30-YEARS AGO TODAY:

WCC MATCH CALLED OFF!!

February 15, 1985.  Thirty years ago exactly.  Perhaps the most controversial decision ever taken by FIDE.  Campomanes, FIDE president, announced at a press conference in Moscow that the match was to be stopped (even though Karpov was leading 5-3, with 40 draws) , depite the fact that BOTH players wanted to continue playing!  Karpov was to retain his title.

A rematch was to be held later in September, which was won by Kasparov. Much has been written about this episode and, for those directly involved, there are still unanswered questions. In a recent interview with Anatoly Karpov, re-published on ChessBase, Karpov made some interesting comments:

”There are still mysteries that only the former deputy chairman of the State Commission for Sport, Marat Gramov, could shed light on. Only he knows what he told Campomanes, the FIDE president, in the car, whose instructions he then followed. An extremely unpleasant citizen…

The reader can read some interesting tidbits about Marat Gramov here, here and here.

”I took leave of Campomanes in Gramov’s office. Campomanes got into the car to drive to the press conference. He was to announce the match with Kasparov would continue. I know for sure that someone called him and he then changed his mind. He had to cancel the match…”

Kasparov together with Gramov

 

Karpov continued: ”Someone called him on behalf of Gramov. Probably an order by Gaydar Aliyev. (Note: Aliyev at the time was First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union as well as a full member of the all powerful Politburo–editor) But what did he say? Why did Campomanes change his mind all of a sudden?”

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BEAUTIFUL PHOTO!

The lovely Georgian/Spanish WGM Ana Matnadze in a recent photo, 1930’s style! I love it!

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VIKTOR STILL ALIVE AND WELL!!

 

At age 83, despite recent health setbacks, and confined to a wheel-chair, chess LEGEND Viktor Korchnoi has returned to active play in Zurich, playing a match with German grandmaster Wolfgang Uhlmann (age 79).  Viktor lost the first game.

A photo of the match before the start of today’s round

Apparently Uhlmann and Korchnoi first played some 55 years ago!! How time flies when you are having fun!

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OH-CANADA!

RIP: Canadian Open Championship (1956-2014)

CFC  KILLS CHESS TRADITION 

For my readers (Canadian and international) who were wondering about the 2015 edition of Canada’s most PRESTIGIOUS tournament, I have sad news.  Not only has the 2015 Canadian Open been cancelled, but it is unlikely to be resurrected in coming years.  The present mind-set of the CFC executive is to concentrate on junior chess and slowly (quickly!) phase out adult chess.

CFC president Vladimir Drkulec

The writing was on the wall for some time now, but few wanted to believe it. Despite a well documented decline in adult membership in the CFC since 2007, and calls to organize a membership drive to remedy the situation, the CFC refused to act. Adult membership levels are now 50% of normal levels.  All funding of adult-programs have been eliminated.

In the past year, the CFC executive has NOT organized the Women’s Championship, which would have qualified a Canadian women to participate in the FIDE world championship knock-out tournament.  Nor has there been a Canadian Men’s Championship in 3 years.  

Nor did the CFC send any representative to the 2014 World Junior. Nor did the CFC send any representative to the 2014 American Continental in Brazil last year.  INSTEAD, only under-18 junior events are planned and scheduled.

The problem facing the CFC is NOT financial. In the words of the CFC president, Vlad Druklec, the CFC has ‘lots’ of money.  In his opinion the CFC has just come off of an ‘excellent’ year!  This contrasts to the reality that the Canadian chess community is experiencing: in recent years almost all of the skilled volunteers of the CFC have left.  The Federal government has revoked the CFC’s tax status. The province of Saskatchewan has withdrawn its chess association from the CFC. Virtually all of Canada’s top players have withdrawn from playing in Canada.

INSTEAD, the CFC is today run by bitter middle-aged club amateurs and junior-chess  organizers. The downward spiral seems to have gone beyond the point of no return.  At last week’s online meeting of the CFC, the only topic discussed was the passing of a new resolution to double the number of tournaments that Canada’s top players must play in before being considered for the National Team.

Given that most of Canada’s top players DO NOT even meet the old number of tournaments, it is thought that the CFC is trying to eliminate adults from the National Team.  If so, soon we can expect Canada to field the WEAKEST National Team in the world.

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