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1994-01-05
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Evans on Chess. October 15, 1993. Copyright by GM Larry Evans (EVANS).
SAD DAY FOR FIDE
It's a sad day indeed for FIDE (pronounced "fee-day"). The once-proud world
chess body boasts over 150 nations but faces its greatest crisis since it was
founded in 1924 to organize the Chess Olympiad.
In 1946 the death of the world champion let FIDE grab the title, now its main
source of income. In 1982 Florencio Campomanes became the first president
ever to accept a salary (in six figures). When we asked him why he put his
mistress on the payroll, he shrugged, "What's wrong with hiring people you
trust?"
FIDE got mired in so many scandals that Russia's Gary Kasparov and his
British contender Nigel Short formed the Professional Chess Association to
host their 1993 title bout. The Times promptly plunked down a $2.5 million
purse plus $4 million more to promote this gala event on a grand scale in
London.
"My argument with FIDE is simple," explained Short. "They organize amateur
events without any prize money, yet all the top 50 players are pros. It's
idiotic for a body of amateurs to control our lives."
Instead of peaceful coexistence, Campomanes declared war by erasing the
rebels from the rating list. He arranged a $2.8 million ersatz match between
Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman, both beaten by Short on his way up.
A FIDE banner on stage caught fire before the first game, an omen of things
to come. Karpov led 7-5 at the halfway mark in Holland when Campomanes
confessed he had raised no prize money after the Gulf state of Oman called
his bluff by refusing to sponsor the rest of this ill-fated match. Instant
chaos!
"It's the first time we ever played 12 games for free!" grumbled the players,
who threatened to sue FIDE. Desperate, lacking even the $700,000 minimum
required by his own world championship rules, Campomanes halted the match for
weeks until he found a new host nation: Indonesia. But he wouldn't say where
the purse was coming from.
Enter Jim McKay, an American out to recover his forfeited $500,000 deposit
from a prior title bid. "My lawyers expect FIDE in good faith to repay it
plus interest," he said. "Our contract was conditional on Kasparov defending
his title under FIDE. He didn't. It's that simple."
But losing the case might bankrupt FIDE. "We're not in the business of
ripping off people," insisted Campomanes, who still has the money.
Timothy Hanke, managing editor of the AMERICAN CHESS JOURNAL, observed:
"Campomanes has always played best to his natural constituency
of Third World and Communist nations, for whom he did many
favors in exchange for their votes. He had the look of a flim-
flam man whose acquaintance with fair play, due process and
honest dealing always was slight. For years FIDE was his
personal fiefdom, which is one reason things have reached a
sorry pass. FIDE has tumbled far down from the days when the
courtly and competent Max Euwe, a former World Champion,
served as president. Who will now arrive on horseback to
retrieve the fortunes of the discredited world chess body?"