Much at stake in world match

The world championship match, which began Saturday in Sofia, Bulgaria, will determine the champion for the next two years. There is a hefty prize fund of 2 million euros (about $2.7 million), of which the winner will receive 60%. But even more is at stake.

Viswanathan Anand, champion since 2007, is already recognized as a great player and the instigator of India's chess boom. However, he stood in the shadow of Garry Kasparov during his prime years and became champion only at age 37. A victory would confirm his status as the leader of the post-Kasparov era and would turn speculation to his inevitable clash with a member of a much younger generation, such as 19-year old Magnus Carlsen. If Anand cares about being remembered as a dominant figure in chess history, he must win this match.

Challenger Veselin Topalov held the top spot in the world rankings until recently being surpassed by Carlsen. He lost the 2006 world championship match to Vladimir Kramnik, and he must wonder if he will get another chance if he loses this one too.

For the World Chess Federation (FIDE), this match represents an opportunity for favorable publicity that might rehabilitate its tattered reputation. Since Kirsan Ilyumzhinov became FIDE president in 1995, the organization has followed the doomed policy of trying to promote itself rather than its stars. FIDE conducted a decade-long battle with Kasparov and offered less than lukewarm support to his successors, Kramnik and Anand. FIDE has already alienated Carlsen, but the damage could be reversed if FIDE behaves properly.

Predictions

Topalov's edge in rating (2805 to 2787) suggests a one-point victory is slightly more probable than a 6-6 tie. I asked 10 titled players to guess the score of the best-of-12-game match.

All predicted a close match with either one or two wins by the loser, and no more than three by the winner.

The highest-rated forecaster predicted a 6-6 tie, and he said that Anand would win the speedy tiebreaking games. Two others foresaw an Anand victory by 61/2-51/2, and one guessed 61/2-41/2.

Four predicted a Topalov victory by the smallest margin, 61/2-51/2, while two thought Topalov would win by two points.

Local news

Tatev Abrahamyan took a 11/2-1/2 lead last weekend in her six-game match against another of the best local players, IM Tim Taylor. Spectators are invited to watch games beginning at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday at the Los Angeles Chess Club, 11514 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. The match will conclude May 8. For information about the match or any of the club's events, call Mick Bighamian at (310) 795-5710.

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