FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 30, 1999

Press Release #2

GALA CEREMONY KICKS OFF 1999 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

On Friday evening, July 30, the 1999 World Chess Championship officially opened with a gala ceremony at luxurious Caesars Palace, the Home of Champions, in Las Vegas. The program included music, a chess-themed fashion show, and a video of 20th-century chess history.

The World Chess Federation, known as FIDE, is the event sponsor. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov signed a giant $3,000,000 check, representing the prize fund. International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Anita DeFrantz announced that the IOC had formally recognized FIDE as an International Sports Federation. DeFrantz noted, "There are no losers here. In the Olympic spirit, all who compete are winners." U.S. President Bill Clinton sent a letter greeting the 100 top chessplayers from around the world.

The players will compete in a series of knockout chess matches, similar to a tennis tournament. The first round begins Saturday, July 31, at 3:00 p.m. local time. The battle will continue for a month, with a steadily shrinking field, until the last player standing is crowned World Chess Champion at the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 29.

The games will be broadcast live on the Internet. Chess fans around the world can follow the moves at the U.S. Chess Federation Web site, www.uschess.org .

Among the 100 players are nine Americans: current U.S. Champion Nick de Firmian, Joel Benjamin, Boris Gulko, Dimitry Gurevich, Alexander Ivanov, Gata Kamsky, Sergey Kudrin, Tal Shaked, and Alexander Yermolinsky.

Two women are competing: veteran Maya Chiburdanidze of the Republic of Georgia, and the stylish young Hungarian Judith Polgar. Chiburdanidze is not thought to have much chance, but Polgar is among the chess world’s elite.

The tournament favorites include Alexander Kramnik of Russia and Alexei Shirov of Spain. The oldest player is legendary Viktor Korchnoi, still a fighter at 68.

On Saturday, July 31, at 3:30 p.m., FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov will give a press conference in the Chess Press Center, located in the Verona Room of Caesars Palace.

CONTACT: Timothy Hanke, Press Officer for the World Chess Championship, at 702-731-7110, extensions 5913 through 5927.