English Chess Forum

Chris Rice wrote:A very detailed report on yesterday's meeting from [url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/ilyumzh ... paign=news]Peter Doggers ...

It's an excellent report.

I had intended to post a few highlights myself, but you have picked out exactly the same points that I would have done.

From the editorial line, we can conclude that Peter Doggers now joins Alex Holowczak (partially) on the list of those who support Nick Faulks's view that yesterday's events constituted a surrender by Ilyumzhinov and a triumph for Makropoulos. I still haven't found any other commentator who takes that view.

For a different perspective, please see the ChessDom report at http://www.chessdom.com/kirsan-ilyumzhi ... ted-power/.

Therein you will find the following quote:

Berik Balgabaev stated for TASS, “Status quo remains. Kirsan will continue to be President of FIDE without any restrictions.”

That of course forced Makropoulos into a hasty denial. I wonder if he cleared his response with Freeman, as the new FIDE statement appears to require.

David Sedgwick wrote:For a different perspective, please see the ChessDom report at http://www.chessdom.com/kirsan-ilyumzhi ... ted-power/.

Therein you will find the following quote:

Berik Balgabaev stated for TASS, “Status quo remains. Kirsan will continue to be President of FIDE without any restrictions.”

That of course forced Makropoulos into a hasty denial. I wonder if he cleared his response with Freeman, as the new FIDE statement appears to require.

Really?
I went there just now and at the top of the page it said this:

ChessDom report wrote:Update: FIDE confirms the sources of Chessdom.com and reaffirms that after the new board meeting today, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has withdrawn from all his powers

To this uninformed outside it all looks very fluid still. I have as little clue what is going to happen next as I do in some of my more complicated games.

Brian Towers wrote: Really?
I went there just now and at the top of the page it said this:

ChessDom report wrote:Update: FIDE confirms the sources of Chessdom.com and reaffirms that after the new board meeting today, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has withdrawn from all his powers

You need to read the full article to get the flavour of it.

Brian Towers wrote:To this uninformed outside it all looks very fluid still. I have as little clue what is going to happen next as I do in some of my more complicated games.

I concur with that assessment. The plotters may well try again.

David Sedgwick wrote:The plotters may well try again.

What might they be looking for? They don't appear to have got the concession that Kirsan will not seek re-election in 2018, presumably with his powers conditionally restored.

David Sedgwick wrote:The plotters may well try again.

Roger de Coverly wrote:What might they be looking for?

Forcing Ilyumzhinov's resignation at the second attempt.

Do I have it right that many (some?) of the FIDE insiders are still sympathetic to Kirsan, and are trying to smooth his way out and to keep things stable and reduce/contain the influence of the Russian faction?

What is known about Georgios Makropoulos? The translation of the start of the German-language Wikipedia article says:

Georgios Makropoulos ([born] September 29, 1953 ) is a Greek chess professional and master. Since 1986, he has been head of FIDE's World Leadership Offices.

International Master since 1979. What do people here know of him?

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: What is known about Georgios Makropoulos? The translation of the start of the German-language Wikipedia article says:

Georgios Makropoulos ([born] September 29, 1953 ) is a Greek chess professional and master. Since 1986, he has been head of FIDE's World Leadership Offices.

International Master since 1979. What do people here know of him?

The TWIC feed does indicate speculation that Makropulos has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

David Sedgwick wrote:From the editorial line, we can conclude that Peter Doggers now joins Alex Holowczak (partially) on the list of those who support Nick Faulks's view that yesterday's events constituted a surrender by Ilyumzhinov and a triumph for Makropoulos. I still haven't found any other commentator who takes that view.

That's not what I said at all, and I can't even see how you would read into it that way. Certainly adjectives like "surrender" and "triumph" go way beyond my views on the matter.

Since you're determined to label me with an opinion for some reason, let me offer one.

Chris Rice wrote: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.".....

I think that all that has happened is that Makro used to be de facto in charge of executive matters before Kirsan was on the sanctions list, but yesterday's motions mean he's now de jure in charge of them. I expect to those of us on the outside looking in, very little will change.

I don't think it is a triumph by one and a surrender by the other. I think that both parties will be satisfied with the outcome. My impression has been that Kirsan is happy to have the title of President, and Makro is happy to have the power. Both will have left yesterday's meeting with what they wanted.

David Sedgwick wrote:

Brian Towers wrote: Really?
I went there just now and at the top of the page it said this:

ChessDom report wrote:Update: FIDE confirms the sources of Chessdom.com and reaffirms that after the new board meeting today, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has withdrawn from all his powers

You need to read the full article to get the flavour of it.

Which is summed up pretty well by the one line update quoted above.

Brian Towers wrote:To this uninformed outside it all looks very fluid still. I have as little clue what is going to happen next as I do in some of my more complicated games.

I found by far the most interesting quote to emerge came at the end of the Doggers interview.

Makropoulos wrote: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.

I expect this is something that most of FIDE have wanted to say for a long time. It seems they now feel sufficiently united to point out that if the Russians want a fight, it will be them against the rest and they will lose. Judging by Russia's rather half-hearted support for their man, they may have already reached that conclusion themselves.

Chris Rice wrote:

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: What is known about Georgios Makropoulos? The translation of the start of the German-language Wikipedia article says:

Georgios Makropoulos ([born] September 29, 1953 ) is a Greek chess professional and master. Since 1986, he has been head of FIDE's World Leadership Offices.

International Master since 1979. What do people here know of him?

The TWIC feed does indicate speculation that Makropulos has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

I can't find that. Can you link to it?

Two interviews, one from 2011, and one from 2013:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/thirty-yea ... s-it-all/1
http://chess-news.ru/en/node/13774

Chris Rice wrote: The TWIC feed does indicate speculation that Makropulos has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

This is a link

https://twitter.com/MarkTWIC/status/851429429981171712

Roger de Coverly wrote:

Chris Rice wrote: The TWIC feed does indicate speculation that Makropulos has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

This is a link

https://twitter.com/MarkTWIC/status/851429429981171712

Sorry, I can't find my way around Twitter. What am I supposed to be looking at?

NickFaulks wrote:Sorry, I can't find my way around Twitter. What am I supposed to be looking at?

If you click the link and your browser is configured to work the same way as mine, you will see a picture of Mark Crowther with a comment that says :-

Hopefully we're entering the final stages of the Ilyumzhinov FIDE presidency.

If you scroll down, someone called Outis replies

Yeah, but will the Makro presidency really be an improvement?

Mark responds

No it wouldn't but as I understand it Makro has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

Elsewhere on Twitter, Nigel Short commented

The #FIDE Presidential Board obviously ate damp squid for lunch

NickFaulks wrote:

Roger de Coverly wrote:

Chris Rice wrote: The TWIC feed does indicate speculation that Makropulos has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself.

This is a link

https://twitter.com/MarkTWIC/status/851429429981171712

Sorry, I can't find my way around Twitter. What am I supposed to be looking at?

Probably this:

Mark Crowther‏ @MarkTWIC Apr 10
"No it wouldn't but as I understand it Makro has some health problems and maybe coming towards the end of top FIDE politics himself."

Jorge Vega's the guy who interests me, if only because it was his letter that seemed to kick the whole thing off. I don't think I know anything about him at all, not even where he's from. (Guatemala now, I think, but originally?)