War and chess 

In order to rebuke Russia for its egregious invasion of Ukraine, the International Chess Federation (FIDÉ) voted two years ago to ban Russians from competing under their own flag, and deprive the country of the Chess Olympiad, originally scheduled for Moscow two years ago.  This unanimous decision was extraordinary. This was not just because it sidelined Russia from the game it had previously dominated, but because of who led the chess world in repudiating Russia. It was none other than the former Russian Deputy Prime Minister, and, since 2018, President of FIDÉ, Arkady Dvorkovich. This year’s Chess Olympiad and FIDÉ Congress are now taking place in Budapest, where weighty geopolitical matters are due to be contested. 

In an interview with the US magazine  Mother Jones , Dvorkovich originally voiced his opposition to the Ukraine war, becoming one of the very few former senior Kremlin officials to openly criticise the invasion. He said: “Wars are the worst things one might face in life…including this war.”

Dvorkovich, who served at the Kremlin for 10 years, thus joined scores of chess leaders in decrying Vladimir Putin’s aggression. “My thoughts are with Ukrainian civilians. Wars do not just kill priceless lives. Wars kill hopes and aspirations, freeze or destroy relationships and connections.”  

Then, in an apparent volte face, after threats and criticism from pro-Putin officials, whom he had previously been  honourable enough to defy, Dvorkovich changed his tune.  The Times   subsequently quoted him (speaking to the  Skolkova Foundation , a Moscow tech centre) suggesting, “…that the war against Ukraine was a campaign against Fascism ”, echoing the claim Moscow made as a pretext for invasion. He continued, “…I, like all post-war children, was brought up on patriotism…and hatred of Nazism. I am sincerely proud of the courage of our soldiers, who at all times defended their homeland and freedom”.  Universal revulsion  against his revised comments resulted in a failed surge of demands  for his removal as FIDÉ President, since such comments are evidently incompatible with his position as global leader for  international  chess. 

Meanwhile, Sergey Karjakin — a former Ukrainian citizen, but now one of Russia’s top grandmasters — has been suspended from playing in FIDÉ’s top international tournaments for making pro-war statements. It should be said that  not all top Russian chess players feel the same . Over 40 have signed an open letter to Putin calling on him to end the war. By contrast, Karjakin has even gone so far as to appear at the front line in Russian battle dress, encouraging the invading troops (see illustration above ). 

Although governments around the world, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have called for all sporting and competitive connections with Russia to be severed, including a ban on Russian officials taking high office in global institutions, FIDÉ has blithely ignored any such pleas where the top job was concerned.

This has led to an amazing outbreak of double standards. As we have seen, Moscow was deprived of the Olympiad. Then there came a unanimous decision by FIDÉ to ban Russians from competing under their own flag, which meant that there was no Russian team in Budapest for the current Olympiad. 

Dvorkovich, clearly unwilling to surrender the presidency, struck back by enlisting the popular Indian former world champion, Viswanathan (“Vishy”) Anand, as his Vice President and running mate. With the election having been held in Chennai, this cunning move guaranteed victory.

Thus we now witness an unedifying situation where Russia had been  deprived of the Olympiad, the Russian team and at least one individual has been banned, while the Russian President himself, now a Putin apologist, has been enthusiastically re-elected to the post of ultimate power. Meanwhile, FIDÉ’s conscience, England’s Nigel Short, has been systematically consigned to oblivion.

As regular readers of this column will know, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I had hoped that Nigel might successfully stand himself as President. It was not to be.

Leveraging his reputation as a super Grandmaster to enter chess politics, in 2018 Short made adroit use of his status to seek election as President of FIDÉ. Disgracefully, the English Chess Federation failed to support him and, sadly, even obstructed his campaign.

Nevertheless, Nigel emerged from the electoral process with the glittering, if temporary, prize of FIDÉ Vice President as his reward. At that time, Short and Dvorkovich were close allies, both seemingly united in their determination to cleanse the Augean Stables of corrupt previous administrations, which had run FIDÉ for their own benefit for an astonishing thirty six years.

Now for the latest scandalous development at FIDÉ, likely to be resolved in the coming days in Budapest. On August 21, the news that the Kyrgyzstan Chess Federation had submitted a resolution to restore the full membership rights of Russian Chess Federation was revealed to the chess world. The German Chess Federation, in an official press release, has taken the lead in strongly objecting to such a development. Here is the statement by the German Schachbund:

“The general assembly of the world chess association FIDÉ will take place from September 21st to 22nd in Budapest. Some proposals are highly politically explosive. Point 4.3.1 ‘Federation proposals regarding Russia and Belarus restrictions’ is about enabling the return of Russian and Belarusian players to international boards without restrictions. This is met with strict rejection by the German Chess Federation.”

