Condolences from FIDE

Mr. Roshal was giving me a tour of the chess museum in Moscow

Alexander Roshal passed away. FIDE President expresses his sincere condolences

Alexander Borisovich Roshal – 1936 – 2007

On behalf of the International Chess Federation, FIDE Presidential Board and myself, I wish to express my most sincere condolences to the family, the Russian Chess Federation, editorial house of “64 – Chess Review” magazine and numerous fans of the magazine on the unfortunate passing away of a guru of chess journalism, Honoured Trainer and Honoured Public Figure of Russian Federation’s Culture, Grandmaster Alexander Borisovich Roshal.

He was known to the entire chess world as Alik, but for me, he has always been Alexander Borisovich – a personification and symbol of superior style, wisdom, enormous talent, brilliant professionalism and deep integrity. He maintained a level-headed attitude and always made faultless moves.

For me, all my activities in the chess world have been inseparably connected with Alexander Borisovich, starting from our first trip together to Singapore to the Presidential Board in December 1995 and until our last meeting this February at the Congress of the Russian Chess Federation.

For me, Alexander Borisovich, you will always remain my closest elder friend and teacher. During difficult years you succeeded in safeguarding your child – “64 – Chess Review” magazine.

Thanks to limitless energy and the organising talent of Alexander Borisovich, the magazine managed to sail over invisible reefs of economic reform and remain the pride and face of modern Russian chess journalism. I am confident that the Russian Chess Federation will do its utmost to continue this noble initiative of Alexander Borisovich.

I join his family, his wife Irina and children in mourning.

You will be much missed but will always remain in my heart.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
President of FIDE Head of the Republic of Kalmykia

Here is the note from the FIDE Presidential Board.