Magnus Carlsen is set to defend his title of World Chess Champion this year at the Fide World Chess Championship sometime in November in the USA . However, before a worthy challenger emerges, a couple of players (selected based on various criteria) have to take part in a candidates tournament before one of them gets a chance to go against Carlsen for the title of World Chess Champion.
The candidates tournament is set to take place in Moscow, Russia from the 10th - 30th of March, 2016. A total of 8 players will be participating in the tournament and the format is a double round robin with 14 rounds. The prize fund is a guaranteed 450,000 US Dollars.
Magnus Carlsen first got the title when he defeated Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand in his own Country, India in 2013. In 2014, Anand had the opportunity to go against Carlsen but he lost again.
Anand has a chance to challenge for the title this year as well but before that can happen, he has to face some stiff competition.
The criteria to qualify for the candidates tournament and the players that fit the bill are:
1. World Championship Match 2014 - The player who lost the 2014 World Championship Match qualifies. - Viswanathan Anand (India)
2. World Cup 2015 - The two (2) top winners of the World Cup 2015 that held in Baku, Azerbaijan (The World Cup is not the same as the World Chess Championship)
Sergey Karjakin- WINNER (Russia)
Peter Svidler - RUNNER UP (Russia)
3. Fide Grand-Prix 2014/2015 - The two (2) top players from the Fide Grand-Prix 2014/2015 qualify to participate.
Fabiano Caruana (USA)
Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
4. Average Fide Rating List of the 12 monthly lists starting from 1st January 2015 to 1st December 2015 - Two (2)
Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria)
Anish Giri (Netherlands)
5. One nominated player by the Organiser - A player, nominated by the organiser, with a rating of at least 2725 in the Fide rating list of 1st July 2015. - Levon Aronian (Armenia)
Replacements - If any replacement is needed due to withdrawal or refusal of participation, the first reserve player from the final standings of the Fide Grand-Prix 2014/2015 will be invited. Any futher replacement needed will be fulfilled from the average rating list described above.
News Source:
http://www.chessfiles.com/chessfiles-blog/2016-world-chess-championship-candidat...