Row grows over chess title match
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE ROW over the world chess championship deepened yesterday when London Chess Group, which has bid pounds 2m in prize money to stage the match between Nigel Short and Garry Kasparov, gave the two and their lawyers until Thursday to 'recommence proper negotiations'.
Matthew Patten, co-ordinator of the London Chess Group consortium, expressed annoyance at the recent disclosure that the players had signed a supposedly confidential agreement to negotiate exclusively for a two-week period with Times Newspapers, which has bid pounds 1.7m. 'It is ludicrous to give one party preferential treatment and still expect the other to stay in play,' Mr Patten said. 'They cannot treat organisations like that and expect to get away with it.'
In a letter to Short's lawyer, he said that if London Chess had not received a serious invitation to negotiate by 5.30pm tomorrow it 'will no longer wish to be associated with the proposed match and its offer will be automatically withdrawn'.
This ultimatum came after London Chess Group received no reply from either player's lawyer to questions raised in a letter on 1 April. 'We're fed up with being messed around,' Mr Patten said. Bob Rice, Kasparov's New York lawyer, who has been handling negotiations, denied any bidder had received preferential treatment.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments