Topalov vs. Kamsky in Elista?!
by GM Mikhail Golubev
A Russian language website http://www.elista.org/ cites the main (after Ilyumzhinov) local chess organiser Mr. Bovaev, who said that Topalov vs. Kamsky match could take place in Kalmykia. Elista was proposed as a neutral territory!
There may be a problem here – in a recent interview (in Russian) for Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti Gata’s father Rustam said that they would write a letter to President Putin (no less!), requesting Russian citizenship for Gata.
Source: http://www.chesstoday.net/
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
This is a sad day for American chess.
Sad indeed.
What the letter to Putin didn’t state was that if Putin didn’t allow the citizenship, then Rustam will attempt to visit Putin to slap him “gata-style”.
People never learn to be civil.
Q: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, an egotistical grandmaster, and a humble grandmaster are trapped in a lifeboat with provisions enough for just one person. Which one survives?
A: The egotistical grandmaster. Everyone knows there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or a humble grandmaster.
Guy walks into a game store and says “I want to return this chess set. It’s missing four pieces.” The clerk asks “Are they the castles?” The customer says “As a matter of fact, they are.” The clerk says “You’re the fourth guy that’s gotten rooked this month.”
Did you hear about the two flashers playing chess in the park? They were arrested for carrying on a simultaneous exhibition.
A chess master died – after a few days, a friend of his heard a voice; it was him!
“What’s it like, where you are now,” he asked.
“What do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news.”
“Tell me the good news first.”
“Well, it’s really heaven here. There are tournaments and blitz sessions going on all the time and Morphy, Alekhine, Lasker, Tal, Capablanca, Botvinnik, they’re all here, and you can play them.”
“Fantastic!” the friend said, “and what is the bad news?”
“You have Black against Capablanca on Saturday.”
I was having dinner with Garry Kasporov – problem was, we had a checkered tablecloth and it took him an hour to pass the salt!
A grandmaster was watching a small boy furiously analyze the Marshall Gambit before the first round of a major tournament.
“You know”, said the grandmaster, “I believe that the line you are studying is extremely complicated and may even be unsound!”
The seven year old boy replied, “Oh yeah? Well when I get to heaven I’m going to ask Frank Marshall what he thinks about that!”
The grandmaster replied, “Yes, but what if Mr. Marshall is in hell?”
Without missing a beat the boy answered, “Then you ask him!”
I am not up-to-date on U.S. Immigration Law, but Kamsky is a U.S. citizien (naturalized)…if he is granted Russian citizenship, would he have to give up his American citizenship or would he have dual citizenship?
It’s crazy for someone who has went through all the years and paperwork to get American citizenship to give it up…especially when life is a billion times better here than anywhere in Russia.
This story could be some type of misinformation.
i’m glad if it’s true
**would he have to give up his American citizenship or would he have dual citizenship?**
he would have dual citizenship. Oleg Maskaev, boxing world champ, is a US sitizen and got a Russian citizenship (which he NEVER had before, he was originally from Uzbekistan) got dual US+Russian citizenship same way and fought under Russian flag
**especially when life is a billion times better here than anywhere in Russia**
billion is a way too much in this case 🙂
I am not sure when he could lose his russian citizenship. In 89, I believed he just stayed abroad without going through the proper procedure leaving USSR and I doubt that in 89 somebody bothered to take his citizenship away. Moreover even it was done, in 90s Eltsin returned russian citizenship to all people who lost it. Maybe because he was not adult there some additional troubles, but if he applied to russian consulate in New York he would get his russian citizenship without Putin very easily. I’ve heard the opposite stories from people who immigrated to USA in seventies and when they tried to visit Russia recently they were told that they can not get a visa in their American passport because Russia returned them their citizenship and they must get a russian passport to go to Russia.
OK…sorry….life and opportunities are a trillion times better in the USA as compared to Russia. I’ve lived in both….I know.
My parents were Russian…my wife is Ukrainian. So, I know personally what growing up and living in Russia is Like. It is terrible compared to the USA.
But, this is getting off the topic and can quickly lead to ignorant posts by people. It’s my opinion only….
nothing more…nothing less.
in 1994, nearly every reasonably good student dreamed about PhD in the US
now nobody wants it. when i was a faculty member in the states, we didn’t have a single student from Russia. and though education is rapidly deteriorating, students from SPb university are still head and shoulders above the Chineese we had to admit.
go figure
Let’s get back to the main topic.
Why would Kamsky need a Russian citizenship?
And why would he consider playing the match in Elista?
