Anand will have to defend title in 'tennis style' draw

Chess' world governing body FIDE on Wednesday adopted a 'tennis style' draw making it mandatory for World champion Vishwanathan Anand to fight for the defence of his title in 2001 right from the first round.

Like in Grand Slam events, where 128 players contest for supremacy, chess will also see as many exponents of the game matching their wits before a winner is found after seven gruelling rounds.

At its Presidential Board meeting in Tehran, FIDE took a major decision to do away with awarding a bye to the seeded players in the first round, to make the World Championship more competitive and interesting.

During the recently-concluded World Championship, 28 GMs were given direct entry into the second round while 72 players began the fight from the first round.

Also, in a pathbreaking decision, FIDE decided to give amateurs a chance to play alongside the best in the business.

Eight amateurs will be selected through the Internet as qualifiers for the 2001 World Championship and they need not be International Masters or Grandmasters.

Unlike a six-game final in the Tehran leg of the Championship, the 2001 event will have an eight-game final with a two-week break after the semifinals.

This has been done to give the players time to recoup their energies.