The contours of the next two title cycles (until 2016) are becoming clear. The Anand-Gelfand title match will be played at the historic Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow between May 10-31. The prize fund of $2.55 million will be split 60:40.
Agon, a Russia-based media company owned or part-owned by US businessman Andrew Paulson, becomes a major sponsor. Fide president Kirsan says Agon will run the next two cycles, including Grand Prix, World Cups, Candidates and Title matches. Agon is part of the SUP Group, owned by Paulson and Russian investor Alexander Mamut. It’s difficult to dig up financials.
Kirsan estimates this deal will bring Euro 10-12 million “into Fide”. It’s unclear if he’s talking prize money, overall funding, or just sponsorship fees. However, assuming it’s watertight, this infusion is welcome.
The current gap in the calendar is a pointer that, even as larger numbers are playing and watching chess, the game has been unable to find stable financing. In the current economic climate, sports sponsorship may not be high priority for corporates.
But Fide was unable to cash in on the vast waves of liquidity between 1999-2007. This is astonishing, given the game’s positive branding. There may be multiple reasons for that financial drought but ultimately the failure boils down to organisational lacunae.
The Diagram BLACK TO PLAY (Savchenko Vs Goganov., Moscow Open 2012) is a doubled-edged position that can be resolved only by sharp, deep calculation. How does black stop mate?
The defence has to start with a discovered check. First, 23...Nf5+? 24.Kh2 Kg7 25.Qe5+! F6 26. Qxc5 can be easily rejected. But 23...Nf3+? requires deep calculation. If 24.Kh1 (24.Kf1? Nh2+ 25.Ke2 Re8 wins for black) 24...Kg7 25.Qh7+ Kf6 26.Qh6+ Ke7 27.Bxf4!! gxf4 (Or 27...Rh8 28.Re1+!! Nxe1 29.Bxg5+ Kd7 30.Bf5+ wins for white) 28.gxf3 Rh8 29.Re1+ Be3 30.Bh7! and white wins.
The only defence is 23...Ne2+! 24.Kh2 [24.Kf1?/ Kh1? Ng3+] 24...Bg1+ 25.Kh1 Ng3+ 26.Kxg1 Nxe4 27.Rxc8 Raxc8 28.Bxe4 Rfe8! The threat of 29...Re1+ lets black keep the exchange. 29.Bxf4 Rxe4 30.Bxg5 Rc2 31.Bf6 Rg4! 32.Bc3 Rgxg2+.
Black’s better but it’s difficult to win. Play went 33.Kf1 Rcf2+ 34.Ke1 f5 35.Rd1 Re2+ 36.Kf1 Ref2+ 37.Ke1 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Rgf2+ 39.Kg1 f4 40.Rd3 Rg2+ 41.Kf1 Rgf2+ ? The engines see 41.-- Ref2+ 42. Ke1 f3 43. Re3 Rc2 44. Kd1 Rxc3! 45. bxc3 Rg1+ 46. Kd2 f2 but it’s understandable that black doesn’t.
After this exchanging operation was missed, play petered out. There may be a concealed win somewhere but black stopped trying. The draw came with 42.Kg1 Kf7 43.a4 Ke6 44.a5 Rg2+ 45.Kf1 Rgf2+ 46.Kg1 Rg2+ 47.Kf1 Ref2+ 48.Ke1 f3 49.a6 Re2+ 50.Kf1 Ref2+ 51.Ke1 Re2+ 52.Kf1 Rgf2+ 53.Kg1 Rc2 54.a7 Rg2+ 55.Kf1 Rgf2+ 56.Kg1 Rg2+ 57.Kf1 Rgf2+ (½-½).
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player
