Anand-Kasparov match unlikely this year

NEW DELHI, SEPT 14: Indications are now clear that the Ultimate World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kaspar...

NEW DELHI, SEPT 14: Indications are now clear that the Ultimate World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kasparov may, after all, not take place this year. The proposed match which led to Anand staying away from the official FIDE World Championships, that concluded last month in Las Vegas, is now likely to be held sometime early next year.

The match, officially announced in July after both Anand and Kasparov signed up with the promoters, has not been able to attract a sponsor who could put up three million dollars.

Sources say that potential sponsors have shown interest provided the match leads to a cycle which then becomes a regular Championships. The past experiences of short-lived Grand Masters Association which organised a few World Cup events and the Professional Chess Association PCA that had one cycle and a world championships match 8212; which Anand played against Kasparov 8212; is what the sponsors don8217;t want.

As a result, the main promoters including Serge Grimaux and Bessel Kok are now in the process of working out a workable cycle on a regular basis which will serve as a alternative to the FIDE World Championships. Among those staying away were Kasparov, Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Zsuzsa Polgar and Alexander Morozevich.

Meanwhile, a report from Chennai said that the Anand-Kasparov match for the present is off at least for this year. Lack of sponsorship is cited as one of the reason.

BOUNCING CHEQUES: Meanwhile, the chess fraternity has expressed concern as a few cheques given at the recently World Championships in Las Vegas have bounced. The cheques drawn on a reputed bank were turned back when presented.

Though it is not clear when some players8217; cheques have bounced, the news came around when one of the arbiters, Carol Jarecki8217;s cheque was returned.

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Some players too are reported to have suffered similar experiences.

The prize fund was to have been disbursed by a newly set-up World Chess Foundation, the origins of which are not entirely clear, though it does have some connection with Kirsan Illyumzhinov, President of FIDE.

The FIDE Executive Committee is meeting in Qatar at the end of the month.