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.”
The tournament is played over 14 rounds. At the end of the seventh round Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Ian Nepomniachtchi were tied with 4½ points each.
Meanwhile, the 2020 Olympiad has been postponed to 2021. Guyana was preparing to field a men and women’s team for the event. The men had accumulated Grand Prix points for participation at the Olympiad. When the situation is normalized, the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) has to decide what format the selection processes for future Olympiads will be. Would there be a continuation of the Grand Prix points system?
In my estimation, the Grand Prix system is free and fair. It allows for the choosing of the 
strongest contenders. In relation to the National Championships, I endorse the position which advocates there should be a double round robin, all-play-all twice. Each participant would play the black, and alternately, the white pieces. In chess, white gets the first move and dictates the first moves of the game. As a member of the GCF, I have written to President Frankie Farley seeking his thoughts on the matter.
