The chess “Oscar” was bestowed to Topalov


(Sofia, May 10, 2006) The President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov officially opened the second edition of the super chess tournament M-Tel Masters. “I would like to congratulate you with the holiday, because for all chess lovers in Bulgaria and around the world the second M-Tel Masters is really a big holiday. Tournament already has its trade mark and I am sure that it will also have a strong tradition”, the President announced at the ceremony.

At the opening of the tournament the World Champion Veselin Topalov received the chess “Oscar” for 2005. The prize was bestowed to him by the editor-in-chief of “64-shahmatnoe obozrenie” magazine Alexander Roshal and the Deputy President of FIDE Georgios Makropoulos.

„This award is a big acknowledgement because in the history of chess it has been awarded to great players. It is an even bigger pleasure for me to receive it exactly in Bulgaria at the tournament organized by my sponsor”, Veselin Topalov said when receiving the award.

Apart from the President Georgi Parvanov at the opening of M-Tel Masters 2006 were also the Chair of the State Agency for Youth and Sport, the Minister of Transport Petar Mutafchiev, the archaeologist Georgi Kitov, the TV hosts Ivan and Andrey of “Sblasak” and other famous people.

M-Tel Masters 2006 starts on May 11 and the winner will be clear on May 21. In the first round Veselin Topalov will play with the black pieces against Peter Svidler. In the other two games Ruslan Ponomariov will play against Gata Kamsky and Etienne Bacrot – against Viswanathan Anand.