Chess - The Scotsman, 30/3/2012

IT’S not often you get to hear FIDE being mentioned in the same sentence as “change of heart” and “doing good for the game,” but the governing body of world chess managed it this week, with their surprise announcement of switching the dates of the Candidates’ Tournament in London from November 2012 to March 2013.

This is good news for the Bilbao Grand Slam Final and the London Chess Classic, as both elite events were put in jeopardy with a potential clash with FIDE’s original Candidates’ schedule. The March 2013 date always seemed like the best time for the Candidates, though, with the big hole in the calendar following the demise of the Linares and Amber super-tournaments traditionally held over that time-slot.

Organisers and top players have welcomed FIDE’s change of heart. Magnus Carlsen was pleasantly surprised by the news. “I never thought I would welcome a FIDE delay but this time I am grateful for it,” said the World No.1. “I have been quite vocal in my support of Bilbao and London, and critical of FIDE placing the Candidates in the middle of the elite tournament high season. ”

Round eight of the European Individual Championship in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, saw a new troika of leaders at the top, with Vladimir Malakhov, Maxim Matlakov and Vladimir Akopian on 6.5/8 with three rounds to play.

M Matlakov - V Bologan

European Individual Ch., (8)

Slav Defence, Notëboom variation

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 dxc4 5 a4 e6 6 e4 Bb4 7 e5 Nd5 8 Bd2 b5 9 axb5 Bxc3 10 bxc3 cxb5 11 Ng5 h6 12 Qh5 0–0 13 Ne4 Nc6 14 h4 f5 15 Nd6 Bd7 16 Rh3 Be8 17 Qd1 Qe7 18 g4 Rd8 19 g5 f4 20 gxh6 gxh6 21 Nxb5 Nxe5 22 Rxa7 Qf6 23 Na3 Nd3+ 24 Rxd3! cxd3 25 Bxd3 Qxh4 26 Qf3 Rf7 27 Rxf7 Bxf7 28 c4 Ne3 29 Qe4 Nf5 30 Nc2 Rb8 31 Bxf4 Rb1+ 32 Kd2 Qxf2+ 33 Kc3 Kh7 34 Be5 Rd1 35 Be2 Rc1 36 Bd3 h5 37 Qa8 Kh6 38 Qf8+ Kg5 39 Qxf7 Qe1+ 40 Kb3 Rb1+ 41 Ka2 Qc1 42 d5 Rb6 43 Qg8+ Kh6 44 Qf8+ 1–0