The Chess Mind

No real surprise here; I think the only reason the 2700 + $$$ = permission to challenge for the world championship rule was devised was to find a justification for the Kramnik-Topalov unification match. The only question, I think, is how long before FIDE gets that rule off the books.

Even before the ink on his Elista check was dry, the Topalov & Danailov duo offered a rematch. That wasn't part of the match contract, but was covered by an odd FIDE decision that any 2700+ player who could raise the money was entitled to a match, and T & D jumped at the chance.

I think the rule is a terrible one as long as a workable cycle is in place, and I think FIDE regrets it too. Still, that's the current rule, and it will be interesting to see what FIDE does with Topalov's latest challenge, now that it has been backed by a FIDE-approved bank.

More here and via its own links.