FIDE offers 2013 World Championship to Chennai

In an apparent bid to placate India after Chennai was deprived of the World Chess Championship Match between Vishwanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand of Israel next year, the game's world governing body has now offered the 2013 edition of the pregtigious event to the city.

In an apparent bid to placate India after Chennai was deprived of the World Chess Championship Match between Vishwanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand of Israel next year, the game's world governing body has now offered the 2013 edition of the prestigious event to the city.

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In a letter to Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said the world body would want All India Chess Federation to host the 2013 Match.

The FIDE president said "to our knowledge this is the first time ever that FIDE has offered a title match to anyone directly."

Chennai was tipped to host the Championship match but it was later given to Moscow, apparently because the Russian capital had offered more prize money.