Sarah Hurst It is very gratifying to live long enough to receive an acknowledgement that you have done something right. As some readers may recall, in 1998 I campaigned for a boycott of the chess Olympiad in Kalmykia in the wake of the murder of…
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“Chess is a kind of human activity which has room for manifestations of both intellect and the competitive spirit. But this is a bloodless competition. FIDE’s motto is Gens una sumus. And personally, I approve of only one kind of battles – the ones that…
Read MoreOLAF STEFFENS After years of trying, FIDE has finally succeeded in crafting a truly abysmal public image for itself. Its Vice President became embroiled in a fist-fight during the closing ceremony of one of its showcase events; the rules for the Candidates’ matches seem to…
Read MoreThe world of chess was plunged into controversy last night after the FIDE President, Kirsan Illunatic, unveiled his plans for a new system of deciding the world championship. Instead of the traditional 24 game match between champion and challenger, the title will instead be decided…
Read MoreA big family too – one that’s grown from 60 member countries in 1970 to 185 in 2015. Its vast bawling brood of small and poor satellites has made FIDE the world’s second largest sports body after FIFA. Membership and birth rate aren’t the only…
Read MoreFrom Grandmaster Tony Miles Sir, I was stunned to read your recent issues casting doubt on the legendary and overwhelming generosity of International Grandmaster Raymond Keene, OBE. I cannot allow such malicious rubbish to go unanswered. No doubt some readers will be quite surprised to…
Read MoreFIDE’s star-gazing President speaks to journalist and translator Sarah Hurst, author of Curse of Kirsan: Adventures in the Chess Underworld. Sarah Hurst: What do you consider to have been your greatest contribution to chess? Kirsan Ilyumzhinov: Alienating everyone. If you would like to quiz a…
Read More“The meeting [with Moamer Gaddafi] lasted around two hours, we played some chess with Gaddafi,” Ilyumzhinov, who is on a visit to Tripoli in his capacity as FIDE president, told Interfax. “Gaddafi stated that he is not going to leave Libya, stressing that it is…
Read More“An evil man who is not going to be missed. Thoroughly corrupt persecutor of those who wanted chess to move forward. Destroyer of our beloved World Championship. Some champagne with dinner tonight to wish him good riddance!” Eric Schiller’s moving eulogy to the former FIDE…
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