I could answer some questions, but maybe I would rather address a common falsification of facts that is going on in the world. Even though we live in the age of the Internet and other modern technologies, some news spread slowly. There are a few myths in the chess world on which people try to base their ungrounded decisions. The situation itself is somewhat surreal: I and Karpov have clashed at this very building a couple of times, we have always been antagonists.

A lot of issues have been sorted out, sometimes everything ended inan ideologic debate, sometimes in “bad peace”. It has always been a confrontation. As you might understand, today is a totally different case. I believe this day is very important for Russian chess. The sole fact that there is a dilemma, and it it seriously discussed – Karpov

or Ilyumzhinov – seems strange to me. Not because it’s a candidate master vs a world champion; but because nowadays in chess and the professional world in general reputation is the key factor. I don’t think there is any challenge in determining who is more reputable. It’s a disgrace that they are trying to impose the 15-year old (as Ilyumzhinov’s reign) mythology on the Russian Chess Federation.

The other members of the Supervisory Board (who haven’t joined us) are under the impression that the whole world supports Ilyumzhinov. It’s a lie. I haven’t been in the chess circles for a while, but I visit a lot of countries. I can estimate in what condition the world is. That statement is not true. In fact, the chess world is in a disastrous condition. The leading chess website – ChessBase – has posted a trivia. People had to guess where the 6th Grand Prix stage will take place. Baku, Jermuk, Sochi, Nalchik, Elista, where will the next one be? The answer was Astrakhan, to form a circle on the map. Just think about the names of the cities! (Then some polite remarks aimed at showing he means no offense towards the locations). When we were
playing with Karpov, where was it? Moscow, London, New York, Seville, Leon. And where are we today? It didn’t happen just all of a sudden. Chess is not at the circumference because everywhere else it is not taken seriously. And it’s not just a problem of world’s chess, it’s a problem for Russia. When all the world media is showing the FIDE president recalling his meeting with aliens. One can live in the world of hallucinations. But when the future of chess depends on such people…

It’s obvious that this situation won’t change, and everyone understands it in (lists countries). You have been provided with a presentation by Anatoly Evgenievich Karpov with a list of the countries which support him. The chess countries (USA, Germany, England, Spain, Switzerland) are on the list. Also many others (mentions them). Even Ukraine. I.e. the countries which have traditionally been supporting Ilyumzhinov. Just think about it. This support stands for something. Supporting someone at an early stage is a risky step. It’s a serious risk to oppose the current President (who has been the head of FIDE for 15 years) at such an early stage of the elections. The situation has changed dramatically. 21 countries already, before the elections, are supporting Karpov. About half of them have been supporting Ilyumzhinov before. Ukraine – it’s actually a very uncommon thing. Previously they have been supporting Iyumzhnov vs Bessel Kok, now they have expressed their support for Karpov… Per Anatoly Evgenievich request I have been communicating with many leaders of chess federations and grandmasters.

Everyone is afraid of just one myth: that in Khanty-Mansiisk [where the elections will take place] everyone will be “buried”. Today’s meeting will be decisive in the confrontation. People somehow believe that Ilyumzhinov controls everything in Russia. Today we have a chance to show that it is not the truth. Kirsan has no support in the world, all the can rely upon is the so-called “administrative resource.” Dvorkovich, Ilyumzhinov, Magomedov? And Karpov? How can one compare them?

This discussion is extremely important. It’s not only about Russian chess, it’s about the future of world chess. These things are interconnected. The agenda which we were supposed to discuss today has some unreal items. Let’s talk about the real problems. We can’t win 3 Chess Olympiads in a row. I have been brought up in the system of coordinates where 2nd place was a failure. Has something happened? Now people approach it in a different way. For the first time since 1921 (Lasker-Capablanca) no Russian (or Soviet) representative is playing at the WC match. Look at our teeenagers. Karjakin (although he is not a teenager already) and came from Ukraine. Anyway, it’s clear that he is not a future world champion due to… (pauses) format. We are on the decline everywhere. That’s what we should be discussing. Today we have a great chance to start affecting the process. Not by hiring legionaries from (names countries), but by working with Karpov’s strong team. This can be discussed properly. And where is Ilyumzhinov? Why is Kirsan not here? Why is he not telling us about aliens, his connections, banks, Chess City, New Vasiuki? He has nothing to say because 15 years is a lot of time. It has been understood everywhere. The only reason why not everyone has supported Karpov already is that they are afraid and waiting for the decision here. We have to prove that it’s not like that. It’s a house of cards. A great chess player on one side and a cardsharper on the other. You have the power to change this.

If you have any questions on the situation in the world, feel free to ask. I know it pretty well, and have contacted a great number of people during the last two months. I am surprised. I also had the same instincts: everyone in Africa and the Carribean region is bribed; and then you start talking to people and see that people have understood everything. They are contacted once in 4 years, and then forgot about. They want changes, they want to see grandmasters, some programs. Campomanes (although we had many controversies with him), at least tried to do something. Not much, but now nothing is being done at all. This situation can be changed, because the potential of chess is absolutely incredible. Modern technologies would allow create chess communities on the Internet, but nothing of that type has been done. Once again, we’re faced with some sort of delirium: David Kaplan is going to teach us how to live. We have got more professional experience. And the reaction from the federations that have already supported Karpov show us that it is the right moment, people are ready for a change.

Any questions?

GARRY KARPAROV

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Commentary by Larry Parr

THE CHECKERIZATION OF CHESS

It’s a good speech overall. We are really dealing with the checkerization of chess.

During my editorship, I once received a nice article with some attractive and interesting photographs about the U.S. Checkers Hall of Fame.The place was in some small Mississippi town, the building was sturdy and the displays appeared well done.  Some benefactor had made this checkers building possible.

The submitted article would have made for a nice two-page spread in Chess Life, even though tit was about checkers. That article comes to mind because it reminds me of how the USCF has wandered off to Crossville, thence perhaps, later on, also to a small village in Mississippi?  It reminds me of what Kasparov just said: chess is now moving to areas of Siberia that were once home to Stalin’s slave labor camps.

Kasparov is saying that chess is moving to the ends of the earth.  Kasparov is also hinting that the sad, mortifying destiny of chess is to be checkerized.

Yours, Larry Parr