The forgotten recollections of Chigorin’s daughter

August 24, 2010 by Colin McGourty · 39 Comments 

Mikhail Chigorin (1850 – 1908) was one of the founding fathers of Russian chess, and one of the great contemporaries of players like Steinitz, Lasker and Tarrasch. Little seems to be known, however, about his life outside chess. We bring you the translation of a remarkable document that recently appeared: the recollections of Chigorin’s daughter on the 50th anniversary of her father’s death. Read more

FIDE elections update: Ilyumzhinov claims victory, Karpov doesn’t believe it

August 9, 2010 by Colin McGourty · 16 Comments 

Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates might seem unlikely flashpoints in the current campaign for the FIDE Presidency, but in the last few days the two candidates have fought a fierce PR battle over their support. Meanwhile, Karpov has proposed moving the Candidates Matches to Kiev and Ilyumzhinov has claimed victory already. Update: something fishy is going on in the Asian region. Read more

Only two candidates for FIDE President

June 30, 2010 by Colin McGourty · 7 Comments 

After weeks of speculation and uncertainty we now know that the 2010 FIDE Presidential Election will be contested between the incumbent, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, and former World Chess Champion, Anatoly Karpov. The deadline for nominations passed on 28 June, though not, as we’ve come to expect, without controversy. Read more

Ilyumzhinov ups the stakes

June 5, 2010 by Colin McGourty · 38 Comments 

The battle for the FIDE Presidency took another lurch towards chaos on Thursday when FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced he was suing Presidential Candidate Anatoly Karpov. Meanwhile, the Ilyumzhinov campaign has just declared its ticket and claimed the support of 35 countries, including… Russia. An update on the latest political developments. Read more

Russian media on the Dvorkovich/Karpov controversy (UPDATE May 22)

May 20, 2010 by Colin McGourty · 36 Comments 

While Karpov basks in the limelight of his New York fundraiser, Ilyumzhinov and Dvorkovich find themselves in a tough situation. Given the personalities ranged against him, how can Dvorkovich fight back? An analysis of the Russian media on the matter may clarify some things. Read more