26.10.2005 ACP blitz comment: Alexander Khalifman

What is your attitude to sudden change of the world championship formula?

I approach it according to my basic principle: never get surprised about anything from FIDE. Although, or course, such a spontaneous change may look strange to an unprepared man.

Do you think the new system is better of worse than the previous one in principle?

One that was accepted before at least took a slightest consideration of the sporting principle. And now the participants of San Luis, who were invited to the event without any qualification, got a gigantic priviledges, while the rest of players have to compete for only four spots. "Such can not be done" (c) V.Petrzela.

Will the championship unification match Topalov-Kramnik, if organized in 2006 under FIDE aegis, benefit chess?

Maybe it will, However, the key word here is "in 2006". In practice is does not look realistic. And if endless negotiations about such match would ruin the new cycle, then it is unambiguously harmful.

Does Kramnik, in your opinion, have moral or juridical rights to challenge Topalov?

Juridically it is all casuistry. The consequences of "The Prague collusion" and everything that followed can be interpreted differently, however there will always be a bold question mark in the end. For a moral right Vladimir has, in my opinion, needs to produce in the near future at least one result, comparable to Topalov's achievements in 2006.

This article is published with permission of Association of Chess Professionals