Nothing has been more exciting during the past week than news from Paris where the annual Congress meeting of the World Chess Federation was taking place.
On Nov 19, the Central Committee of the World Chess Federation passed an historical vote of no confidence in the FIDE president, Florencio Campomanes.
The outcome of the motion, proposed by Phil Haley of Canada and strongly backed by Fanueil Adams of the United States and Egon Ditt of Germany, was 14-12 against Campomanes.
A later effort by Campomanes to take the "no confidence" vote to the General Assembly, in the hope of a reversal of the motion, came to naught.
He found himself in a no-win position when delegates from more than 63 countries presented a statement that if full democracy was not restored to FIDE, they were prepared to set up a rival world chess body.
Faced with this massive revolt and the urgings of many of his longtime friends, Campomanes was finally forced to tender his resignation as the president of the World Chess Federation.
Then in the early hours of Nov 24, 33-year-old Krisan Iljumzhinov, president of the small Russian Kalmyk Republic and a member of the Russian parliament, was elected as the new president of FIDE until the end of 1996 when there will be new elections.
He was introduced to the General Assembly by the FIDE world champion, Anatoly Karpov, for whom Campomanes' ouster must have given him much personal satisfaction.
Initially, the Russian Chess Federation spoke against Iljumzhinov's candidacy but was forced to withdraw its objections when Iljumzhinov's supporters introduced an endorsement letter signed by Russian president Boris Yeltsin.
According to an observer at the General Assembly, "everyone was laughing when the Russian Federation, represented by Gary Kasparov and Andrei Makarov, staged a sudden vanishing act during the actual vote."
Campomanes will remain in FIDE for one year, serving in a newly created post of honorary chairman with no constitutional power and which carries neither stipend nor expenses.
Developments seem positive for FIDE when it was revealed that the match between Karpov and his challenger, Gata Kamsky, finally has a sponsor and it will take place in Montreal next year.
A Unity Commission has also been formed and its purpose is to arrange a unification match in 1996 between the eventual winner of the Karpov-Kamsky match, and Kasparov.
Earlier, the Central Committee had recommended to the General Assembly that it should reject the agreement between FIDE and the Professional Chess Association on the grounds that the draft regulations for the unification of their rival world championship titles, submitted by the PCA, were unsatisfactory.
The General Assembly upheld this recommendation, agreeing that the proposed match regulations were not equal for the two players and in essence meant that FIDE would be renouncing their sovereignty over the World Championship.
In the United States, several policy board members of the United States Chess Federation lauded the decision of the General Assembly.
A longer-range implication of this decision is now becoming clearer. With a Kamsky-Karpov match now certain to be held, the PCA probably will have to agree to demands that the FIDE world champion be treated as a co-champion.
This means that the PCA world champion, Kasparov, cannot declare himself the absolute champion should this unification match ends in a draw.
In the United States, a United States Chess Federation policy board member believed that should Kamsky become the FIDE champion by defeating Karpov and the United States recognising him as such, this would force the PCA to relinquish control over a unification match.
The PCA would not want Intel Corporation, the main sponsor of the Kasparov-Anand PCA world championship match in New York last October, to ask too many questions about why its champion was suddenly playing second fiddle in its own backyard.
A USCF policy board member added: "The computer giant will never tolerate a situation in which the United States itself fails to recognise Kasparov as the absolute champion.
"The PCA will have to deal, and the good news for the PCA is that its opponents will demand nothing more than absolutely equal treatment for both players in the unification match.
"It may be better than what Kasparov deserves, but we have to start somewhere in reestablishing a rule of law in the chess world."
GOINGS ON
On Dec 10, the Johor Bahru District Chess Club will organise a one-day Rapid-30 tournament at Bangunan Komtar in Johor Bahru.
This event will be played in three categories. The open section features a very attractive first prize of RM800 and a second prize of RM500. There are eight other cash prizes in this section, ranging from RM300 for the third prize to two RM20 prizes for the ninth and 10th-placed winners.
Both the under-16 and under-12 sections offer 10 cash prizes each. For the under-16 section, the winner stands to collect RM100 and the runners-up RM80. In the under-12 section, the winner will receive RM80.
Intending participants should register with the organisers before Dec 7. Only 200 places is available. Entry fees are RM20 for the open section, RM6 for the under-16 section and RM5 for the under-12 event.
Details: Narayanan Krishnan (07-331-7604/07-333-8215) or write to him at 52 Jalan Landak Batu, Taman Century, 80250 Johor Bahru.
