Anand - Carlsen venue and date

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I wasn't having a go at the Indians Mick, I'm sure they wouldn't stoop so low as to stick a few extra chillies into Magnus's Chicken Tikka Masala, just FIDE's way of going about things. Carlsen's team clearly tried to convince FIDE not to hold the match there http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/fide- ... th-chennai so they must definitely feel that the odds are stacked against him.

The approach FIDE have taken here does worry me. Carlsen has shown before (when he withdrew from the previous cycle) that he is capable of playing hardball. Anand has played outside FIDE before as well.

On the subject of India and health-related travel problems, it's not the chillies that cause problems (I'm not sure if Chris Rice is being humorous here or not). The problems come from sanitation and hygiene and water-borne diseases. If you avoid those problems, through own chef (or top-end hotel food and avoiding cold buffets and salads), scrupulous hygiene, and so on, then it is fine. If you don't, it can be a real problem.

[Chris Rice]

I wasn't having a go at the Indians Mick, I'm sure they wouldn't stoop so low as to stick a few extra chillies into Magnus's Chicken Tikka Masala, just FIDE's way of going about things. Carlsen's team clearly tried to convince FIDE not to hold the match there http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/fide- ... th-chennai so they must definitely feel that the odds are stacked against him.

The approach FIDE have taken here does worry me. Carlsen has shown before (when he withdrew from the previous cycle) that he is capable of playing hardball. Anand has played outside FIDE before as well.

On the subject of India and health-related travel problems, it's not the chillies that cause problems (I'm not sure if Chris Rice is being humorous here or not). The problems come from sanitation and hygiene and water-borne diseases. If you avoid those problems, through own chef (or top-end hotel food and avoiding cold buffets and salads), scrupulous hygiene, and so on, then it is fine. If you don't, it can be a real problem.

This argument I feel is a little stereotyped as the food in Chennai is awesome and people generally drink bottled water in this region not out of a tap anymore. Also if you order a beef burger, it actually contains beef (no joke). So London, New York, Paris etc are no better than Chennai on that front.

What I believe Carlsen's team are really worried about is the corruption that goes on in India (that's a fact) and the sheer political skulduggery of FIDE and the fact that the whole process is not transparent. How real a concern this actually is, and whether this would affect the result of the match is not clear. The argument that the "home" advantage for Anand might not be as beneficial as he would hope given the craziness with which they deal with celebrities in India and that his relations with the Indian press and paparazzi have soured greatly following the Gelfand match is one that I would accept. However, its understandable that both players and Carlsen's team in particular would rather go somewhere else and it would be great if that was London.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

On the subject of India and health-related travel problems, it's not the chillies that cause problems (I'm not sure if Chris Rice is being humorous here or not). The problems come from sanitation and hygiene and water-borne diseases. If you avoid those problems, through own chef (or top-end hotel food and avoiding cold buffets and salads), scrupulous hygiene, and so on, then it is fine. If you don't, it can be a real problem.

This argument I feel is a little stereotyped as the food in Chennai is awesome and people generally drink bottled water in this region not out of a tap anymore. Also if you order a beef burger, it actually contains beef (no joke). So London, New York, Paris etc are no better than Chennai on that front.

Fair enough. I may be projecting too much based on stories I've heard from people that travelled there, though to other regions of India. That plus my own (minor) experiences in Egypt some 10 years and more ago now. Bottled water is a must, of course. If it is held in Chennai, and I got the chance to go (time and money are the main problems), I would still go and watch despite what I've said! Though as part of a longer holiday as (given the distances involved) it is not the sort of place you go to on a whim. I've never been to India, though it is one of those places it would be great to go to.

[Mick Norris]

Both players are getting a raw deal but clearly Carlsen is the one with the odds being stacked against him.

