From 08.02 till 10.02.2010 an official visit to our country was paid by the FIDE vice-president and supervisor of the V.Anand - V.Topalov match Mr. Georgios Makropoulos, the personal manager and wife of the World Champion - Aruna Anand and the chief organizer of the tournaments in Mainz (Germany) - Hans-Walter Schmitt. The purpose of their visit was to inspect closer the preparations for the World Championship match. They examined the playing hall at the Military Club, where the greatest chess event for 2010 will take place, and gave their recommendations concerning its reconstruction so that players should be completely isolated from the audience, how to prevent admittance of any electronic devices in the playing hall and to create all the necessary conditions for a fair play.

A lot of attention attracted a special curtain that will be draw in front of the scene. It won't permit the players to see anything in the hall but will be completely transparent from spectators' side. It will be manufactured in Germany. The guests as well had a look at the other premises of the Military Club, where will be allocated a press center, an analysis room, offices of FIDE and the Bulgarian Chess Federation and a VIP room. The matters concerning the lights and heating both on scene and in the hall and shading the windows to prevent the daylight were discussed as well.
Aruna Anand, who stayed at the Hilton - the very hotel that will host during the match V.Anand and his team, made reservations for 2 suits and 4 single rooms (according to the contract). She gave the information that to cover this match will arrive over 10 journalists and a TV team from India, who will be accommodated in another hotel.

In those discussions for the Bulgarian side took part the President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation Mr. Stefan Sergiev, the Executive Director Mr, Nikolay Velchev and Mr. Radislav Atanasov. An agreement concerning any detail of receiving and accommodating the guests, transportation to the playing hall and back, necessary security measures etc. was reached.

Mrs. Anand was very pleased from what she saw and expressed her certainty that the Bulgarian side would do anything for the normal course of the match. Before leaving, she shared that 'We've visited Bulgaria 3 times and we've always been well accepted which leaves us greatly impressed. I am convinced that after this match we'll become even better friends.'
The next inspection of Mr. Makropoulos and Mrs. Anand is scheduled for the end of March.