The “Clash of Claims” was a blitz chess match between former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and Mexican Grandmaster José Martínez Alcántara (Jospem).
Held from June 7-9 in Madrid, Spain, the match was set to feature 36 games,18 over-the-board and 18 online. However, it was abandoned with GM José Martínez leading 14.5-11.5.
Kramnik did not accept the result, alleging a possible conspiracy involving technical interference.
The follow-up match, titled “The Clash of Blames: Vladimir Kramnik vs. José Martínez,” is set to take place from August 19-21 in London, organized by World Chess and ChessArena. Interestingly, the exact venue location remains undisclosed.
The format and time control will mirror the previous “Clash of Claims” match, with the online portion hosted on ChessArena.com. The organizer claims that ChessArena is an “advanced platform designed to handle high-stakes events with reliability”.
World Chess promises “Real-Time Monitoring,” incorporating both physical and online anti-cheating measures, and has partnered with Pinkerton as their Fair Play Partner.
The prize fund remains unchanged at €20,000.
A recent behind-the-scenes documentary released by Chess.com offers an inside look at the Madrid match.
