May. 21 2010 – 11:41 am
Kremlin seizes Russian Chess Federation offices; no pawn pun intended
For those of you following the titilating chess scandal unfolding in Moscow, today brings new, exciting, dangerous developments.
As Carl Schrek reported in Foreign Policy this week, the Kremlin has been starting to meddle a bit in the nomination of Russia’s candidate for the presidency of the international chess federation, or FIDE….
…Ilyumzhinov is a chess fanatic who has made chess mandatory in Kalmyk schools and, as president of FIDE for the last 15 years, and, with the introduction of “speed chess,” has revolutionized the organization to the popsy level of speed dating.
And now that he has a serious opponent for the Russian nomination, the Kremlin is stepping up to defend him. First, Arakady Dvorkovich, the Duke-educated president’s deputy, called the nominating votes illegitimate. Then he went and seized to the offices of the Russian Chess Federation.
Today, at around 2:15 Moscow time, black suited men from the private security firm “Peper” arrived at the Federation’s offices, and presented Federation president Aleksandr Bakh with a diktat signed by Dvorkovich saying that Peper was now in charge. They then kicked out the regular security guards and sealed off some rooms in the building as a helpless Bakh called the police.
Dvorkovich, whose father was a chess arbiter, has spent the last few days saying that Ilyumzhinov is the better, more experienced candidate, and the question is, why does the Kremlin even give a ‘hoot’?
It might have something to do with the uncontested election of Russian politician Alexander Zhukov to head the Russian Olympic Committee. Zhukov, an avid chessman himself, has sworn that he will make chess an Olympic sport because it is a sport that is “advantageous for Russia.” That is, it might pad Russia’s future medal counts which flopped so mightily in Vancouver. To do that, the Kremlin apparently wants its own stooge on the FIDE throne. Karpov, backed by the toxic Kremlin critic and persona non grata Garry Kasparov, probably doesn’t seem like a safe gamble.
Here is the full article.
This is good news. Bakh doesn’t have a good reputation. He’s like a Bill Goichberg. It’s time for Russia to change its leadership. It’s time to throw out all the corrupt chess politicians.
Dvorkovich is right about this. This should have been done much earlier. What Bakh did was illegal. He’s been a Karpov puppet for years.
The USCF should follow this example. They should lock all the crooked chess politicians out of the HQ.
The world’s most powerful chess player persona non-grata?
I thought this was chess not Russian roulette.
So does it mean that Karpov is involved with shady people? Then why is he allowed to run?
private security firm seizes Chess Federation’s offices ???
how nutty is that ?
Dvorkovich seems very shady and doesnt take losing well
Seems Karpov is fighting an uphill battle with crooked politicians involved
It’s amazing how much politics intrude even on hobby and game organizations. Any power any money and people get crazy.
Bakh and Karpov should know better than breaking the rules. This is why we need stability in FIDE by reelecting Ilyumzhinov.
I cannot believe some of the earlier posters here.
One can have a serious discussion on whether Ilyumzhinov is more qualified to be the president of FIDE than Karpov. Indeed both sides have some merits. However, Ilyumzhinov’s ally has just taken over the RCF by force, with PRIVATE security guards (so clearly without court approval). This sort of behavior is astonishing and dangerous. It should be condemned no matter which side you are on.
Certainly any election brings out hostilities. But they should be in the form of civilized discussion and following transparent procedures, instead of a show of force. So far, the worst Karpov had done in this election is perhaps some overly critical remarks against Ilyumzhinov (the vote for nomination is done with quorum, it is in addition unanimous so he will be nominated even if the full body is present). This is by no means comparable to what Dvorkovich had done here.
Ms. Polgar, this is the first time I’m commenting on your blog. I respect you as a chess player and trust that even if you are supporting Ilyumzhinov for FIDE president, you will not approve of this recent development.
Right? A totalitarist and non democratic invasion?
I hope none of you join politics, because would be the most fanatic and will-imposing in the world. “Watch out the big stick, baby!” – would you say.
Nonsense comments by some. No matter the background. What they was and absurd and completely impositive.
“I cannot believe some of the earlier posters here.”
– agreed !!!
“However, Ilyumzhinov’s ally has just taken over the RCF by force, with PRIVATE security guards (so clearly without court approval). This sort of behavior is astonishing and dangerous.”
-agreed !!!
I don’t like the dirty tricks by Karpov’s people.
I don’t like the dirty tricks by Ilyumzhinov’s people.
long live Kirsan!
What people don’t realize is that Karpov does not have an original thought in his mind. He is a puppet of Kasparov because Kasparov sees this as a chance to hit back to Putin. What neither of them understands is that Putin always maintains 3 extra queens in their game because of who he is. Bakh, Kasparov, and Karpov best be careful they don’t annoy Putin to the point where he throws them into a jail cell in Siberia with a view of the mines where they will work for the rest of their natural lives (and with the growing gut on Karpov that won’t be very long).