The 2020 Candidates Chess Tournament, which was ongoing in Russia, has been suspended.
The tournament was halfway through when the world chess body, FIDE, released a statement through its President Arkady Dvorkovich last week. Pointing out that the government of the Russian Federation had announced that starting March 27, 2020, it would halt air traffic with other countries without indicating any timeframe for resumption, Dvorkovich said: “FIDE cannot continue the tournament without guarantees for the players and officials’ safe and timely return home. In this situation and on the basis of clause 1.5 Rules of Candidates Tournament, the FIDE President decided to stop the tournament. It will be continued later, with the exact dates to be announced as soon as the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow. As it was stipulated by the special rules agreed with the players before the start of the event, the results of the seven rounds played remain valid, and the tournament will resume in the same composition starting with the games of the 8th round.”
