FIDE - 4 Year Event Calendar

The current furore over FIDE's scheduling of the next Candidates Tournament in such a way as to cause maximum disruption to two existing successful commercial tournaments, seems to have provoked a clear response: Tough.

FIDE have now announced a draft calendar of events for the next FOUR years. In theory, this should be a step forward but FIDE seem incapable of sticking to a calendar of events for a single year, let alone four.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting the dates now so that in four years time we can see how it all went exactly to plan...

Also, it is worrying to note that FIDE have scheduled a Grand Prix event for July in Berlin next year - at pretty much the same time as the traditional Dortmund tournament takes place.  Has FIDE declared war on private chess events?

PRESS RELEASE: FIDE Announces Draft Dates for World Chess Championship Cycles

FIDE, after consultations with AGON, its new partner for organizing the World Chess Championship Cycle, is pleased to announce a draft calendar of event dates for the next two cycles over four years. Once finalised, FIDE and AGON intend to retain the 2014-15 competition schedule as the model for the indefinite future.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of FIDE, said, “I am pleased finally to be able to bring a grand European Tour to our European colleagues! And, even more important, players and fans are already excited and energized.”

Andrew Paulson, Director of AGON, said, “We are glad to be bringing a series of World Chess events to the capitals of Europe. In the future we will be progressing continent by continent, bringing great competitions to the world’s capitals in a regular and predictable schedule.”