Bulgaria's Topalov Challenges Kramnik for Rematch

Sports | December 15, 2006, Friday // 00:00
Bulgaria: Bulgaria's Topalov Challenges Kramnik for Rematch Bulgaria's chess king Vesselin Topalov, who lost the title of world's best chess grandmaster with a narrow defeat against Vladimir Kramnik, has officially thrown the gauntlet to the Russian for a rematch. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

Bulgaria's chess king Vesselin Topalov, who lost the title of world's best chess grandmaster with a narrow defeat against Vladimir Kramnik, has officially thrown the gauntlet to the Russian for a rematch.

The regulations of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) allow every former world champion to challenge his opponent.

The official invitation for a return match was sent late on Thursday night at the FIDE headquarters, Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov said.

Bulgaria is ready to organise the event in Sofia between April 12 and 30, 2007.

Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov was the first who supported the idea. If Kramnik consents the match will be held under his patronage. Bulgaria is ready to provide for the prize of the game.

The world chess champion will win USD 1 M. The host country will cover all organisational expenses.

If Kramnik does not accept the offer, FIDE may be forced to strip him of the world's only chess king title.

Kramnik won the title of world's best chess grandmaster defeating Vesselin Topalov on the fourth game of a tiebreak. The title was settled by "rapid-play" and then "blitz" chess - shorter games relying on instinct as much as calculation, which ended 2.5:1.5.

The match was held in Elista, the capital of the Russian republic of Kalmykia.

Topalov and Kramnik inspired reminiscences of Kasparov and Karpov, who first started the schism in the chess world back in 1993.

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