Winning is not a secret that belongs to a very few; winning is something that we can learn by studying ourselves, studying the environment and making ourselves ready for any challenge that is in front of us – Kasparov
Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has announced his candidacy for the presidency of the International Chess Federation, known by its French acronym, FIDE. Elections for the post of President will take place in August 2014. Kasparov is trying to unseat the 18-year-old incumbent Kirsan Ilumzhinov, also of Russia.
Last Monday’s spectacular launch event was held in Tallin, Estonia, amid this year’s FIDE Congress which brought together delegates representing the national federations that make up FIDE’s 178 voting members. Kasparov addressed the few hundred attendees about his vision to “elevate the game of chess from the grassroots level, to spread the game in education and as a cultural touchstone as well as a commercial sport.”
At the launch, Kasparov introduced his ticket which represented every continent and a mix of investment and business expertise, organizational background, and chess experience. In a subsequent column, I will list Kasparov’s lieutenants, and his programme titled ‘Six Winning Moves’ in which he outlines his policies for the next four years.
Kasparov became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history in 1985 at the age of 22 and went on to hold the number one ranking for twenty years before his retirement from professional chess in 2005. Since that time, Kasparov has become one of the most prominent opposition voices in Russia.
He is the current Chairman of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation. His Kasparov Chess Foundation promotes chess in education, a mission that is a centrepiece of his FIDE campaign.
Kasparov resides outside Russia today. At the last FIDE election, in 2010, Anatoly Karpov, another former world champion, failed in his bid to unseat the incumbent Ilyumzhinov. Kasparov was one of Karpov’s principal backers. Like the US, Russia, England, Canada, etc, Guyana is entitled to one vote in the 178 nation body. In 2010, Karpov expressed interest in cultivating chess to become a business, thereby
stimulating its imminent success. Guyana stayed neutral during the 2010 FIDE elections.
We continue with Fischer’s picks of his Ten Greatest Masters in chess history.
Mikhail Tal
“In Tal’s game with Smyslov in the 1959 Candidates Tournament, he gave a Bishop for no recompense, just to develop an attacking formation, and eventually won the game. It was one of the most unusual sacrifices I had ever seen, and the daring that characterizes this 25 year-old Russian’s play.
“He is always on the lookout for some such spectacular sacrifice. He is not so much interested in who has the better game, or in the essential soundness of his own game but in finding that one shot, that dramatic breakthrough that will give him the win.
“In spite of Spassky’s irregularities, he is, in fact, a sounder player than Tal, but Tal is more brilliant.
Tal appears to have no respect for his opponents, and frightens almost every player he opposes. In honesty, I must say, I never felt frightened by Tal and even after losing four games in a row to him, I still consider that his play was unsound.
“Chess writers are fond of talking about ‘the rise and fall of Tal’ but that view isn’t realistic.
He has neither risen so high nor fallen so low as they claim. His story isn’t finished yet, and what he’ll do in the future no one can tell.”
