Officials say tournament will be delayed; role of defending champion uncertain

The World Chess Championship will apparently be moved back to early 1999 in a bid to placate defending champion Anatoly Karpov, who was stung by a decision that would cut his reign in half.

Karpov, in a telephone interview from his home in Moscow, told The Associated Press he was undecided whether to enter the tournament and defend his title.

"At this moment I cannot say 100 percent I will play," Karpov said Monday. "I believe the correct time to decide is when you know all the field and all the conditions."

Israel Gelfor, a member of the executive committee of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), said Monday the match had been moved to early next year because Karpov had won the title in January 1998. He said it was impossible to hold two world championship matches the same year.

Gelfor said Karpov had agreed to participate, beginning in the second round of the Las Vegas tournament.

Eric Johnson, assistant director of the United States Chess Federation, said an agreement had been reached where Karpov would be seeded into round two of the tournament, along with other major players. And the event was rescheduled for late January, Johnson said, after Karpov protested the timing and the format of the tournament.

Karpov had threatened to boycott the prestigious chess event, citing the fact the championships are normally held every two years. FIDE had announced plans last month to hold the next world championship in Las Vegas Nov. 29-Dec. 27.

Karpov and FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov were scheduled to hold a news conference here Thursday, but it was canceled late Monday. A new date has not been scheduled.

Karpov said there are "two groups in my camp" who have opposite views on his participation. One group wants him to compete in Las Vegas in January while the other believes the new FIDE rules are contrary to the contract he signed in August 1997 to defend his title, Karpov said.

Karpov said he agreed not to take any legal action against FIDE because he felt a dispute would harm the chances of chess eventually being accepted as an Olympic sport.

Shiloh Quinn of Montreal, who is Karpov's agent, said he doubted the reigning champion would participate.

"I'm betting he does not play, then whoever wins, we'll go against them one-on-one," Quinn said.

Karpov would be relegated to "the back of the bus" by having to compete from scratch with other competitors, Quinn said.

"He has to join just like he'd never played chess before," Quinn said. "I honestly don't believe he would start at the bottom, but I'll let him speak for himself."

In defending his title in January 1998, Karpov waited in the wings until some 100 of the world's best players had been whittled down to a single challenger, then the challenger played Karpov for the title, Quinn said.

Ron Henley of New York City, a chess grand master who has been Karpov's assistant in several of his matches, said he had talked to Karpov recently and was told, "If they hold the tournament next year, I will be happy to play."

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