Florencio Campomanes, past president of FIDE, the international regulatory body of chess, is dead.

His obits have mentioned that his mismanagement of FIDE lead to the defection of Nigel Short and Kasparov from FIDE in 1993, splitting the world title, which wouldn’t be reunited until 2006.  Disastrous for chess.

Unmentioned in the obits so far is that he was probably an agent of the KGB.

Now that Magnus Carlsen is known to be training with Kasparov, he has appeared not his customary teenager habit of hooded sweatshirt, but in an ascot.  This form of dress has been favored by Kasparov.  We approve.

"Does this look okay?"

"No."

"Better?"

[Chessbase on the Tal Memorial.]

Good overview by Mig Greengard of the Kasparov-Karpov blast from the past match in Valencia.  (Chess journalist Greengard is a long-time ghostwriter and booster of Kasparov.)

More interesting, however, is the news in recent weeks that Kasparov is training 18 year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen, who has very good chances of being world champion.  Photos emerged of Carlsen and Kasparov training in Kasparov’s summer home in Croatia.  Here’s an interview on Norwegian TV.

"Snatch the pebble from my hand."

In this overall positive interview praising the president for meeting with Russian dissidents, Garry Kasparov drops this gem:

Then [Kasparov's "enemy-of-his-enemy" ally and Communist Party leader Gennady] Zyuganov  … told Obama he’d done a good job nationalizing the banks and auto companies. It was all he could do not to say, “You’re on the right track, comrade Obama!”

Sometimes Communists almost say the darndest things!

So, how do you play this game?

A canny and brave man.  Read this brief, engaging NYT account of him crashing a Putinist rally, stealing the microphone, and winning the crowd.

NYT chess columnist Dylan Loeb McClain notes a promising 10 year-old chess player who just won the Utah game-in-60 championship (all moves must be played in 60 minutes).  Good for this kid, Kayden Troff.

A few thoughts: (more…)