"Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced his resignation as FIDE President"

[NickFaulks]

I have to confess that, prior to the meeting, I thought that a peace deal was the least likely outcome.

If that is your term for a unilateral surrender, then I wasn't sure what to expect. I take it to mean that, in private at least, he found less support from the big guys in Moscow than he hoped - perhaps more realism. It is of course possible that we shall see him disown the various things he said this time too.

Because the plotters thought that they would be able to get rid of Ilyumzhinov at today's meeting. They failed to do so.

I don't see how that speculation can be correct. It is well understood that the Statutes do not allow the PB to remove a sitting President, and nor would it have been a helpful thing to do. I really hope that his ability to charge personal expenses to FIDE ( the reason why I was disappointed to see the vote of no confidence in Baku collapse ) will now be reined in, and subject to that I am happy that a damaging fight for tenure of his title will not take place. I realise that many in England were hoping for precisely that.

To paraphrase what Neil Kinnock once said about Margaret Thatcher, Ilyumzhinov amounts to more than those who have turned against him in recent days.

I understand this comparison to a limited extent, but still find it distasteful. I did not believe that Margaret Thatcher, at the time of her knifing, was a liability to her party or her country. Kirsan, for reasons not entirely of his own making, has become a liability, presentationally and financially, to FIDE and to his own supporters.

[David Sedgwick]

To paraphrase what Neil Kinnock once said about Margaret Thatcher, Ilyumzhinov amounts to more than those who have turned against him in recent days.

I understand this comparison to a limited extent, but still find it distasteful. I did not believe that Margaret Thatcher, at the time of her knifing, was a liability to her party or her country. Kirsan, for reasons not entirely of his own making, has become a liability, presentationally and financially, to FIDE and to his own supporters.

I am sorry if my analogy caused offence, but I still consider it justified.

You may not have regarded Thatcher as a liability to her party and her country in 1990. Nor did I.

However, those in the Conservative party who sought her removal made precisely that charge against her.

Getting back to Ilyumzhinov, your reason for saying that what has happened is a surrender by Ilyumzhinov and a great triumph for the plotters is your "hope" that Ilyumzhinov's expenses will now be curtailed.

Wouldn't it have been a lot simpler and more effective if the Presidential Board had simply passed a motion to that effect? Moreover, that would have saved the substantial cost of the Extraordinary Meeting.

I am happy that a damaging fight for tenure of [Ilyumzhinov's ]title will not take place.

In situations like this, the losers have to try and make the best of a bad job. That comment of yours demonstrates that this occasion is no exception.

[NickFaulks]

In situations like this, the losers have to try and make the best of a bad job. That comment of yours demonstrates that this occasion is no exception.

Seriously, I cannot guess what better outcome you think that I - or, more significantly, the PB - could have desired.

[David Sedgwick]

Seriously, I cannot guess what better outcome you think that I - or, more significantly, the PB - could have desired.

Forcing Ilyumzhinov to resign following a vote of no confidence in him.

Or simply passing a resolution declaring that he was no longer President.

A week ago, leaving Ilyumzhinov to serve out his term wouldn't have been on your or their list of desirable solutions.

Poor old Makropoulos. His eighteen months at the summit have been cruelly snatched away from him.

[NickFaulks]

Seriously, I cannot guess what better outcome you think that I - or, more significantly, the PB - could have desired.

Forcing Ilyumzhinov to resign following a vote of no confidence in him.

Even if desirable, that would be more likely to have the opposite result.

Or simply passing a resolution declaring that he was no longer President.

And off to CAS we go... FIDE bankrupted without the ECF even lifting a finger.

A week ago, leaving Ilyumzhinov to serve out his term wouldn't have been on your or their list of desirable solutions.

The trouble was that he was out of control and his wings needed to be clipped. He appears to have got the message.

Poor old Makropoulos. His eighteen months at the summit have been cruelly snatched away from him.

There you are entirely wrong. Makro looks to have emerged from this very well, since he has all the powers ( including those of the President ) and doesn't have to travel round the world playing at being President.

[Alex Holowczak]

Poor old Makropoulos. His eighteen months at the summit have been cruelly snatched away from him.

There you are entirely wrong. Makro looks to have emerged from this very well, since he has all the powers ( including those of the President ) and doesn't have to travel round the world playing at being President.

Interesting though this to-and-fro is, I think Nick must be right.

Incidentally, the motion passed refers to the position of FIDE President, rather than the incumbent. Does this mean in 2018 that, if Kirsan has a successor who is elected President - maybe with Makro on the ticket - the motion remains valid, and thus Makro retains the executive powers into the new Presidency?

[David Sedgwick]

Interesting though this to-and-fro is, I think Nick must be right.

I'd be looking around the internet to see if there was anyone supporting Nick's analysis. I had drawn a blank. Then I came back here to find that someone doing so had appeared.

Or simply passing a resolution declaring that he was no longer President.

And off to CAS we go... FIDE bankrupted without the ECF even lifting a finger.

I don't dispute that the plotters backed down because they realised that they weren't going to get away with it.

Poor old Makropoulos. His eighteen months at the summit have been cruelly snatched away from him.

