FIDE World Chess Championship 2010 Opening Ceremony (Photos added)

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Veselin Topalov will have White pieces in the first game

Update: Photo gallery added

16:45 CET

The opening ceremony of the 2010 FIDE World Chess Championship match is starting at 17:00 CET. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and his assistant Berik Balgabaev have arrived 15 minutes earlier. There are more than 20 TV cameras and about 100 journalists attending.

16:50 CET

As we informed earlier today, the first game will be postponed for one day. The updated playing schedule is posted here.

16:55 CET

World Champion Vishy Anand enters the playing hall. Chessdom.com has five photographers on the scene, expect constant photo updates and a large gallery to be posted soon.

17:00 CET

The opening ceremony starts with a minute of silence in the memory of the former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch.

17:00 CET

Boiko Borisov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, is currently giving a speech.

17:10 CET

His excellency Ambassador of India is giving a speech. He wished luck to both players and said “Let the better player wins!” A promotional video of India is starting.

17:25 CET

The movie about Anand and his career is currently being screened.

17:30 CET

Now the movie about Veselin Topalov and his career is on the screen.

17:35 CET

Vishy Anand and Veselin Topalov are invited to step on the stage. Chief Arbiter Panaqiotis Nikolopoulos is explaining the regulations. Deputy Chief Arbiter Werner Stubenvoll is also on the stage. Drawing of the lots will now commence.

17:40 CET

Veselin Topalov will play with White pieces in the first game.

17:40 CET

With this the opening ceremony is concluded. Thank you for following. Many more photos in the gallery.