I take issue with that, Anand will be under extreme pressure playing at home, I don't think it did Topalov any favours in Bulgaria

I don't think Carlsen has to fear any dirty tricks from the Indians (which has been the issue in the past with home venues)

I don't think the climate will be any issue in the playing venue or his hotel, and I don't think he will have any food problems either

In fact, if it gives him a sense of injustice, it might help him

I wasn't having a go at the Indians Mick,

I know, and I wasn't saying you were

[Mick Norris]

http://chess-news.ru/en/node/11732

Interesting from Kasimdzhanov

[Christopher Kreuzer]

More on this here:

http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211 ... 30513.aspx

An open and formal letter of complaint to FIDE from the Norwegian chess federation.

[Roger de Coverly]

Paris bidding as well.

http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/paris ... ship-match
http://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211 ... 30513.aspx

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Interesting. Wonder where things will go from here. Me personally, I just hope the venue and funding gets sorted in a fair and transparent manner, without too much wrangling (or any wrangling, really; or rather without additional wrangling on top of what we've already seen), and that things are sorted in time for a decent period of preparation and build-up, and that we (chess fans) all get the exciting match we want.

[John Philpott]

The following post has appeared on Susan Polgar's Chess Blog today

FIDE Presidential Board which is in progress at Baku, Azerbaijan, today confirmed Chennai as the venue for the World Chess Championship match between defending champion Viswanathan Anand and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen from 06-26 November 2013.

The agreement was signed today at Baku by Bharat Singh, Hony Secretary All India Chess Federation, and FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

[John Philpott]

Magnus has now responded, with the following statement appearing on ChessVibes

After qualifying for the World Championship match by winning the London Candidates I have been highly motivated for, and looking forward to the World Championship match against reigning champion V. Anand.

I’m deeply disappointed and surprised by the FIDE decision to sign a contract for the 2013 match without going through the bidding process outlined in the WC regulations, and for not choosing neutral ground. The bid from Paris clearly showed that it would be possible to have more options to choose from.

The lack of transparency, predictability and fairness is unfortunate for chess as a sport and for chess players.

My team and I will now start preparing for the match. The main thing now will be to come to an agreement with the Indian Chess Federation and FIDE regarding terms and conditions before and during the match. I really hope this process will run quick and smoothly.

Lastly, I will not let the news from Baku diminish the joy and excitement derived from playing the top level Norway Chess tournament starting tomorrow.

[Roger de Coverly]

FIDE have now put up a justification of their decision.

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... lease.html

and also at
http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/fide- ... ia-refused

The chessvibes report notes that the Indian option to stage the match was supposed to be time limited. That's as it should be because a blind bid where you only know one player is a different matter from when you know that the challenger is the highest profile of the possible opponents.

Something alleged or revealed by Malcolm in his magazine is that Kirsan is a major investor in Agon, who seem side-lined as far as the World Championship match is concerned.

[Mick Norris]

Carlsen's new trainer revealed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcKlkJN9 ... e=youtu.be

[Nigel Short]

The trigger was awarding the match without consulting the players. But I had the impression Nigel had disliked Campomanes ever since Campo had objected to Nigel wearing shorts during a rather hot Candidates tournament in the middle of a French summer.

I think Mr de Coverley is confusing something. The only time there was an objection to me wearing shorts (in a stifling hall in summer without air-con) was at the Biel Interzonal in 1985. This came from the Swiss organisers and had nothing to do with Campomanes.

[Roger de Coverly]

I think Mr de Coverley is confusing something. The only time there was an objection to me wearing shorts (in a stifling hall in summer without air-con) was at the Biel Interzonal in 1985. This came from the Swiss organisers and had nothing to do with Campomanes.

Switzerland rather than France and the Interzonal rather than the Candidates, but the original incident was reported at the time in the September 1985 edition of the BCM which says (page 374)

Nigel mentions that he has incurred the wrath of the FIDE President. President Campomanes visited the event on one of the hottest days and was displeased to see the Englishman dressed in sweat shirt and shorts.

There's no author cited for the report, which presumably means it was written by Bernard Cafferty as editor.

[Andrew Camp]