Kirsan speaks out

[NickFaulks]

http://chess-news.ru/en/node/19665?_utl_t=tw

I believe the man means well ( I know others disagree ) and you can't fault his honesty, but sometimes... If anyone is interested in deconstructing this piece, there is a lot of material.

His grandfather's dictum "No matter how dirty gold is, it will still shine" does not translate well. It could be read to mean "blood diamonds are as good as any other diamonds", although I'm sure it did not.

By the way, to those who still believe that he spends his time thinking about licenced arbiters and 40 move rules for time controls, he really doesn't. This is what he thinks about.

[Chris Rice]

"I do not distinguish between Ukrainians and Russians. I believe they are one people." That's the problem. Putin believes that too.

[Paolo Casaschi]

I find more interesting this quote:

I was told by the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, that he had organized in the capital of Ukraine 10 chess zones in city parks (FIDE provided garden chess sets)

On this one Kiev (2.8M ppl) beats London (8.6M ppl) at 10 to 0.

[John McKenna]

The words 'zero' and 'tolerance', mercifully, do not appear in the article but the germ of his all encompassing system of thought and deed does -

The sooner people realize that they are only part, albeit an important part, of a unified system, the better it will be for humanity and for the earth as a whole. No wonder I once insisted on the inclusion in the Steppe Code (Basic Law) of Kalmykia an item on the personal responsibility of each citizen of the Republic for everything that happens in the world...

All I can say is - thank the gods he's a Buddhist and hence, hopefully, not of a violent persuasion.

As for the Ukraine-Russia relationship, well, here are some ancient bones of contention -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33689641

[Mike Truran]

Grade A fruitcake.

End of.

[John McKenna]

To me, he's more of a mooncake -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

I do agree with some of what he says, though, e.g. -

Unfortunately, adults' thinking is so dominated by a consumer attitude to life, the pursuit of cheap entertainment, littered with political, ideological and religious prejudices that there is not much hope for them anymore. Our only hope is the children... We must teach our children to think and make the right decisions with full awareness of their responsibility...

A good tool for this activity could be television, which is now largely abused (we have to admit - not without reason) for the mass duping of people. This is not so new - in the 1970s, Vladimir Vysotsky gave this instrument the nickname "the stupid idiot box."

What to make of this, though -

In recent years, I do not get tired of repeating that chess is outside of politics. And so it is. However, there are no rules without exceptions. And the decision to hold the match in Lviv is just the exception that proves the rule. In this case, we deliberately put chess at the service of politics. But only for a single purpose - for the sake of peace in the Ukrainian land

.

Pie in the sky?

[NickFaulks]

In recent years, I do not get tired of repeating that chess is outside of politics. And so it is. However, there are no rules without exceptions. And the decision to hold the match in Lviv is just the exception that proves the rule. In this case, we deliberately put chess at the service of politics. But only for a single purpose - for the sake of peace in the Ukrainian land

.

Pie in the sky?

I find it hard to believe that holding the match in Lviv will bring peace to Ukraine, even though I'm sure the hosts will put on a splendid show. If it is true, as he says, that China put in a good bid and Ukraine didn't, then the decision looks indefensible.

[Reg Clucas]

If it is true, as he says, that China put in a good bid and Ukraine didn't, then the decision looks indefensible.

Well, FIDE has been accused in the past of putting money before other considerations, so from that point of view it's refreshing. Whether this will be extended to the more lucrative men's competition is another question.

Does this mean that the two participants will be playing for a reduced prize fund, or are FIDE making up the difference?

[John Upham]

Here is Kirsan in his early days of low key equestrianism at a classic car show somewhere in Essex.

img_1579_crop_small.jpg

[Brian Towers]

I find more interesting this quote:

I was told by the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, that he had organized in the capital of Ukraine 10 chess zones in city parks (FIDE provided garden chess sets)

On this one Kiev (2.8M ppl) beats London (8.6M ppl) at 10 to 0.

As does Munich.

When I lived there 20 years ago a great pastime in the evening was to swing via Munchener Freiheit and watch the chess on the 6 outdoor sets. Very occasionally I managed to get a game as it was always very busy. It must be the closest a chess player gets to feeling like a professional football player (or a cricketer at Edgbaston for an Ashes test) with the crowd swigging their Weissbier, chanting, shouting encouragement, abuse, suggestions. No pressure, then.

[JustinHorton]

Here's Kirsan proposing to reunite Korea in 2008 through the medium of chess.

[NickFaulks]

Here's Kirsan proposing to reunite Korea in 2008 through the medium of chess.

It didn't end there.

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... orea2.html

Unfortunately, Kirsan delegated the next stage of this task to Ignatius Leong, not realising that for him Korea represented merely one of the ten irrevocable proxies promised to Kasparov. But for that misstep, Korea might already be reunified.

[Marinel Miu]

"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member."
I am really jealous. I wish I had said it first.
Nice!

[Mike Truran]

Marinel: "I wish I had said that" Paolo: "You will, Marinel, you will."

With apologies to Wilde and Whistler......

[Paolo Casaschi]

"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member."
I am really jealous. I wish I had said it first.

I'm sure Groucho Marx won't be upset if you use that sentence every now and then.
When joining several years ago I thought it appropriate as footer in a chess forum. Nowadays, I'm very tempted to replace it with another favorite quote: "I get along very well with everyone, except animals and people."