Tune-in for Chess Talk with IM John Watson on ICC Chess.FM. John’s weekly 60+ minute show will feature an interview with leading chess personalities. All shows run on demand for members after airing.

This week (Tue., June 23), joining John on the show will be former US champion and four-time Olympiad medalist GM Alexander Onischuk (Bosphorus).

Originally from Simferopol in the former Soviet Union, Alex made a name for himself as one of the top juniors not only in the USSR but the world. He immigrated from the Ukraine to the US in 2001 and now lives in Baltimore. Alex has worked alongside top players in elite matches such as Anatoly Karpov and Veselin Topalov, and has won bronze and silver medals at the Olympiad playing for Ukraine and two bronze medals playing for the US.

One of the happiest moments of his distinguished chess career though came in 2006 when he won the US Championship title in San Diego, Calif., and to have his name on a trophy alongside boyhood heros Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer.

GM Onischuk is one of the most respected GMs in the U.S. today, especially among his peers. He is very vocal about improving chess and the current state of the USCF. Here is what he and his friend GM Shulman openly said not long ago:

As members of the USCF, we do not support the governance body spending hundreds of thousands of membership dollars for legal fees to cover up political mistakes mismanaging this wonderful organization! Such has taken away potential sponsors for the organization, and negative media coverage is not supporting the positive role of chess. Current leadership has not been able to offer new or sound ideas in a long time. We feel that it is time to involve people who understand these deep problems and can offer real positive solutions.

You can read the full statements by GM Onischuk and GM Shulman here.

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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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