It is obvious that FIDE is trying to keep the title in Russia by any means necessary. Kramnik is a good player, but that's not the way the chess should be played. It's gentlemans game, not for cowards.

Silvio Danailov will probably try to lead the whole story to the court.

http://www.veselintopalov.net/article/the-sports-court-in-lausanne-will-...

It looks like an intention from FIDE. They arguments are probably with their laws and regulations, but they had to say it a few weeks before when Danailov asked for the match for the first time...

I predict that Danailov's claim will be based upon the refusal of the first back guarantee on 15th of December. FIDE is not in authority to suggest list of valid banks. This is against business concurrency rules and even the bank itself can claim for missed profit. Don't know what will be the final decision, but eventually it is all bad for chess.

A bank guarantee is a two way thing... UBS accepts to pay FIDE whatever the Bulgarian bank does. If UBS does not trust that bank, it won't enter into such an agreement. Only logical.

D Bank is one of the biggest banks in Bulgaria...
You know what they say....
If it looks like bullshit, smell like bullshit.. it?Ǭ¥s probably bullshit

There simply is no need for a WC-match twice a year, or more, and even FIDE realizes this.

they really like bad publicity !!! topalov methods are disgusting ... no manners, no control, no nothing ... mister toiletgate can't be considered a champion ... and never will ...

Fuck this bullshit. Who cares who is the champion. More important is who is the best player.

Nagyon jo munka, Rajcsanyi pajti! Csak nem mondja azt, hogy mennyit kapta erre a hulyesegre. Tudom, hogy ez nagyon faj, hogy a Leko pasas nem csinalhat semmit, mert egyszeruen neki nincs eleg messztersege...Latszik is, hogy nagyon felelmetes ez a Topalov...nagy kacagas, Rajcsanyi pajti, csak tessek ne szegyellen magat!

Topalov's behavior is so repulsive that even a million dollars doesn't tempt Kramnk.

Branche, would you consider shutting your trap? What is disgusting is that the Russians and their ex-proteges cannot swallow the fact that someone else can better them off at chess...for quite a long time. What is disgusting is that the current champion is an arrogant critter, who by no means creates a positive image for chess.

The same applies to you, Brian Wall--I see nothing repulsive in the fact that the highest ranked player in the world wants a rematch for the world title. What I find disgusting and repulsive are the tittle-tattle games of FIDE to retain a Russian on top, even if this Russian is quite a setback for the image of the federation, even if they have to shame themselves by finding ridiculous reasons to postpone the game.

But of course, let (W)ladimir (C)ramnik enjoy his preposterous status of a world champion until September. He won't even finish in the top three then. The tournament there will be substantially stronger than the Corus one, and, as usual, he will be drawing, while others will be winning.

The timing was poor for FIDE's rejection. Certainly, this was the reason that should have been given to the first bank guarantee, rather than let Danailov scramble for a second one. Really, (1) it is not reasonable to meet the schedule requirements and would not have been so at the time of the first guarantee, and (2) chess doesn't need the kind of publicity the last match brought, and (3) Veselin/Silvio, wait in line and challenge the winner of Mexico. You have no special rights of challenge above any other 2700+.

Chess for the Russians is like soccer for the Brazilians. They would do EVERYTHING just to have the world chess champion title in a Russian. FIDE's president is from an ex-soviet country and it is normal for him to be a little biased and on the side of Kramnik.

stanislav are you danailov or topalov? your character seems like them!

the best player is Kramnik because he is over 10 full point difference against that topaLOW !!

james you are funny muhahahahahahahah

What is that "10 full point difference" ?

(sigh) The rejection of the bank guarantee did not come from FIDE.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3612

Scroll to the bottom.

The world champion is the best player by virtue of the only controlled method for comparing two player's strengths: a chess match between them.

Tournament victories and rating points reflect a player's strength in relation to the rest of the field, but that field should not be able to exert influence in the comparison between champion and challenger. Consider in this recent tournament how easy it would have been for Tiviakov and Motylev (who started poorly with a loss in the first two rounds), not to mention Svidler, to throw their games to Kramnik and thereby present him with a first place position in the tournament. Even without such intentional influence, tournaments (and ratings) award riskier play in general, which also sullies the comparison of the top players.

The only counter-argument is the proposal that the best player is the one who most dominates the field, even where that player would falter in a head-to-head contest against a top rival. It's the spectator's view that three wins and two losses is better than a win and three draws.

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