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2018 FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament Started Today |
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Saturday, 10 March 2018 05:52 |
 March 9, 2018 — The 2018 FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament, the competition that determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship Match set to take place in London in November, will kick off tomorrow in Berlin. The winner will go head to head with Magnus Carlsen in the World Chess Championship Match.
From March 10 to 28, eight top Grandmasters from across the world will compete in Berlin’s historic Kühlhaus building to win the right to challenge the Norwegian in London over two weeks in November. Carlsen has held the title of World Chess Champion since 2013 and has helped bring Chess back into the mainstream.
The grandmasters — Levon Aronian (Armenia), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Wesley So (USA), Sergey Karjakin (Russia), Ding Liren (China), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Alexander Grischuk (Russia), Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) — will compete for the privilege to challenge Magnus Carlsen at the World Chess Championship Match later this year, as well as for a share of the €420,000 prize money on offer.
Chess continues to gain popularity. Traditional game with its rich history and high potential has also become a cybersport, thanks to the development of smartphones and new technologies. More than a billion devices in the world have chess applications installed on them. In November 2016 the Match for the World Chess crown between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin was recognized as one of the most important sporting events. The next chapter of the “chess fever” will be the Tournament in Berlin — another step of FIDE and World Chess in the popularization of the game. In November 2018 the World Chess Championship will be held in London.
Germans are known fans of the game: the Chess Federation of the country is one of the largest in the world. More than 90,000 people in Germany are members of chess clubs and participate in constantly monitored tournaments. Hence the choice of Berlin as the “capital of chess” for the entire month of March.
Chess followers can now observe the Grandmasters at the exhibition space of Kühlhas, former ice factory built in 1901. The historical site, now housing such events as Berlin Fashion Week and Bar Convent, is intended to emphasize the increased interest in chess competitions in Germany and chess’ comeback in fashion.
Kühlhas will be divided into several comfortable viewing areas: depending on the type of ticket, guests can follow Grandmasters’ games on all five floors and, for the first time in chess history, watch the games from the top. The tournament will be commented on by German Grandmasters. The VIP lounge will accommodate the world’s strongest chess players, as well as Grandmaster Judit Polgar commenting on the Tournament in English. There will be a merchandise shop on the site.
The tournament will be broadcast via www.worldchess.com/berlin.
Photo Gallery.
Tickets for the World Chess Candidates are selling quickly, but some rounds are still available at: https://www.ticketmaster.de/artist/fide-world-chess-candidates-tournament-tickets/989876.
Chess fans can head to https://worldchess.com and make their purchase of broadcast plan to check out the chess action.
Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik, FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos, CEO of World Chess Ilya Merenzon, President of the German Chess Federation Ulrich Krause
The speakers of the press-conference included: FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos, CEO of World Chess Ilya Merenzon, President of the German Chess Federation Ulrich Krause, Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik and Russian Chess Federation Vice President, CEO PJSC PhosAgro Andrey Guryev.
FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos said: “Germany is a very developed chess country, with a lot of players, a lot of chess fans, so for us it’s the right place for the Candidates Tournament.”
CEO of World Chess Ilya Merenzon said: “The World Chess Championship cycle is a fight for the title of the smartest person on the planet. The main challenge for us is to interest tens of millions of people around the world in this show, and we are glad that this is happening. Countries are rooting for their chess players. We know that in Russia, Armenia, Norway, Azerbaijan, China and even in the United States millions of people will care for the outcome of the tournament. It will be not only exciting, but also modern and beautiful. Welcome to Berlin or to www.worldchess.com.”
Russian Chess Federation Vice President and Board of Trustees Member, CEO PJSC PhosAgro Andrey Guryev said: “The decision to support chess was made seven years ago. Not only is it an intellectual sport, but also an excellent way to develop strategic thinking. PhosAgro’s participation in world-class chess championships allows the company to remain competitive at the world stage and count its actions on several moves forward. Western Europe is one of the priority markets for us and we are delighted that today we are opening the Tournament precisely in Germany, the country in which chess is one of the most popular sports. It will definitely attract the attention of our partners and customers, both at the corporate level and at the retail level.”
President of Armenia and President of the Armenian Chess Federation Serzh Sargsyan
The prize fund will total €420,000. Additionally, the prize will also include 10% of the pay-per-view revenues from the event.
All games start at 15:00 CET.
Leading brands continue to support the Championship cycle and will be represented in the Candidates Tournament: EG Capital Advisors, an international asset management company, the Official Partner, and PhosAgro, a leading chemical company, the Official Strategic Partner; Kaspersky Lab as World Chess and FIDE Official Cybersecurity Partner; S.T. Dupont as Official Writing Instrument; and PRYTEK as Technology Transfer Partner.
