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 Marina Litvinovich, a spokeswoman for the broad-based coalition Kasparov heads, told The Associated Press that organizers have been unable to find an auditorium in Moscow where activists could gather to nominate the opposition leader.
She accused the government of pressuring landlords not to rent to Kasparov's group, Other Russia.
"Authorities put up as many obstacles as possible to stop us," she said.
Under Russian election law, candidates not connected with registered political parties have to be put forward at meetings of so-called "initiative groups." Thursday is the deadline for informing the central elections commission of plans for such meetings.
Since leaving chess, Kasparov has become a vociferous critic of President Vladimir Putin's government, cobbling together a disparate coalition of nationalists, left-wing activists and liberals to try to generate broad opposition.
It was not clear why the Kremlin would try to block Kasparov's candidacy, since the election almost certainly will be won by Dmitry Medvedev, the first deputy prime minister who got Putin's powerful endorsement.
Opposition forces frequently complain that they are denied venues for their meetings. Requests for permission to hold opposition marches are generally rejected, or the marches are rerouted to areas where they will attract little attention.
Police have violently dispersed a number of opposition rallies organized by Kasparov's group over the past year, and Kasparov was jailed for five days after a rally in Moscow last month.
Putin said Monday that he supported Medvedev, a longtime protege, to become Russia's next president
-- an endorsement almost certain to clinch an election victory for Medvedev. On Tuesday, Medvedev returned the favor, asking that Putin be his prime minister.
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 Becoming prime minister would allow Putin to retain a strong measure of power without violating or changing the constitution, which prohibits presidents from serving more than two consecutive terms.
Also Thursday, riot police stopped two buses carrying dozens of Other Russia supporters who were traveling out of Moscow for the funeral of a 22-year-old activist who died earlier this month, Litvinovich said.
The activist, Yuri Chervochkin, died after an alleged beating by police during a protest in November.
The group was later released and arrived at the cemetery, along with Kasparov and Eduard Limonov, leader of the opposition National Bolshevik Party, escorted by dozens of police, said activist Sergei Aksenov. The National Bolsheviks are part of the Other Russia coalition.
Kasparov's wife and daughter, meanwhile, reportedly were detained at St. Petersburg's airport Wednesday as they tried to board an international flight.
They were released after having their documents checked and after the flight had departed, according to the United Civil Front, another member of the Other Russia coalition.
[Associated
Press; By MIKE ECKEL]
Copyright 2007 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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