ChessBase 17 - Megapaket - Edition 2024
ChessBase ist die persönliche Schach-Datenbank, die weltweit zum Standard geworden ist. Und zwar für alle, die Spaß am Schach haben und auch in Zukunft erfolgreich mitspielen wollen. Das gilt für den Weltmeister ebenso wie für den Vereinsspieler oder den Schachfreund von nebenan
INTERVIEW BY BESSEL KOK, CANDIDATE FOR
FIDE PRESIDENT
FOR WORLD CHESS NETWORK Tuesday, 13th December 2005
By Michel Gagne
1. Greetings Mr. Kok. As a start, please tell us what were your motives to
join the race for Presidency of FIDE.
For the following reasons:
-The decreasing lack of success that FIDE has had to attract public interest and
corporate sponsors to the Chess World.
-To basically work again on a golden opportunity to reunify the Chess World
after my efforts in Prague.
-The growing frustration of several hard working FIDE delegates with the slow
pace in the changes that FIDE needs to become a modern sports Federation.
-The fact that I am semi-retired and have more time.
2. What will be your first step if you get elected?
To create a structure, based on meritocracy, which allows professional
experienced people to work on worldwide corporate sponsorship programs.
3. Why are you the best candidate?
Because I have more than 20 years experience in the World of Chess, an excellent
relationship with the leading Grandmasters, I have organized major tournaments
and can combine all of this with vast business experience.
4. You already have the support of famous Grandmasters like Yasser Seirawan, Jan
Timman and Judith Polgar. Do you expect more of them to take your side? What can
you "offer" to the World's top players?
Yes, You will see over the next few months through our website and press
releases, our full campaign support unfolding.
5. Can you tell us something about your relations with ACP (Association of
Chess Professionals)?
The ACP was a courageous initiative. It is different from the GMA which had
built its own professional chess cycle to justify its role at the time. (The GMA
World Cup had GM Lubos Kavalek as its’ Director). Obviously the ACP was lacking
funds to do the same and whilst it has successfully organised a number of events,
its role has been different and aimed at trying to get the FIDE administration
to communicate with top players. I respect what they achieved.
6. Now a few questions which are of the biggest interest for
WorldChessNetwork members. One of your key objectives is "To achieve consistent,
long-term success in the game through player development at every level, with
particular focus on chess in schools". What is the best way to support and
promote scholastic chess? How can you help National Federations to enlarge their
players base?
The best way to promote scholastic chess is to combine two unique tools we have
available today in the world of chess :
- Grandmasters and Professional trainers
- The Internet and chess training programs
I strongly believe that a commercially sponsored Chess in School program with
Grandmasters or professional trainers as tutors, and managed by a competent
Project Director, is a serious opportunity. It allows professional grandmasters
to have a post-career activity, gives schools a new educational tool, and allows
the national sponsor to have his brand name linked to a brain game without
violence. One can see the massive success that my associate, Ali Nihat Yazici
has achieved in such a short time in Turkey through hard work and perseverance.
7. "To actively support the continued development of chess through the
internet as a broadcast medium and instructional platform". We already have the
situation that thousands of people are following live internet broadcasts of the
major events. Recent the US Chess League was played over the online server. Do
you think it would be possible to play real tournaments with long time controls
over the internet? What would be the reaction of sponsors?
I tried to launch a Worldwide Internet competition several years ago and was not
successful. Although I had found sponsors, the critical mass was not big enough
to fully satisfy them. Further more, the cheating problem had not yet been
totally resolved. However we were probably a bit early and with the new
technology today in place on several chess servers, I do believe this type of
Chess could rapidly develop.
As bandwidth capacity continues to increase and become more affordable all over
the world, we will have a mega revolution in the opportunities that internet
will offer us. The team has a large number of ideas and the enthusiasm is
certainly not lacking!
I think that sponsors would still be very interested in long time controls since
there are so much value adding ideas one could have through the internet. What
have we gained with a faster time control which brings an average game down to
around four hours ? Has this made the game more attractive to sponsors ? The
level of the game has declined; we have more errors and players making draws in
the World Cup simply to play a rapid tie-break.
8. What do you think about the current World Championship Cycle? Should the
format be changed?
To be honest, after the Prague agreement was not implemented, I feared the worst
would happen in the chess world. However, taking this into account, the formula
in San Luis was not bad. This tournament formula for a World Title is not new.
John Nunn, who I respect a lot already, suggested something similar earlier this
year, and even Botvinnik once recommended it to me, since he always fondly
remembered his World Championship title in 1948.
Still my proposal would be to encourage the creation of a WCC Advisory Council,
made up of GMs and other professional organisers, who would work out proposals
for an acceptable format to be approved by a future FIDE General Assembly.
This working method was adopted also in the GMA and resulted in successful cycle
and tournament rules being implemented. This is much in line also with the
practices of professional associations such as the ATP.
9. Chess fans are arguing who is the current World Chess Champion. Can you
unify the Title?
Let me make one thing clear. FIDE, and especially the FIDE president, has a
clear responsibility to act as a facilitator to unify, once and for all, the
world chess title and to give it back its undisputed credibility. In Prague I
took the initiative together with members of my present team to facilitate the
unification process. The Prague agreement, if really supported by the present
FIDE presidency and bureau, could have easily led to the unification of the
World title, which is so essential for the good of chess.
However matches between Kasparov and two different FIDE champions, which could
have lead to a unification match with Kramnik, have consistently been undermined
or cancelled. Even a match between Topalov and Kramnik is clearly, to say the
least, not a priority for the present FIDE administration.
I will do everything I can within my power and capabilities to get us back on
track. I am very confident that I will succeed to give the chess world one
championship title and thus one sole champion thus reinstating its unique
position, its credibility and thereby also the media attention and respect it
fully deserves. In order to do that, I will listen again to all parties
concerned and act taking into account the present situation, but keeping in mind
in the broad positive spirit of the agreement reached in Prague 4 years ago.
So, in summary I believe that FIDE should act as a body that serves the sport
not dominates it. We should listen, decide and implement. Not decide, implement
and then listen afterwards to the complaints!