Anand-Topalov: The Match Schedule
Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 12:24AM First things first: game 1 begins at 5 p.m. local time in Sofia, Bulgaria, where the match is taking place; that translates to 4 p.m. Central European Time and 10 a.m. ET in the Americas. Perhaps this is because of opening day pomp and circumstance, or as a further minor concession for Anand, because all the subsequent games start two hours earlier.
The basic schedule algorithm is two days on, one day off, until we get to game 11. That game is preceded and followed by a rest day, followed by game 12, and then, if necessary, a final rest day precedes the tiebreaks. Here's the detailed version:
Saturday April 24: GAME 1 (5:00 p.m. local/4:00 p.m. CET/10 a.m. ET) Topalov - Anand
Sunday April 25: GAME 2 (3 p.m./2 p.m./ 8 a.m. - repeats for all subsequent days, except perhaps the tiebreaks) Anand - Topalov
Monday April 26: OFF
Tuesday April 27: GAME 3 Topalov - Anand
Wednesday April 28: GAME 4 Anand - Topalov
Thursday April 29: OFF
Friday April 30: GAME 5 Topalov - Anand
Saturday May 1: GAME 6 Anand - Topalov
Sunday May 2: OFF
Monday May 3: GAME 7 Anand - Topalov (Note the back-to-back white games for Anand)
Tuesday May 4: GAME 8 Topalov - Anand
Wednesday May 5: OFF
Thursday May 6: GAME 9 Anand - Topalov
Friday May 7: GAME 10 Topalov - Anand
Saturday May 8: OFF
Sunday May 9: GAME 11 Anand - Topalov
Monday May 10: OFF
Tuesday May 11: GAME 12 Topalov - Anand
Wednesday May 12: OFF
Thursday May 13: TIEBREAKS (If necessary)
Let the games begin!
Reader Comments (1)
The reason for the (further) two hour postponement is 'pomp and circumstances' in a way: The chairman of the organizing committee Borisov wants to, and apparently has to make the symbolic first move but is busy elsewhere earlier today (after all, he is also the Bulgarian prime minister ....).
Whether Anand really likes the additional two hours of rest is questionable IMO, because now the game may last until 11:00PM local time or beyond. Arguably inconvenient for both, but Topalov is a fan of Borisov, and Anand is the one who may still be a bit tired anyway.