FIDE's decision welcomed

CHENNAI, MAY 15. Reactions to the awarding of the 2000 World Chess Championship and the World Women's Chess Championship to New Delhi and the finals in Teheran have come in.

The FIDE Presidential Board in its meeting at London on Saturday announced that the World Chess Championship and the World Women's Championship will start in New Delhi on November 25, 2000 and the final rounds will be played in Iran. The news was displayed in FIDE's official website www.worldfide.com on Saturday evening.

The chess world was caught by surprise on Saturday and India's interest in staging this elite contest was not known to chess followers outside. Although it is still early days and people are asking questions and more details, the `surprise' move was welcomed. FIDE was more or less in a spot, having not announceed the dates as promised in April. India's willingness to do this event has bailed FIDE out of a crisis for the second time in seven years.

`Anand's chances excellent'

``I think Vishy's chances will be excellent if he plays in Delhi. There will be lot of local pressure but, as he showed against Dreev (Chennai 1991), he can handle it,'' said GM Ian Rogers, who is an Australian grandmaster based at Amsterdam.

Rogers thinks the real factor favouring him will be the `weather'. ``While everybody else will have to find his own accommodation, Vishy will probably be treated like a honourable guest and have no peripheral problems,'' Rogers told The Hindu.

Former world championship challenger Nigel Short of England is positive in his reaction to the venue which is being planned to be held in a third continent in as many times. ``New Delhi and Teheran? Sounds good to me. I like India for many reasons, not least because I can watch some cricket on TV,'' said Nigel Short who lives in Greece these days. ``I was disappointed to be turned down for the Goodricke tournament this year although I hadn't got more expensive! Also I'd love to go to Iran. For many years, it was portrayed in the West as a pariah state. However the Iranians I have spoken to have been very pleasant, extremely civilised people. In short, I hope I can win enough games to go there.''

``If FIDE has a strong sponsor, then it's a big success. It looks very strange to me that FIDE had no sponsors a few weeks ago (China was just offering the venue, without the money for the prize fund) and now it has it, precisely when it needs it desperately to compensate the effect of the Kasparov- Kramnik match. I suppose it is very good for chess in India,'' FIDE Master Leontxo Garcia of El Pais newspaper in Spain told The Hindu.

One controversial side of Iran being included as venue for the finals is the participation of Judit Polgar in the men's world championship. ``Will Judy be allowed to play in Iran,'' asks Ian Rogers and it is a pertinent question.

The allotting of this event should place the Indian chess administration under Mr. P.T. Ummer Koya on a high gear. Prior to this, India had a big prize money event in the Sanghi Candidates 1995 and the two World Juniors in 1993 and 1998 hosting a large number of foreign players, but not both at the same time.

Organising the World Championship will involve huge sums in dollars as well as hosting a number of players close to 100 at one time. This will be a challenge.

Overall India is not a new nation on the international chess map, but this development will certainly place India ahead of all Asian nations in one shot and on par with several prominent Europeans nations.

Khalifman surprised

FIDE World Champion Alexander Khalifman of Russia who was surprised like several others said, ``FIDE brings us a lot of surprises every month. It's probably my turn to ask you how reliable is this information? You probably know it better in India.''

Speaking to The Hindu on the latest news, he said, ``I have never been in India before. Right now I'm quite interested to know what the weather in New Delhi is in December. Teheran is really exotic. It seems to me that chess was prohibited not so long ago in the land of Ayatollahs. Did something change? However, this question might be of real importance only for two lucky (?!) winners.''

``I would be really amazed to visit the motherland of chess for the first time. Hopefully it's not so hot and humid in New Delhi in December as in Indonesia in April (during my last tournament in Bali I suffered a lot because of specific climate).''

Well Justified: Thipsay

GM Pravin Thipsay from Mumbai has hailed the FIDE decision as a ``great one'' for India. He further went on: ``India has conducted several important FIDE events and International tournaments in last few years and has become the most active country in the world today. FIDE's decision to allot the World Championship to India is well justified. Perhaps we can even hold Olympiad in future. The conduct of the World Championship will be extremely beneficial to Indian chess. We should also insist on holding the finals in India. We have conducted more tournaments than Iran and certainly in a much better manner. The final will have a greater impact and effect on the promotion and propagation of the game. We should really try to get both.''

The FIDE Presidential Board took several far-reaching decisions at London. The World Championship was given to New Delhi and Teheran to start November 25 until December 20. FIDE President Mr Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has given a guarantee for the $3 million prize fund. Mr P.T.Ummer Koya, Vice President of FIDE has secured funds from Iran and hopes to have some from India. Should problems arise out of political reasons due to the participation of Israeli players in Iran, Elista in Russia will be a reserve venue.

It is appropriate to remind that Iranian players were denied visas to play the previous world championship at Las Vegas in the United States and a similar situation could arise if American players qualify for the later rounds from New Delhi.

Among the other decisions taken, it was decided on the proposal of Mr Kevil O'Connell of the FIDE Ratings Commission that 100 Elo be reduced from all the Myanmar players rated above 2100. They had reached huge super status by just playing among themselves.

TWIC, The Week In Chess website reported that invitations to the Istanbul Olympiad were not sent out yet and Turkey came ready with a bank guarantee to confirm hosting the Chess Olympiad at Istanbul from October 27 to November 13.

- Our Chess Correspondent

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