Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

[Vlad Drkulec]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/heavyweights-spar-over-top-job-in-international-chess/article19321318/?cmpid=rss1&click=sf_globe

The Globe and Mail has been doing a good job of covering chess. Its interesting how you spend an hour talking to someone and it gets condensed down into a few lines woven into a larger story.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

My favourite part of the article is the the part about Obama.

We here at the Inner Galactic Chess Federation appreciate the publicity for interplanetary chess.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

My favourite part of the article is the the part about Obama.

We here at the Inner Galactic Chess Federation appreciate the publicity for interplanetary chess.

I guess if we want attention being a bit controversial probably helps.

[John Coleman]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

I'm sure President Obama won't be contacting the CFC any time soon... he is far too busy practicing for the English soccer team.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/obama-mistaken-england-soccer-player-souvenir-mug-article-1.1841043

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

I'm sure President Obama won't be contacting the CFC any time soon... he is far too busy practicing for the English soccer team.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/worl...icle-1.1841043

Aside from the hair I'm not sure where the resemblance lies. The cynic in me might suggest that they made the mistake accidently on purpose. Its hard to believe they would make as much for the cups if they had the right image of the player on them.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

I guess if we want attention being a bit controversial probably helps.

Controversy sells. I don't know how the newspaper got the story but it doesn't hurt for people to see Canada does not blindly follow the USA. For all the comment about the small Canadian organization we have the same as the USA. One Vote. They forgot to ask for representation by population. ;)

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

Controversy sells. I don't know how the newspaper got the story but it doesn't hurt for people to see Canada does not blindly follow the USA. For all the comment about the small Canadian organization we have the same as the USA. One Vote. They forgot to ask for representation by population. ;)

Its surprising that its not easy to find an up to date tally of the committed votes. It looks to me that Kirsan is winning on every continent.

"While Mr. Kasparov, 51, says he has secured the support of larger chess federations across Europe, Africa and the Indian subcontinent, the Ilyumzhinov camp has countered by focusing on smaller chess countries in Central America, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia." This quote seems inaccurate as India is listed as supporting Kirsan. India is hardly a smaller chess country.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

I notice in my morning newspaper the story made page 1. Started there and finished on some other page. I enjoyed his opinion of Canadian chess.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

My favourite part (a quote from G.K.):

“It’s a small federation of people who don’t care about promoting the game.
Which is why many chess traditions have been abandoned in recent years
and Canada is no longer a major chess power.”

When exactly *was* Canada a major chess power?? I must have missed that era.

[Vlad Dobrich]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

My favourite part (a quote from G.K.):

“It’s a small federation of people who don’t care about promoting the game.
Which is why many chess traditions have been abandoned in recent years
and Canada is no longer a major chess power.”

When exactly *was* Canada a major chess power?? I must have missed that era.

Hi Kerry,
Your observation aside, this was a very well-written piece by presumably a non-chessplayer.
Had some of the newspaper chess columnists been better writers then they may still be doing their regular columns.
Instead, they wrote for the select few with game analyses ad nauseam. On the other hand, newspapers themselves may well be on the way out - thanks to internet news.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

When exactly *was* Canada a major chess power?? I must have missed that era.

Guessing about a Canadian FIDE vice-president, a swiss-system ruler Haley Phil, candidate matches, and Spraggett :)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Globe and Mail article on FIDE election

My favourite part (a quote from G.K.):

“It’s a small federation of people who don’t care about promoting the game.
Which is why many chess traditions have been abandoned in recent years
and Canada is no longer a major chess power.”

When exactly *was* Canada a major chess power?? I must have missed that era.

I was admiring how he flatters Canada to win the vote. :D

I also wonder how come that ended up on the front page of the Globe and Mail. Actually, I don't really wonder.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Globe and Mail article

I also wonder how come that ended up on the front page of the Globe and Mail. Actually, I don't really wonder.

Yeah. Here are the "related" stories:

More Related to this Story



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Canada Harper announces further sanctions over crisis in Ukraine

Russia Putin calls for compromise in Ukraine

Rebels down Ukrainian helicopter as Putin reins in Russian forces

The story is there because it jives with the government's (and obsequious corporate media) Russophobia. Chess is a detail, only. I don't see how aligning or associating our sport with such jingoistic views helps chess at all. Such views are over-represented in the chess fraternity and helps to convey a view of chess players as antediluvian, cold-war nut-jobs.

For example ...

Mr. Kasparov, a loud opponent of Mr. Putin who has gone into self-imposed exile to avoid persecution in Russia ...

... is laughable. Kasparov could not get elected Dog-Catcher in Russia. Never mind Putin, whose current popularity is stratospheric, his Communist rivals gave Kasparov an electoral thumping on their own. Rallies that Kasparov attended in Russia invariably had signs ... in English. Just imagine if a Canadian protestor had signs ... in Persian and their antics were broadcasted on Iranian TV. How do you think Canadians would feel about such a character? And if they were paid for writing fluff pieces for the Tehran Daily Journal (made up name) ?

Vlad's final paragraph in which the few comments about the future of organized chess in Canada are noted are worth repeating:

Despite the storm over the election, Mr. Drkulec insists the outcome will have little bearing on chess in Canada. “This whole election has taken our attention away from important issues here at home,” he said. “We have to turn our focus onto what we can do here at home to make chess more popular. Ultimately, the figurehead for FIDE will not make that much difference.”

Ain't that the truth.

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Globe and Mail article

Vlad's final paragraph in which the few comments about the future of organized chess in Canada are noted are worth repeating:

"Despite the storm over the election, Mr. Drkulec insists the outcome will have little bearing on chess in Canada. “This whole election has taken our attention away from important issues here at home,” he said. “We have to turn our focus onto what we can do here at home to make chess more popular. Ultimately, the figurehead for FIDE will not make that much difference.”


Ain't that the truth.

Then why is the CFC, and Vlad in particular, endorsing either Candidate? If that quote is the message Vlad really wanted to get across, then abstention in the FIDE election was the only correct action. Abstention sends the message: 'Neither of you will make a difference to us in Canada.' Instead, Vlad pushed for endorsement of one candidate even though the voting members were totally polarized on the question. Bad judgement on Vlad's part, imo.

[Peter McKillop]

Re: Globe and Mail article

... The story is there because it jives with the government's (and obsequious corporate media) Russophobia. ....

"Obsequious corporate media??" Now this sounds like a phrase snatched from a high school essay (to paraphrase you from another thread). Care to provide some details? Like names and some arguments to back up your accusation (i.e. arguments that don't sound like they've been copied/pasted from some 1960s political nostalgia site)?