If two chess associations, the Kyrgyz Chess Union (KCU) and the Russian Chess Federation (CFR) have their way, according to their applications, Russian and Belarusian players should again be admitted to international tournaments “fully and equally”. This would overturn a decision of the FIDÉ Council, in extraordinary meetings on February 27, 2022 and March 14, 2022, according to which Russian and Belarusian chess players were suspended due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The national teams of Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in official FIDE tournaments by decision of the FIDE Council. Since then, players from these countries have only been allowed to take part in individual tournaments of the FIDE World Championship cycle under the FIDÉ flag. Russian and Belarusian state symbols, the flag and the anthem, have been banned from all FIDÉ-rated international chess events.

“I feared that something like this would happen to us,” says Ingrid Lauterbach, President of the German Schachbund, about the application. “But our position here is clear. From our point of view, these applications do not correspond to the stance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and also our stance on this war.” We are in line with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and of the IOC, said Lauterbach: “Athletes from a country that is waging a bloody war of aggression are not allowed to take part in international competitions with the anthem and flag, those athletes who support the war are to be completely excluded, as the IOC is also doing for the Summer Games Paris has handled.” Ingrid Lauterbach further emphasised: “We are deeply in solidarity with Ukraine. We have to clearly draw the line here – and even though I highly doubt it, I hope that the majority of associations see it the same way.”

The motion is available in three possible voting variants:

1. To lift all restrictions imposed by the FIDÉ Council on Russian and Belarusian chess players;
2. To ease the restrictions (in an unspecified form); and
3. To not lift the FIDÉ Council resolution and thus the suspension.

Ingrid Lauterbach: “For us, only the third variant is an option. The exclusion of Russian and Belarusian players must remain.”

Ingrid Lauterbach and the German Chess Federation are so consistent in their stance that, as its president, she is currently trying to avoid any direct contact with the Russian FIDÉ President Arkady Dvorkovich. The FIDÉ Ethics Commission reprimanded Dvorkovich in June of this year. The background to this is Dvorkovich’s closeness to the Russian Chess Federation RCF, which the Ethics Council provisionally suspended from FIDÉ membership for two years because the Board of Trustees and the Supervisory Board include several members who have been subject to international sanctions as a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Now for an excursion into the distant past, nearly six decades ago. The FIDÉ Congress is taking place within the context of the biennial Chess Olympiad, at which I represented England on eight separate occasions, emerging three times personally undefeated and three times winning an Olympiad Bronze medal. It was during these Olympiads that I first hand witnessed two of the all time stellar battles between the world’s elite. 

At the 1966 Olympiad in Havana, where Petrosian garnered the first of his golds, it was openly said that he ducked his most dangerous opponent, Bobby Fischer. Meanwhile, Fischer, who had been on course himself to win the gold medal, overreached himself at the last moment. The American lost to the nervous but talented Romanian Grandmaster Florin Gheorghiu — thus, the story goes, letting Petrosian sneak past at the final post.

The truth, though, is somewhat different. For the USA vs. USSR match the initial line-up was indeed Fischer vs. Petrosian. I was there, I saw the name cards and I know why that game never took place. What happened was this: because of some footling complaint by Fischer, involving the half-baked timetable of some new age religious cult to which Fischer had temporarily subscribed, the USA team failed to show up and was defaulted. Petrosian, therefore, through no conniving of his own, had won the first round, beating Fischer by default when the American top board simply did not appear for the game.

Generously, however, adhering to the principle of noblesse oblige, the USSR allowed a replay at a later time, originally designated as a free day. Petrosian, meanwhile, had become involved in various lengthy adjournments. He may also have been understandably reluctant to replay a game he had already won by default. It will be recalled that Boris Spassky, when defending his world crown against Fischer six years later in the Reykjavik Match of the Century, was perfectly happy to accept a default when Fischer was a no-show for game two. Certainly Spassky was gentleman enough not to claim the entire match at this stage, which he might well have done, but his decision to pocket the whole point from the game Fischer had defaulted evoked no criticism from any quarter. I know from experience that it is psychologically very difficult to replay at full strength a game you have already won. Spassky knew that in 1972 and Petrosian knew it also in 1966.

Returning to Havana, with the USA given a second chance, the USSR rested Petrosian and wheeled out Spassky on top board, a draw against Fischer being the ultimate outcome. What is also overlooked, apart from Petrosian’s undoubted initial willingness to meet Fischer, was that Bent Larsen was actually considered by the Soviets the main threat to Petrosian at the time, having not long beforehand twice beaten the World Champion in the Piatigorsky Cup. Larsen was indeed about to embark on a fabulous series of tournament victories which almost brought him to the very top.

Petrosian, however, refused to duck this challenge and came out fighting against Larsen with Black, determined to win. For the World Champion this game – and not the unplayed one against Fischer – must have seemed the supreme challenge of the entire Olympiad, with his reputation as world champion riding on the result. A win for Petrosian would have been sweet revenge and a vindication of his status as number one. A third consecutive loss, on the other hand, to the same opponent, would have been a disastrous blow to his prestige. Had Petrosian been animated by cowardly or base motives, this surely would have been the game and the opponent to avoid.

Instead, Petrosian achieved a nerve-wracking win with his patent exchange sacrifice, which I actually saw him carry out, while standing next to his board at that time. 