In Penang, Gerakan Youth will organise a two-day chess competition at the Hotel Agora in MacAlister Road. This event features an open international chess tournament as well as a Chinese chess tournament, to be held concurrently. Three rounds will be played on Jan 6 and four rounds on the following day.
The international chess section will involve the Penang Chess Association as the co-organiser while the Penang Chinese Chess Association will organise the Chinese chess section.
Eight prizes each are offered in both sections and the winner will receive RM500 and a challenge trophy. The second prize is RM400, third prize RM300 and fourth prize RM200. The fifth to eighth placed winners will get RM50 each. Entry fee is RM5 and closing date is Dec 22.
Entry forms are available at Times Bookshop in Burmah Road, Penang. Details: Goh Yoon Wah (04-644-5687).
Also in Penang, the second Universiti Sains Malaysia national open chess tournament begins today and will continue until Sunday. This event, with ElectCom as main sponsor, is run jointly by the university's Bridge & Chess Club and the Penang Chess Association.
This three-day event is held over eight rounds using a time control of one hour per player for each game. Ten prizes totalling RM3,250 are lined up with the winner set to get RM1,000 cash.
Finally in Kuala Lumpur, the national men's and women's closed championship is already in full swing at the Kuala Lumpur Parkroyal.
Three more rounds remain, with two to be played tomorrow and one on Sunday. Today is a rest day for the participants.
KASPAROV HEADS THE PACK
Last month's Paris Grand Prix, sponsored by Intel Corporation, was won by Gary Kasparov. He lost the first game of the final to Vladimir Kramnik but managed to equalise the score when he won the second game. In the play-off which was played at blitz rate, Kasparov beat Kramnik 1 1/2-1/2.
In the semi-finals, Viswanathan Anand was due to play Kasparov but he arrived late for the first game and had to forfeit it. Apparently, there was some miscommunication over the start of the game.
Viktor Korchnoi, Kiril Georgiev, Alexander Chernin, Valentin Arbakov, Konstantin Aseev and Predrag Nikolic qualified through a preliminary event to join Michael Adams, Joel Lautier, Ettienne Bacrot, Vladimir Kramnik, Anatoli Vaisser, Vassily Ivanchuk, Anand, Jon Speelman, Kasparov and Alexander Morozevich in the finals.
Kasparov - Kramnik, finals game 1
