has not the biggest problems FIDE has :

1) There are only about a hundred of participants in the world cup before the preliminary tournaments already.

2) A dozen of these participants are stars and will remain the stars, just like clubs in each country, and it is unlikely to change (one reason is money of course but there are many others). Chess, like soccer or any sport, needs stars !

The context is not the same, I don't think one can compare the FIDE & FIFA business...


Thibault de Vassal    (2009-01-22 10:36:06)
FIDE Grand Prix in Karlovy cancelled

After Doha & Montreux, FIDE Grand Prix in Karlovy Vary has been officially cancelled. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5162