2013 Candidates' Opening Ceremony

Phew! It's been a while since I last blogged here (last June - that's around nine months). But I decided it was time to dust off my old blog site for the biggest chess tournament to hit London... ever? The 2013 World Championship Candidates' Tournament is something very special: eight top players competing for the right to meet Vishy Anand in a title match later this year (or perhaps early next year - you always have to build in some delay contingent when foreseeing such an event.

Your table is (nearly) ready, gentlemen...

I find there is a sense of unreality preceding a major chess event and, when big-time chess hits London, I always find myself unable to believe that I am really going to be seeing world-class players, practically on my doorstep. So, when I visited the venue today, for the opening ceremony, I had to have a quick look round the actual playing area. It's not quite ready yet, but it looks as if it only needs a couple of hours' work to be shipshape. But the sight of that table, with the name cards 'Aronian' and 'Carlsen' already attached to the side helped bring home to me that this thing is really going to be happening. Exciting, isn't it?

Follow the action here: london2013.fide.com
And also here: chessvibes.com

More fun tomorrow...