Canadian Zonals 1951-65

I added clippings for Canadian zonals to the pages for six cycles: 1951-54, 1954-57, 1957-60, 1960-63, 1963-66, and 1966-69.

More Zonal Clippings

Six months after uploading the first set of Zonal Clippings, for the 1946-48 cycle, I loaded clippings up to and including the 1990-93 cycle to...

The World Chess Championship Zonals
http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/zonals/wcc-zonl.htm

...Scroll to the end of the page for the full list. • Next step: Compare the list of zonals with the info in the clippings to resolve open points and identify missing cross tables.

Women Put Kabardino-Balkaria on the Chess Map

In Women's World Championship 2008, I outlined the difficulties that FIDE was having in organizing the premier women's event. FIDE plans, announced on Fide.com by the awkward title Player’s Undertaking for Participation in the 2008 Women’s World Chess Championship, have finally come together. The event will be held 'in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria (Russian Federation), from 28 August to 18 September with a prize fund of 450,000 USD', using a 64-player knockout format.

A few items from the 'Player's Undertaking' caught my attention.

• 1.2 All the players qualified for the Championship must stay at the official Championship hotel(s), and the name of this hotel(s) shall be announced later by FIDE.
  
  
• 4.3 For the two years following the Championship, the Women’s World Champion shall agree to promote chess around the World and be ready to attend promotional events at no fee but with her expenses paid by FIDE provided the prescribed date(s) for the promotion are not in conflict with any established tournaments in the calendar. This period of promotion shall not exceed fourteen days in total (excluding days of travel).
  
  
• 4.4 Players will be required to wear clothes or apparel with special branding from sponsors when specifically approved by the FIDE President.
  
  
• 5.5 FIDE or the Organizing Committee will not be responsible for any application of political or financial sanctions from the organizing country regarding players of the tournament. At the same time, FIDE has no prior knowledge of such sanctions.
  
  
• 5.6 Without prejudice to the provisions of this undertaking, the game scores are the property of FIDE.

How long have the game scores been the property of FIDE?

The FIDE Bidding Process for Kamsky - Topalov

Following up Kamsky - Topalov Update [27 March 2008]:

• The original FIDE notice: Update on the Topalov - Kamsky match • 'Bids for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 : FIDE has accepted an offer for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 by the Bulgarian Chess Federation. This offer included a net prize fund of 150,000 USD and has been approved by the FIDE Presidential Board since June 2007. However, after the recent FIDE Presidential Board meeting in Singapore and following discussions with all parties involved, FIDE has decided the following in order to try to improve the financial terms and conditions for both players: a) if by 11 April 2008, FIDE receives a bid with a net prize fund of 250,000 USD...' [12 February 2008; susanpolgar.blogspot.com; FIDE text dated 11 February 2008]
  
  
• Bids for the Match V.Topalov - G. Kamsky • 'FIDE President has authorised the extension of the deadline for receiving bids for the match V. Topalov - G. Kamsky until April 23rd 2008. FIDE has accepted an offer for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 by the Bulgarian Chess Federation...' [9 April 2008; Fide.com]
  
  
• The original FIDE notice was changed later: Bids for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 • 'FIDE President has authorised the extension of the deadline for receiving bids for the match V. Topalov - G. Kamsky until April 23rd 2008.' [dated 19 February 2008; Fide.com]
  
  
• WCC semi-final match Kamsky-Topalov • 'The official announcement concerning the host country of the WCC semi-final match Kamsky-Topalov will be published and distributed by Monday 12 May 2008.' [5 May 2008; Fide.com]
  
  
• Press Release / Kamsky - Topalov 2008 • 'FIDE received today the following bid from Mr Alexander Chernenko, manager of GM Gata Kamsky, for the WCC Challengers Match 2008 Kamsky - Topalov. The World Chess Federation is expecting the confirmation of the wire transfer from its bankers in Switzerland in order to finalise all the remaining details for this great event.' [15 May 2008; Fide.com]
  
  
• FIDE President guarantees Topalov-Kamsky Match • 'FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has announced that the World Championship Challenger Match between Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) and Gata Kamsky (USA) will take place in Lvov, Ukraine in November 2008. The organiser offered a prize fund of 750,000 USD and to hold the match on the “neutral” territory of Ukraine, as the players wanted to avoid Bulgaria or the USA. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov guarantees the organiser’s offer by backing the event from his personal finances.'[1 June 2008; Fide.com]

To be continued?