– It is clear that the players find loopholes in the regulations, or exploit the regulations. It is natural that one tries by all legal means to get to that candidate tournament. That’s what news’s chess expert Atle Grønn said earlier this week, before the outcome of Firouzja’s tournaments was clear. – There is chaos now, but there is probably no ill will here. It’s just complicated to get the rules absolutely perfect, he said further. Sixth and final game ruined With only a few days left in 2023, 20-year-old Alireza Firouzja climbed past Wesley So on Thursday evening in the battle for a place in next year’s candidate tournament through the world rankings. By then he had won the first five games in a row of three tournaments in his hometown of Chartres. Firouzja’s three opponents had an average rating of 2497, while Firouzja had a rating of 2750. Explained more simply: Firouzja was number six in the world on the previous update of the world ranking, while the three opponents were number 1253, 603 and 392 in the world. On Friday, however, the downturn came. With white pieces, he barely managed to save a draw against Sergej Fedortsyuk. He thus went from being 1.5 points ahead of So, to being 1.3 points behind the American in the unofficial world ranking. GOOD PROSPECTS: Wesley So is among the top players standing over the WC in rapid and blitz chess in Uzbekistan. Instead, he can celebrate that he is moving towards a place in next year’s candidate tournament. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB – Forten an apology President of the chess club in Chartres, Francois Gilles, was responsible for organizing the tournaments. In a message to news, he wrote that he knew it would be “impossible” for Firouzja to win six out of six. The three tournaments quickly became disputed because of the way they came about. Among other things, So wrote on X that “everyone tries to arrange tournaments at the last second to bend the regulations”. DRAW: Even with white pieces, Firouzja (with his back) had to settle for a draw on Friday. Photo: Francois Gilles The tournament in Chartres was registered with Fide on 4 December. To Europe Echecs, he says that the tournament was only announced on Sunday last week, because he wanted to make sure that Firouzja was in Chartres. Gilles also claims they had a plan B if Firouzja had not come forward. “Firouzja scandal”, write the major Spanish newspaper El País and refer to the tournament as “prefabricated” – Alireza has a dream of becoming world champion, but he never cheats. No one respected the players who played against him. I think the players who were chosen deserve an apology, says Gilles Kreiv wrote a letter to the chess president The tournaments caused the American chess president Randy Bauer to send a letter to Arkady Dvorkovitch, the president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). There, Bauer wrote that they are concerned about the process surrounding the qualification for the candidate tournament. – We believe that arranging tournaments at the last minute to help a player get the necessary rating points to qualify for the candidate tournament is neither fair nor transparent. It litters the selection process for Fide and the entire international sport of chess, Bauer wrote on Wednesday. The American chess president argued: – Organizing a tournament at the last minute, which is practically not open to others, goes against the idea of a fair competition. Bauer concluded the letter by asking Fide not to give rating points in the tournament in France. Furthermore, from now on, Fide tournaments must be registered at least 30 days before the tournament starts. Gilles confirms that the goal of the tournament in Chartres was to give Firouzja a boost in the quest to become world champion. – I can understand the proposal of the American chess president, he wrote to news. GREAT TALENT: Despite his young age, Firouzja has already been at the top of the world for several years. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB Fide has notified investigations On Monday, Fide itself will send out a comment on the matter. There they wrote that they have sent a request to the organizer of the tournament, and that they want to investigate how the tournament is carried out. Furthermore, they pointed out that Fide has the right not to give rating points to a specific tournament. Fide will first decide whether they will give rating points in the tournament after a careful assessment of all the games. – Fides’ statement makes no sense. Blame the system, not the player, wrote the Dutch top player Jorden van Foreest on X måndag. – Funny to go down in history as the one who destroyed In the run-up to the previous candidate tournament, back in 2022, Chinese Ding Liren found himself in a somewhat similar situation. Due to the corona pandemic, he had only played four of the 30 necessary games to qualify via the world ranking. It was solved by him playing three tournaments in China at short notice in just over a month. For next year’s candidate tournament, there is also a place through the Fide Circuit. That place right now seems to go to Indian Dommaraju Gukesh. The 17-year-old won the Chennai Grand Masters this week. It was a tournament that was registered with Fide on 28 November – 17 days before it started. CANDIDATE: Judge Gukesh can get a place in the candidate tournament next year. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB Nevertheless, Anish Giri in particular has the chance to take over that place with good performances in the WC in rapid and blitz chess. Chess expert Grønn thinks it is understandable that the players are creative to find one last chance to qualify. – Is it unusual to have this type of tournament like he did with Firouzja? – It is unusual. It is not completely unique, but it is special. If I had been one of these old boys that Firouzja was going to beat, I would have tried to win and thought it would be fun to go down in history as the one who destroyed, he said. Ada Hegerberg delivered both during and after the match 01:07 Which cross-country athlete could work for Santa Claus? 01:08 A historic career is over 01:59 — Right now it’s very heavy 00:59 Show more
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