Will the next Candidates Chess Matches be held in Bulgaria?

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012


Hello everyone,


We just found this interesting piece of chess news that Bulgaria might be in the running to host the next Candidates Matches! (In the photo: Veselin Topalov beat Gata Kamsky in February 2009 to win the right to face Anand for the world chess title. Photo by EPA/BGNES. As you know, Boris Gelfand of Israel will challenge World Champion Vishy Anand this year!)


Bulgaria has endorsed the town of Panagyurishte to run for host of this year's Candidates Tournament chess clashes, it has been revealed. London and Baku have already entered the race to host the prestigious event, while New York is expected to join them.


Bulgaria recently hosted two key chess battles – the Candidate Match betweenVeselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky in 2009 and Topalov's subsequent World Championship match against Vishwanathan Anand in 2010, which the Bulgarian lost. Both events took place in Sofia.


Panagyurishte's candidacy is seen as Topalov's only chance to get back into the title race.


Bulgarian Chess Federation President Silvio Danailov has pointed out that the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov support Panagyurishte's candidacy. The Candidates Tournament is a chess tournament organised by FIDE since 1950, as the final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship.
The winner of the Candidates earns the right to a match for the World Championship against the incumbent World Champion.


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