There you are entirely wrong. Makro looks to have emerged from this very well, since he has all the powers ( including those of the President ) and doesn't have to travel round the world playing at being President.

Which, of course, is exactly the situation that prevailed before the first Presidential Board meeting. It really is a strange coup attempt when the objective of the plotters is to maintain the status quo.

Anyway, kudos to Ilyumzhinov. After defeating Kok, Karpov and Kasparov consecutively, he has now seen off Makropoulos, Vega and Freeman simultaneously, with Faulks thrown in for good measure.

[NickFaulks]

It really is a strange coup attempt when the objective of the plotters is to maintain the status quo.

Er, yes, it would be. Isn't that my point?

[Angus French]

I was surprised by the outcome (not that I would know or had any specific expectations other than that there might be a protracted fight) but then I thought: maybe this is an orderly and constructive way to do things - Ilyumzhinov gets to remain President if only in name; if Makropoulos wants to be President then he has a period to prove his worth and can then stand in 2018; there are no arguments about who gets to succeed Ilyumzhinov in the period before the next election; Candidates for the Presidency in 2018 can prepare their tickets and campaigns... Would Ilyumzhinov stand in 2018? Would he be a plausible candidate and would Russia back someone who isn't a plausible candidate? Dare I also say that after what happened in 2014, I think other implausible candidates are Kasparov and anyone associated with him... I wonder whether Adrian Siegel, the current Treasurer, might be a candidate - he stuck his neck out and seems to have done well recently.

[Alex Holowczak]

Interesting though this to-and-fro is, I think Nick must be right.

I'd be looking around the internet to see if there was anyone supporting Nick's analysis. I had drawn a blank. Then I came back here to find that someone doing so had appeared.

Ah, you've selectively quoted me. I support Nick's analysis on the one specific point I quoted:

There you are entirely wrong. Makro looks to have emerged from this very well, since he has all the powers ( including those of the President ) and doesn't have to travel round the world playing at being President.

That seems right to me. I don't know about the rest of it.

[Roger de Coverly]

There you are entirely wrong. Makro looks to have emerged from this very well, since he has all the powers ( including those of the President ) and doesn't have to travel round the world playing at being President.

So who gets the job of representing chess (and allegedly Russia) in photo-opportunities with sometimes dubious national politicians?

[NickFaulks]

So who gets the job of representing chess (and allegedly Russia) in photo-opportunities with sometimes dubious national politicians?

Why wouldn't Kirsan keep that? He's good at it, although it sounds as though there may be less representation of Russia now.

[David Sedgwick]

... I really hope that [Kirsan's] ability to charge personal expenses to FIDE ... will now be reined in ...

So who gets the job of representing chess ... in photo-opportunities with sometimes dubious national politicians?

Why wouldn't Kirsan keep that? He's good at it ...

Anyway, thank you for the confirmation that everything is now back to exactly how it was three weeks ago, except that the plotters have squandered thousands of euros on the Extraordinary Presidential Board Meeting. The costs of that could have covered quite a lot of Ilyumzhinov's expenses.

[Chris Fegan]

... I really hope that [Kirsan's] ability to charge personal expenses to FIDE ... will now be reined in ...

So who gets the job of representing chess ... in photo-opportunities with sometimes dubious national politicians?

Why wouldn't Kirsan keep that? He's good at it ...

Anyway, thank you for the confirmation that everything is now back to exactly how it was three weeks ago, except that the plotters have squandered thousands of euros on the Extraordinary Presidential Board Meeting. The costs of that could have covered quite a lot of Ilyumzhinov's expenses.

David

I think the Bard had all this FIDE nonsense well sussed:

"All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages."

Chris

[Chris Rice]

A very detailed report on yesterday's meeting from Peter Doggers including Kirsan dragging a translator into the room just to make sure there were no misunderstandings. Looks pretty certain we will have a new FIDE President in around 18 months time. Three highlights:

"In short, Makropoulos can now represent FIDE officially, he can solely sign for FIDE (though contracts are still subject to prior approval or subsequent ratification by the Presidential Board), and he presides over the meetings of the General Assembly, the Executive Board and the Presidential Board. "I was already doing this, technically, but now it's completely clear," Makropoulos said to Chess.com.".....

....."Until the new elections in 2018, Ilyumzhinov is a FIDE President with hardly any power. Furthermore, if the U.S. sanctions against him will still be in place, it will be difficult for him to run for another term. In fact, yesterday the members of the Presidential Board repeated what was said in September 2016 in Baku: it won't be possible. "It is clear that we have serious problems because of the sanctions. A lot of western sponsors are very skeptical to deal with FIDE," said Makropoulos. "And I don't think the sanctions can be removed." Ilyumzhinov didn't seem much affected about losing even more power: "I spent so much money and time on chess, but I never made major decisions myself, and I never interfered with the work of commissions. Makropoulos always had this power. I was never interested in it. I am not really a president, I am a maecenas.".....

.... (Makropoulos)"I believe the other Russian officials should stop playing this little game. I understand that FIDE is very important for Russia. But they should understand also that nobody from our group, who has supported Kirsan for all these years, will sacrifice FIDE just to keep the good relations with some of the officials. They should understand that it's time to have a change here."