Challengers Match back on track?

The saga continues!

Since our last report on the proposed challengers match between Gata Kamsky and Veselin Topalov to determine the next official challenger to Vishy Anand the following has transpired:

As they were no longer able to wait for Oleksandr Chernenko to deliver the $ 935 000 as promised, FIDE "gave" the match back to the Bulgarian Chess Federation provided they could raise the necessary funds and host the match in December.

The Bulgarian Chess Federation has since replied that they are still prepared to host the match, as well as guarantee the funds as specified by FIDE although they are surprised that the prize fund has been arbitrarily increased by FIDE from the original $ 150 000 to $ 250 000. They also propose that the match be staged in Sofia from the 3rd to the 15th of February 2009 as this will give them enough time to prepare etc.

Now Mr. Chernenko enters the debate again and says that the reason for the $ 935 000 not being delivered is that no contracts had been agreed to and signed while FIDE wants the money first and then the details. He states that the funds are still available and that the February dates are also in order.

Whom does one believe in all of this? At what stage is a firm decision made and delivered upon?

The way things are going now Gata Kamsky must be careful that he is not cut out of the cycle and replaced by someone else.

One must bear in mind that the Bulgarian Chess Federation had been awarded this match at the beginning of 2008 and that Mr. Chernenko is the manager for Gata Kamsky.

Read the previous report on this saga.