The Twenty-Per-Cent Solution

• Leonard Barden, Veteran Vishy Anand secures surprise title at world rapids in Riyadh, The Guardian, December 29, 2017

Offboard, it remains unclear how the tournament’s well publicised problems will play out. Its $2m total prize fund is the largest in chess history outside matches for the classical world championship. FIDE, the global chess body, takes a 20% cut, meaning that if the rapid/blitz also takes place in Riyadh in 2018 and 2019 as contracted, FIDE will collect $1.2m, which for a cash-strapped organisation would be a gold mine. However, FIDE’s statute 1.2 says unequivocally that its events must be open to all member federations. Players from Qatar have belatedly acquired visas and will compete in the blitz. Israelis, who remain barred, claim the tournament is illegal and will take their case to the FIDE’s next congress in autumn 2018 and possibly to the court of arbitration for sport in [Lausanne]. Is there a way out? One idea discussed informally between FIDE and the Saudis was for Israelis to play under the FIDE flag, as do individuals from countries like Bulgaria, whose membership is suspended. But this construction would only work for Israelis with a second passport. FIDE has promised a statement after the end of the current tournament as it seeks to escape what seems at the moment an insoluble impasse. [Read more].