Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

The very latest International round up of English news.

Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election?

Poll ended at Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:05 am

Arkady Dvorkovich
5
11%
Georgios Makropoulos
9
20%
Nigel Short
22
48%
None of the Above
10
22%
 
Total votes: 46

Angus French
Posts: 2151
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 1:37 am
Contact:

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Angus French » Sat Sep 08, 2018 6:26 pm

I see Nigel's Twitter account (strapline '#cleanhands4fide') has a background picture of a superyacht.

NigelSuperYacht.PNG
NigelSuperYacht.PNG (174.21 KiB) Viewed 1536 times

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:20 pm

this will also be a question for federations, whether they wish to give their vote to, basically, an agent of the Russian government, and to play along with Russian soft power, to allow them to control this body in perpetuity. It’s clear that this is their intention
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

IanCalvert
Posts: 232
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:59 pm

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by IanCalvert » Sun Sep 09, 2018 12:31 pm

Does anyone have , even a gossip informed view, about who is most likely to win, candidates and inner circles excepted?

I am going to a conference next week and would rather like to rant, in the social corridors, about Putin soft power!

David Sedgwick
Posts: 5249
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
Location: Croydon
Contact:

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by David Sedgwick » Sun Sep 09, 2018 5:01 pm

IanCalvert wrote:
Sun Sep 09, 2018 12:31 pm
Does anyone have , even a gossip informed view, about who is most likely to win, candidates and inner circles excepted?

I am going to a conference next week and would rather like to rant, in the social corridors, about Putin soft power!
Short Answer: No (no pun intended)

Longer Answer:

Both the Dvorkovich and the Makropoulos camps are confidently proclaiming victory, even in private.

A month before each of Khanty-Mansisyk Congress 2010 and Tromso Congress 2014, I had no real doubt as to the outcome.

A month before Turin Congress 2006, things were not so clear. Quite a number of Federations only decided how to cast their votes in the final days.

Batumi Congress 2018 looks to me as though it will be rather like Turin.

Chris Rice
Posts: 3417
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:26 am

Malcolm Pein has something to say on the new bromance:

Tweet 1:

"From @nigelshortchess interview on @ChessBase June16 see http://tinyurl.com/ydeylmocwhen when still fantasising he could win: 'We know already that Russian embassies have been active in contacting federations to support ‘our candidate’... we can expect that on a grand scale'."

Tweet 2:

"And this will also be a question for federations, whether they wish to give their vote to, basically, an agent of the Russian government, and to play along with Russian soft power, to allow them to control this body in perpetuity. It’s clear that this is their intention."

Tweet 3:

"And so now @nigelshortchess does exactly that and decides in his own words: 'to play along with Russian soft power, to allow them to control this body in perpetuity #whatdealhashedone? #Ithinkweshouldbetold"

However, nothing has been announced and there may be no deal at all. It could simply be that Dvorkovich and Short saw an opportunity to wind up the Makro team and took it. Then again there could be an understanding between the two, who knows? Will Kirsan make an appearance in all this at some point? What's happened to the allegations that a lot of the campaigning isn't even legal? Will alliances change again before the vote? Seems like this is not so much a Presidential election but an episode from Game of Thrones.

shaunpress
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:41 am

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by shaunpress » Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:53 pm

Chris Rice wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:26 am
What's happened to the allegations that a lot of the campaigning isn't even legal?
It turns out that the grand announcements from FIDE on this matter were shot down from within. A meeting of the FIDE Electoral Board on the 20/21 July said in it's minutes

"The ELE has no direct general competence about interpreting FIDE Statutes -the Constitutional Commission has, but no meetings of this Commission will be held before Batumi Congress- however, in the limits of its competence concerning electoral procedure, the ELE can surely precise the following points, especially because the interpretation of the existing rules seems unequivocal:

- Appointing an “Electoral Integrity Committee”, the Presidential Board has not created a new organ with some specific given new competencies, even less it has delegated to this Committee powers and competences reserved to the ELE and the Ethics Commission: it would have been clearly not admissible, in accordance with FIDE Statutes."