Arbiters speaking for the press
Official hashtags of the Tournament are #candidates2018 and #berlinplayschess.
Photo Gallery.
Photos from the press-conference: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/epmca9bfe2ch85x/AAAlNxDrvry01WDleUjAzM30a?dl=0.
The official 2018 FIDE World Chess Candidates press kit can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vlx3agxmga1bnuu/AACK63V9YVAeJP4a-0Vpyppla?dl=0.
FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos
For any German-based media enquiries, please contact:
Nico Hasenclever
MC Group
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+49-(0)30-65 000-123
For any international or global media enquiries, please
contact:
David Frossman-Miller
W Communications
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+44 7909 532 722
Andrew Murray-Watson
Communications Director
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Mob: +44 7515 695232
Tel: +44 207 564 8909
Media day with the players
President of the German Chess Federation Ulrich Krause
About FIDE:
The World Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Echecs, (FIDE), is recognized by its members and the International Olympic Committee as the international federation in the domain of chess, the supreme body responsible for the sport of chess and its Championships. FIDE has the sole rights to organize the World Chess Championships and the Chess Olympiads.
About World Chess:
World Chess is the official partner of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and commercial rights holder to the World Chess Championship cycle. World Chess aims to develop and commercialize chess, create favorable environment for partners, players, and brands, and to significantly expand the broadcast coverage of the sport. World Chess became the owner of the commercial rights in 2012. The company successfully managed the 2012-2013 Grand Prix cycle, the 2014 World Championship Match, and the 2015 Rapid and Blitz World Championships. The company operates the worldchess.com website, the official broadcasting platform of the Championship cycle.
About PhosAgro:
PhosAgro (www.phosagro.com) is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers in terms of production volumes of phosphate-based fertilizers and high-grade phosphate rock with a P2O5 content of not less than 39% (according to IFA, Fertecon and CRU). The Company is the largest phosphate-based fertilizer producer in Europe, the largest producer of high-grade phosphate rock worldwide, and one of the top-three MAP/DAP producers in the world (by production volumes, according to IFA). PhosAgro is also one of the leading producers of feed phosphates (MCP) in Europe, and the only producer in Russia (according to CRU and RAFP). PhosAgro is Russia’s only producer of nepheline concentrate (according to RAFP).
PhosAgro’s main products include phosphate rock, 39 grades of fertilizers, feed phosphates, ammonia, and sodium tripolyphosphate, which are used by customers in 100 countries spanning all of the world’s inhabited continents. The Company’s priority markets outside of Russia and the CIS are Latin America, Europe and Asia. PhosAgro’s shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange, and global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) for shares trade on the London Stock Exchange (under the ticker PHOR). Since 1 June 2016, the Company’s GDRs have been included in the MSCI Russia and MSCI Emerging Markets indexes. Website: www.phosagro.com.
About EG Capital Advisors:
EG Capital Advisors is a UK-headquartered asset management company which offers strategies across multiple asset classes. Specialist areas of focus include global emerging markets credit and private and public equity of global emerging companies private across different sectors. Website: www.egcapitaladvisors.com.
About Kaspersky Lab:
Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company, which has been operating in the market for over 20 years. Kaspersky Lab’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into next generation security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
About S.T Dupont:
For nearly 145 years, S.T.Dupont master goldsmiths and silversmiths, lacquerers and trunk-makers have created unique and durable objects that are entirely crafted by hand and made in France for exceptional individuals. This legendary and unique know-how, combined with an entrepreneurial spirit true to founder Simon Tissot Dupont, contribute to perpetuating the international aura and recognition of a House that embodies Fine French Craftsmanship. It is with great pride that S.T.Dupont preserves the know-how of its master craftsmen, who are heirs to skills passed down from generation to generation. The choice of connoisseurs from visionaries and artists to world leaders and royalty: Exceptional products for exceptional people since 1872. In the 21st century, the legend lives on, in perfect harmony with its roots and a future of promise. Website: www.st-dupont.com.
About PRYTEK:
PRYTEK corporation is a global VC integrator that invest in Fintech, HRtech, Cybersecurity, Mediatech, AI and Education, and transfer disruptive technologies to emerging markets. PRYTEK established unique ecosystem where technologies enter new markets, investors are not charged for assets management and corporates get “one-stop-shop” access to best global innovations which enable them to be ahead of the competitors.
PRYTEK corporation operate in 4 countries, with over 30 cutting edge technologies worth $1,8 bln and more than 2500 corporate customers. Website: www.prytek.com.
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