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INFANT PRODIGY DEBUTS IN IATIONAL TEAM 

06 October, 00:00

The World Chess Olympic Games have begun. This event, which always calls forth much interest, now facing unusual times in chess world chaos, has a specific attraction. The Chess Olympics is the only tournament held on a regular basis - once every two years. That why chess players, despite all the trouble, willingly come to such forums.

SPORTS - BEYOND POLITICS?

This time the Olympics are being held in Kalmykia, motherland of the FIDE federation Kirsan Iliumzhinov. The Chess-city where tournament participants are living has been built specially for the occasion. As usual, the construction was not completed on time, and due to delays, the start was postponed from Sunday to Tuesday. But this was hardly the reason that called forth threats to boycott the tournament.

Editor-in-chief of an opposition newspaper Larysa Yudina was shot dead in Kalmykia and a group of law enforcers appealed to the chess society demanding to boycott the Chess Olympics. As to the murder, Iliumzhinov explained it with inner contradictions between Yabloko (apple) faction members. Incidentally, the boycott did not take place.

C.C.C. - REFUSED

TO COOPERATE

Some rather solid people refrained from participating in the tournament. Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik refused to defend the colors of the Russian national team. Remarkably, despite the absence of these leaders, the average rating of the Russian team was the highest in the tournament.

Garry Kasparov, a former friend of Iliumzhinov, broke off all relations with him. Kasparov attracts attention to the income sources of the president, hinting they have a criminal background. However, he is unlikely to have any proof.

As to Karpov, his claims to Iliumzhinov are pretty funny. After Iliumzhinov suggested to conduct the World Championship once a year instead of every two years, Karpov threatened to file a suit against him, saying this decision violates the world champion's rights.

Fellow Ukrainians in Elist

The Ukrainian team has maintained a pretty stable roster in recent international tournaments. But this time an exception, and a remarkable one, was made.

Kharkiv grossmeister Ihor Novikov was substituted for 14-year-old Ruslan Ponomariov of Kramatorsk. Ruslan has achieved more than Robert Fisher, Karpov and Kasparov at the same age. He is the youngest chessmaster in the world and earned this title when he was only 14 years and 19 days old. This record is one for the Guinness Book! And this boy will compete beside Vasyl Ivanchyk of Lviv, Oleh Romanishin, Volodymyr Malaniuk and Oleksandr Onyshchuk of Sevastopol, and Stanislav Savchenko of Illichevsk. This squad is capable of winning the tournament.

Newspaper output №:

№35, (1998)

Section

Society