Is it possible that he hopes for the same support that Kramnik received?
Mr. Anon: 9:58
A faculty member? I was a Ph.D. student in history at the University of Kentucky….which has a great exchange program with St. Petersburgh University (you should know…UK has a great Russian and Eastern European Studies dept. and often have students from both countries as exchange students).
I sutided in St. Petersburgh. I earned a Ph.D. in history from UK…had a BA in Russian and Eastern European Studies. Today, I am an Associate Professor of History….
Tell me…where you a faculty member as you state you were a “former faculty member.”
Many posts on this site are highly dubious, to say the least. I know by name or personally virtually every Russian history scholar (or “historian of Russia”) and/or decent exchange professor in the last 16 years…and if I don’t, then my mentor still teaches and would know….
Where did you teach? What did you teach?
I was in St. Petersburg in 1994-1995. I don’t agree with you at all that “every student (there) dreamed of a Ph.D.” from the states.
Perhaps it’s a matter of opinion and semantics. But, I know this site is full of fools that post lies.
Where did you teach here in the U.S.? If you are telling the truth, then we have a lot in common. I speak fluent Russian, Ukrianian (despite the Russian contempt for Ukrainians), Czech, German, and French. Write me in any languague and post it here to answer my question(s).
Your statement about so many students wanting to get a Ph.D. here in the U.S. is incorrect. It WAS NOT the education they desired…it was a ticket out of Russia.
I know. I lived it. I was there on the ground.
Where did you teach….
I’m interested. If you speak the truth, then we can speak in Russian or any of the languages I mentioned since most who post here have English as their first language.
I await your answer.
**Is it possible that he hopes for the same support that Kramnik received?**
you mean, a forfeit + cheating scandal? I think he would graciously decline 🙂 ?
**Why would Kamsky need a Russian citizenship?**
for example, he may want to play in Russian superfinals. a great tournament with $50000 first prize. or simply doesn’t want to get a visa each time.
**Your statement about so many students wanting to get a Ph.D. here in the U.S. is incorrect. **
specifically, what is exactly incorrect?
**It WAS NOT the education they desired…it was a ticket out of Russia.**
try to think about it. so many desired a ticket, and now nobody desires. why? if you (or I) dont find those opportunities, it doesn’t mean they dont exist. it depends on education, skills, abilities, and desire. i have a friend, a Harvard graduate with an MBA degree who went back to Moscow, and 2 programmmers, highly skilled and fairly successful. apparently, opportunities are different for them.
BTW, many did desire education, too. undergraduate education is one thing, PhD another. the former requires good teachers, and SPbGU still had plenty. For the latter, you also need equipment and real challenges. i cant really explain it to you on this blog.
**Where**
Rutgers. before that, i worked as a staff scientist for a research company in princeton, nj. i am not a historian, of course 🙂
leaving the US was a vey sad experience. btw, i still have a green card. however, thisngs are not that bad.
а Вы, чтобы жисть медом не казалась, поживите в какой-нибудь городке вроде Трентона, что в штате Нью-Джерси (мне пришлось). И Псков покажется вполне сносным местом.
удачи
It was sure comical to hear all the americans cheer for Kamsky. What does Kamsky care for America! Ask him to do a stint in Iraq or Afganistan if he really cares. He is a Tartar and truly would love to be back in his homeland.
To Anon 1/15/08 12:28pm,
A staff scientist…sounds interesting. I must disagree with your remark in Russian that if I think life in Pskov seems bad, then
live in Trenton, New Jersey and then see what I think.
Well, I haven’t lived in Trenton, NJ…but have been there a few times. I think it all comes down to economics. Life in Russia could be better than in the U.S. if you are amongst the very wealthy in Russia as compared to being poor in the U.S.
But, though I was not born in Russia, since I have lived there, studied there, have a wife from Ukraine, I can say that many women come here not so much to get an education but to find a husband. Yet, I have found that Russian and eastern european students are amongst the best I have ever taught. They are very bright and motivated. And, I can’t say that about many of my American students.
I think opportunities are better, much better in the U.S. than in Russia. Whether one likes living in the U.S. better is a different matter. I enjoyed my time in Russia and will return to stay several months at a time…but I would never live there permanently.
However, everyone is entitled to their opinion and that is fine. One should live where they are most happy.
Thanks for the post.
PhD = Piled higher and Deeper.
Hi nice blog.After finished my schooling. I decide to continue my higher education Russia.that’s my childhood dream. Can any one let me know about russian visa and clearing at all.