I had the privilege of watching this entire game live — it was a needle game for Petrosian since he had just lost twice to Larsen at the Piatigorsky Gold Cup. A third loss would have more or less finished his reputation as champion; many people write that Petrosian’s last good result as world champion was his title defence v Spassky in 1966 — however they overlook his gold medals both team and individual on top board for the USSR in the 1966 and 1968 Olympiads, where taking both into account he finished ahead of Fischer, Portisch, Gligoric, Hort, Uhlmann, Najdorf, Reshevsky, Larsen and many others.

In 1966, Petrosian pulled off the amazing feat of, within a period of a few months, beating Spassky, Botvinnik and Larsen, all with Black and all with an exchange sacrifice.

I have personally witnessed two amazing top level crunch games at  Olympiads. The other was Spassky vs. Fischer , Siegen 1970.  

Bent Larsen vs. Tigran Petrosian

Havana Olympiad Final-A, Havana, 1966, rd. 4

1.e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 c6 6. Bd3Bd6 7. O-O O-O

If now 8. Ne5 Nbd7 9. Bf4 (9. f4 Qb6) 9… Qc7 10. Re1 Re8 when the  proud knight will be under pressure.

8.Ne2 Re8 9. Ng3 Nbd7 10. Nf5 Nf8 11. Nxd6 Qxd6 12.Ne5

White’s upper hand is maintained after 12… c5 13. c3 cxd4 14. cxd4 Qb6 15. Re1, so what now?

12… N6d7

Provocative, as a mini-crisis results from this shift of the knight from the best defensive square.

13.Bd2!

Cleverly making the d-pawn immune after it arrives at e5 after an exchange on that square –  13… Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qxe5 15. Re1  or  14… Rxe5 15. Bf4 .

The less subtle  13. Bf4 Nxe5 14. Bxe5  (14. dxe5 Qb4)  14… Qh6  is not so convincing for White.

13… f6 14. Qh5!

The connoisseur of the exchange sacrifice uses it once more to resolve a difficult situation caused by Larsen’s direct and energetic play, and the decision is one that must be seen as the best practical chance.

It is significant that the two previous encounters between these players, at the Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966, had resulted in wins for Larsen, and it was therefore vital for Petrosian to at least avoid a third successive defeat. This early sacrifice of rook for knight can then be viewed for what it is, a real test of Tigran’s nerve.

The cautious approach is  14… Re7 15. Nf3 Nb6 16. a3 a5 17. Rae1 Be6 18. Nh4 g6 19. Qh6 , when White is clearly better.

14… g6  invites  15. Bxg6 hxg6 16. Nxg6 Re7 17. Bf4 Qe6 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Rfe1 Qf7 20. Qh6  with the initiative,  21. Re3 being   a distinct threat.

14… Rxe5 15. dxe5 fxe5 16. Rfe1 e4 17. Bf1 Nf6 18. Qh4 Bf5

Black has a free flowing game behind his pawn front, and chances of converting this pull into a technical draw or a tactical win. Nevertheless, objectively, the situation still favours White. 

19.Qg3 Qe7 20. c3 Ne6 21. Be3?

Much safer is  21. h3 or 21. Qe5 .

21… Ng4!

22.h3 Nxe3 23. Rxe3 Rf8 24. Qe5 Bg6 25. Rd1 Qf7 26. Rd2Nf4 27. b4 h6 28. a4 Bh7 29. Qd4 b6 30. Re1 Qc7 31. Qe3c5 32. bxc5 bxc5 33. g3 Nd3 34. Bxd3 exd3 35. Qe6+?

Still objectively on top, Larsen squanders his advantage with a serious mistake , born of over-confidence. The Yugoslav  IM Maric, found that  35. c4!!  is White’s best chance ,  as the black phalanx of pawns is challenged and weakened by this thrust, which would cut across Black’s plan of …c4 followed by …Be4. Unfortunately for Larsen, his chosen course brings Petrosian’s king decisively into the fray.

35… Qf7 36. Qxf7+ Kxf7 37. Rb2

The trouble with capturing the b-file by  37. Rb2   is that Black can reinforce the now deadly pawn on d3.

37… c4! 38. f3 d4! 39. Rc1 Ke6 40. Kf2 Be4 41. f4 Re8!

Petrosian’s conduct of this part of the game is exemplary. The sealed 41st move militates against the white king’s intervention by occupying the e-file, after which White is transparently lost.

 42. g4 Bc6 43. Re1+ Kd5 44. Rxe8 Bxe8 45. cxd4 c3

There is no need to recapture, and Black actually uses the white d-pawn as a shield against checks on the file by the remaining rook.

 46.Rb8 d2 47. Rd8+ Kc4 48. Rc8+ Kd3White resigns 0-1

This whole game was a triumph for the defender’s grit , resolution and readiness to sacrifice the exchange. 

Ray’s 206th book, “  Chess in the Year of the King  ”, written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, “  Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius  ” (which discusses their relationship with chess) are available from Amazon and Blackwells. 

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