Unsurprisingly, this news wasn't transmitted with the same urgency or breadth as the original announcement of the FIDE Electoral Integrity Commission.

NickFaulks
Posts: 8453
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:41 pm

shaunpress wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:53 pm
A meeting of the FIDE Electoral Board on the 20/21 July said in it's minutes
Where can these be found? I've been waiting for them but assumed they had not been published.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Chris Rice
Posts: 3417
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:56 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:41 pm
shaunpress wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:53 pm
A meeting of the FIDE Electoral Board on the 20/21 July said in it's minutes
Where can these be found? I've been waiting for them but assumed they had not been published.
Well when they are located perhaps they can be stared at with incredulity alongside this letter published yesterday on Nigel Short's site from the Solomon Islands Chess Federation.

Chris Rice
Posts: 3417
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Chris Rice » Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:08 pm

Regarding Malcolm Pein's accusations Nigel Short has had a few things to say in reply:

Tweet 1:

"It is hypocritical in the extreme for @TelegraphChess - who is underling to a man who has ensured Russian control of FIDE for decades - to accuse me of pandering to the Kremlin."

Tweet 2:

"The charmless @makro_chess is caught between crudely attacking the entente cordiale between @advorkovich & myself (having already accused me of being gay & taking a bribe) while simultaneously maintaining that it is of no consequence. If he had the votes, he wouldn't be worried."

There is a further tweet where Malcolm says Nigel has become the "highest rated 'Useful Idiot' of all time" which Nigel responded to with "I am not convinced @TelegraphChess has the necessary gravitas to be either @ecfchess International Director or Delegate."

We've still got a couple of weeks to go to the election and I suspect this is only going to get worse.

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:18 pm

I would certainly hope they can keep this up, it's great fun
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Nick Burrows
Posts: 1705
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:15 pm

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:30 pm

They should play a 'death match' on chess.com

NickFaulks
Posts: 8453
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:13 pm

Chris Rice wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:56 pm
perhaps they can be stared at with incredulity alongside this letter
I expect the minutes to be entirely sensible, and for the issues to be explored further at the CC meeting in Batumi.

As to the letter, I have heard about this case and have a feeling that it is a bit worse than it looks.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:49 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:18 pm
I would certainly hope they can keep this up, it's great fun
I see the name of Nigel Short's favourite Aussie arbiter mentioned.

David Robertson

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by David Robertson » Mon Sep 10, 2018 10:19 pm

OK, so where are we up to?

Makropoulos is claiming 114 votes (winner needs 94, I understand). Now Dvorkovich has responded claiming 91 votes. That leaves Short who is believed to carry 30+ votes. Have we passed 187 votes yet?

Of course, things start to get tricky if Dvorkovich starts to claim 94+ votes. Will he honour his vows to Short then? No need to speculate on a Makro-Short alliance in any event: that will never happen

shaunpress
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:41 am

Re: Which Candidate Should the ECF Support in the FIDE Presidential Election? (Take 2)

Post by shaunpress » Mon Sep 10, 2018 10:50 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:41 pm
shaunpress wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:53 pm
A meeting of the FIDE Electoral Board on the 20/21 July said in it's minutes
Where can these be found? I've been waiting for them but assumed they had not been published.
I'm not sure they have been published anywhere. I was sent an excerpt from them by the Chairman of the Electoral Commission Roberto Rivello, in response to a question concerning the status of the FIDE Election Integrity Committee. As part of the issues involving the Solomon Islands Chess Federation I was querying the legality of a 3000 euro payment made from FIDE to the Solomon Islands in late June, which was given by them as a reason for their choice of delegate. My initial questions went to the EIC, but I thought I should check if the EIC was even in operation.
(I should make it clear that the Solomon Islands Federation has acted in a transparent and proper way when informed of the legal issues)

Post Reply