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bb5 e6, 4. O-O Nge7, 5. c3 a6, 6. Be2 d5, 7. exd5 Nxd5, 8. d4 Be7, 9. c4 Nf6, 10. dxc5 Bxc5, 11. Qxd8+ Kxd8, 12. Nc3 Ke7, 13. Rd1 Rd8, 14. Rxd8 Nxd8, 15. a3 Bd7, 16. b4 Bd6, 17. Be3 h6, 18. Rd1 Rc8, 19. h3 Be8, 20. Nd4 Nd7, 21. f4 Bc7, 22. Nb3 f6, 23. c5 Nc6, 24. Bf3 Rd8, 25. h4 Ndb8, 26. Rxd8 Nxd8, 27. Kf2 Nbc6, 28. g3 Bf7, 29. Nd2 Bg6, 30. h5 Bd3, 31. Be2 Bh7, 32. Nc4 Bg8, 33. Bf3 Kd7, 34. Ke2 Ne7, 35. Kd3 Ndc6, 36. Bf2 e5, 37. Nb6+ Kd8, 38. Ncd5 Bxd5, 39. Nxd5 Nxd5, 40. Bxd5 exf4, 41. gxf4 Bxf4, 42. Ke4 Bc1, 43. a4 Nxb4, 44. Bxb7 Kc7, 45. Ba8 Kb8, 46. Bd5 f5+, 47. Kxf5 Nxd5, 48. Bd4 Nf6, 49. Kg6 Kc7, 50. Be5+ Kc6, 51. Kxg7 Nd7, 52. Bd4 Nxc5, 53. Kg6 Ne6, 54. Bf6 Kc5, 55. Be7+ Kc4, 56. Kf5 Nf4, 57. Kg4 Kb3, 58. a5 Ka4, 59. Bd8 Ne6, 60. Bb6 Bg5, 61. Kf5 Nf4, 62. Kg4 Nd5, 63. Kf5 Kb5 0-1
Kramnik - Kasparov, finals game 2
1. c4 g6, 2. Nf3 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bg7, 4. e4 d6, 5. d4 O-O, 6. Be2 e5, 7. d5 a5, 8. Bg5 h6, 9. Bh4 Na6, 10. O-O Qe8, 11. Nd2 Nh7, 12. a3 f5, 13. f3 Bd7, 14. b4 axb4, 15. axb4 Nxb4, 16. Qb3 c5, 17. dxc6 Nxc6, 18. c5+ Kh8, 19. cxd6 Nd4, 20. Qxb7 Rb8, 21. Qa6 Rc8, 22. Bc4 Rc6, 23. Qa2 Rxd6, 24. Bd5 g5, 25. Bf2 g4, 26. exf5 gxf3, 27. Nxf3 Bxf5, 28. Ne4 Bxe4, 29. Bxe4 Nf6, 30. Bb7 Ng4, 31. Rae1 Qh5, 32. Bg3 Nf5, 33. Nxe5 Nxg3, 34. Rxf8+ Bxf8, 35. Nxg4 Rd1, 36. Rxd1 Bc5+, 37. Qf2 Bxf2+, 38. Nxf2 Ne2+, 39. Kh1 Nc3, 40. Rd8+ Kg7, 41. Bf3 Qb5, 42. Rd3 Qb1+, 43. Bd1 Qb2, 44. Kg1 Qc1, 45. h3 h5, 46. Kh2 h4, 47. Bf3 Qc2, 48. Rd7+ Kf8, 49. Ng4 Qc1, 50. Rd4 Nb5, 51. Rd5 Qf4+, 52. Kh1 Nd4, 53. Ne5 Qc1+, 54. Kh2 Qc7, 55. Rc5 Nxf3+, 56. gxf3 Qb8, 57. Kg1 Qb4, 58. Nd3 Qd4+, 59. Kg2 Qxd3, 60. Rc8+ Kf7, 61. Kf2 Qd7, 62. Rc2 Qxh3, 63. Ke3 Qg3, 64. Rc4 h3, 65. Rf4+ Qxf4+ 0-1
Anand - Kasparov, semi-finals game 2
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. d4 cxd4, 4. Nxd4 Nf6, 5. Nc3 Nc6, 6. Bg5 e6, 7. Qd2 Be7, 8. O-O-O O-O, 9. f4 h6, 10. h4 Nxd4, 11. Qxd4 hxg5, 12. hxg5 Ng4, 13. Be2 e5, 14. Qg1 exf4, 15. Bxg4 Bxg4, 16. Qh2 f5, 17. Qh7+ Kf7, 18. Rh6 Bxg5, 9. Rhxd6 f3+, 20. Kb1 Qxd6, 21. Rxd6 fxg2, 22. Qh2 Bf3, 23. Qg3 Rh8, 24. Qxg5 Rh1+, 25. Nd1 g1=Q, 26. Rd7+ Kf8, 27. Qxf5+ Kg8, 28. Qxf3 Rf8, 29. Qb3+ Kh7 0-1
Lautier - Kramnik, semi-finals game 1
1. d4 d5, 2. c4 c6, 3. Nc3 Nf6, 4. Nf3 e6, 5. Bg5 h6, 6. Bxf6 Qxf6, 7. e4 dxe4, 8. Nxe4 Bb4+, 9. Ke2 Qf4, 10. Qc2 Be7, 11. Ne5 f5, 12. Nd2 Qxd4, 13. Ndf3 Qc5, 14. Ng6 Rg8, 15. Nxe7 Qxe7, 16. g3 e5, 17. Bh3 e4, 18. Rhe1 Na6, 19. Kf1 Bd7, 20. Nd4 g6, 21. a3 O-O-O, 22. b4 Nc7, 23. Kg1 h5, 24. c5 h4, 25. a4 hxg3, 26. hxg3 Rh8, 27. Bg2 Ne6, 28. Rad1 Nxd4, 29. Rxd4 Be6, 30. Rxd8+ Rxd8, 31. b5 Qd7, 32. bxc6 Qxc6, 33. Bf1 Qd5, 34. Re3 Qd2, 35. Qb1 Qd1, 36. Qb5 Bd7, 37. Qb2 Bxa4, 38. Ra3 a6, 39. Ra1 Qd4, 40. Qa3 Bc6, 41. Rb1 e3, 42. Qxe3 Qxe3, 43. fxe3 Rd2, 44. Rb4 a5, 45. Rd4 Rxd4, 46. exd4 Bd5, 47. Bb5 Bb3 0-1
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