This excerpt was taken from the FIDE (the world chess Federation) website
(http://www.fide.com). It is probably the most important development in the last
20 years or more in international chess.
At the moment there are two world champions Vladimir Kramnik and Ruslan Ponomarev.
There is also Gary Kasparov who is considered by many people as the best player
in the world. Now we all have a hope to have the only one world champion.
I hope you will find the following interesting.
07.05.2002/
Resolutions of May 6, 2002 on the Unification of the Chess World
- All parties and persons present at the meeting of May 6, 2002, in Prague
have expressed their willingness to support the process of unification of the
Chess World.
- This process accepts the main principle that FIDE is the custodian and
owner of the World Chess Championship title and that there should be only one
federation - FIDE - recognized by the IOC and the world of sports representing
the Chess World.
- The unification process has to lead to only one undisputed World Champion
recognized by FIDE.
- The professional chess world requires a professional management body to
be constituted on the basis of a business plan, which will be submitted by Bessel
Kok and to be discussed and agreed with the World Chess Foundation and the FIDE
Presidential Board within 90 business days after May 6, 2002. On approval
of the business plan, FIDE shall issue a license (excluding Einstein Group Pre-unification
events) to this body to manage professional chess as a profitable business.
- FIDE supports the principles of unity plan (Annex A) presented by Bessel
Kok and will cooperate to help with the acceptance of the principles on which
the unity plan is based and the implementation thereof, by all players concerned,
including the FIDE World Champion, and all organizers involved.
- All parties and persons present agree to the principles put forward during
the meeting with respect to the post-unification World Championship system.
- All parties and persons present at the meeting of May 6, 2002 in Prague
have agreed that they will do their utmost to achieve the unification of the
Chess World.
Made this day in Prague, May 6, 2002
Signed by:
H.E.Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE President
Bessel Kok
Garry Kasparov
Vladimir Kramnik
Yasser Seirawan
Alexey Orlov, President World Chess Foundation
Other Grandmasters
Prague Unity Plan
This Annex A document explains the plan to unify the chess world.
Before discussing the unity plan, we must all realise that the current situation
in the chess world makes it virtually impossible to offer a plan that will fully
satisfy all interested parties, from FIDE, Vladimir Kramnik and Einstein TV
(ETV), Garry Kasparov, the rank and file World's grandmasters and the Chess
Commissioners Office for the First Cycle. Contracts have been signed,
sponsors have made their commitments and the calendar of chess events does not
encourage the staging of many and varied classical chess events to create a
FIDE Classical Chess Champion. The plan for the First Cycle should be
economical, efficient, marketable and reasonably acceptable to the world's chess
players and fans. While the First Cycle is being staged, a firm agreement
for the Second Cycle is agreed and its implementation and funding must begin
as soon as possible.
Currently, Vladimir Kramnik and ETV have embarked on a cycle that will stage
a tournament in Dortmund with seven top grandmasters and the German Champion
GM Christopher Lutz. The Dortmund winner is to play Vladimir Kramnik in
a match for the Classical Chess World Championship.
We all realise that four top ten players are missing from the ETV cycle:
Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, Ruslan Ponomariov and Vassily Ivanchuk.
Unity Plan
Although it would certainly be preferable to include all top 10 players in
the First Cycle, timing and existing commitments and contracts appear to make
that impossible. In the given circumstances and in the interest of the
future of chess we will have to accept that the unity plan is far from perfect.
The Dortmund winner will play the Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir
Kramnik and the present FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov will play Garry
Kasparov, the current World's number one rated player.
The two match winners will play a reunification Classical Chess World Championship
match in October/November 2003.
The unity plan brings about a single unified Classical World Chess Champion
within a one and a half year period. That opens the doors to a new World
Chess Championship cycle inclusive of all the top chess players in the world.
We realise that cooperation and support of all parties is necessary and that
by setting aside personal interests we can achieve this goal.
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