World Chess Championship Match Topalov-Kramnik

To: All National Chess Federations & Media

Subject: World Championship Match Topalov-Kramnik

Dear chess friends,

Today is a historic day for our sport! After months of consultations with both players, I am pleased to announce that the World Championship match Topalov vs Kramnik will be held 21 September - 13 October 2006 in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. Both players and their managers have agreed with all the technical details of the match, which will consist of 12 games, and the prize fund will be a guaranteed minimum amount of 1 million US dollars.

This great match will undoubtedly end any confusion about the World Championship status after the unfortunate schism, which occurred in 1993. In the beginning of my first term as FIDE President, back in 1995, I promised to work for unity within FIDE in all aspects. As for the World Championship title, it was not easy to satisfy all demands of the involved parties during all these years but we always kept our principles and actions within the true spirit of our motto GENS UNA SUMUS. Today our efforts have been justified!

We are all looking forward to this great event, the World Chess Championship Match 2006. I would like to stress once more that we shall definitely continue to work for a strong and united FIDE. As we have already done for the past 10 years.

May the best player win!

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
FIDE President