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I never got the impression that Kasparov had a great deal of respect for Nakamura's chess talent

Here are some quotes from world's #1 Magnus Carlsen in the Norwegian news page VG Nett about Nakamura being trained by Kasparov (published by Chessbase.com):

Magnus Carlsen is quoted as saying:

"I am surprised, especially since I never got the impression that Kasparov had a great deal of respect for Nakamura's chess talent. This is why I have been reluctant to believe the rumors of the two working together."

Magnus is further quoted:

"I noticed that Kasparov has spoken in a neutral fashion and has tried to play down the collaboration. He probably hoped that Nakamura would porduce better performances before the collaboration was made public. After all, since the nice win at Tata, Nakamura has not achieved very much."

The partnership between Japan-born Nakamura and Kasparov was set up using the financial backing ("wallet") of Rex Sinquefield. VG Nett speculates that "the St. Louis billionaire has probably used up to one million Dollars already".

Source: ChessBase.com
Original article in Norwegian: http://www.vg.no/sport/artikkel.php?artid=10015768

Statement from FIDE Vice President

Thursday, 10 November 2011 08:45

FIDE & CIS are happy to cooperate with anyone for the good of chess

Dear Friends

I heard that Mr Herman Hamers, President of Zone 1.1, sent an email to all federations in the zone, in which he mentions that during the FIDE Congress in Krakow, when I spoke there, I declared that we will not cooperate with the Kasparov Chess Foundation

This is not the whole truth, but it is a very small part of the truth, and it is taken out of context (as you can clearly see from the Congress Minutes, for example Annex 27b, which was already circulated to all Delegates attending the Congress and has been published on the Chess in Schools web site cis.fide.com). It looks like Mr Hamers has chosen to quote me out of context and has clearly changed the exact meaning, even though he was present at the Commission meeting, as well as the full Congress session. I have now seen his email, and in it Mr Hamers said "Chess in Schools chairman Ali Yazici reported that his commission will not cooperate with the Chess in Schools campaign of Kasparow and Danailov."

First of all, let me explain our situation. During the past 12 months, worldwide chess activities have been focused on Chess in Schools - we are very proud as the FIDE Chess in Schools Commission, as FIDE management, together with President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, that there are so many Chess in School initiatives taken by different parties. Finally, everybody in the world, including Garry Kasparov, seems to understand that Chess in School is the future of chess in the world as a sport. This is very nice and we are ready to support any kind of initiative, personal, national, federation, continental, global, private or public - anything that is going to help the development of chess in schools. We clearly know that this is the future of chess, but what was said in Krakow was absolutely different from the impression given by Mr Hamers and I would like to explain the sequence of events as they happened, all of which I explained in both the Commission meeting and the Congress sessions in Krakow.

Mr Garry Kasparov, our great chess legend, came to Istanbul, on private business, for a software conference and he made a speech on 23 September at the SAP Forum, organized by software provider SAP. I heard that he would come. Three or four days before the SAP Forum speech, bypassing the Turkish Chess Federation, Mr Kasparov asked for an appointment with our new sports minister, and that request was accepted. The Minister cancelled the meeting just before the press conference scheduled for the meeting (9am 22 September), citing pressure of work; I do not know whether that was the real reason. I guess the main issue was probably that the request was not made through the Turkish Chess Federation [in Turkey it is normal protocol for such appointments with Ministers to be channeled through the relevant sport federation]. There was no contact from Kasparov's side to the Turkish Chess Federation to have any kind of talks. Then, on Friday 23 September, the software conference speech was made. The following day, a very good friend of GM Kasparov, GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (of Georgia Chess Federation), called me and told me that Garry Kasparov wanted to talk to me and that he (GK) was in Dubai. I replied "of course, why not" and said that I am always available for Garry to call me. Zurab said that Mr Kasparov wanted to talk on Skype, so we exchanged Skype contact information and after this, on Tuesday 27 September, Mr Garry Kasparov called me on Skype, at 14:32 and our conversation lasted 8 min 32 seconds (according to the Skype record).

In our conversation, Mr Kasparov mentioned that when he was in Istanbul, he was very impressed with the situation of chess in schools in Turkey and he proposed a private business venture between the two of us, for chess in schools. The proposal was to me personally, not as President of the Turkish Chess Federation, not as FIDE Vice President, not as Chairman of the Chess in Schools Commission (of course these titles were important to him). He invited me to make some private business for Chess in Schools, I guess like what he is doing with Silvio Danailov (President of ECU); he wanted to do the same with me. I said OK, I am not available to make private chess business, but we can talk about it - my idea was to conduct a public business through my federation. I told him that I appreciate what he is doing for Chess in Schools, suggested a face-to-face talk, and invited him to come to Ankara. He said that he didn't have time, but asked me to go to Tbilisi (capital of Georgia) on 6&7 October, because he would be making a speech in the Georgian Parliament to introduce chess into the school curriculum.

I told him that I would think about it. I thought a lot about this and, on 3 October, I sent him an email in which I explained that I appreciate what he is doing for Chess in Schools, that I like it, that his activities will be very valuable for the development of chess all over the world. He is a great chess legend, who has the right to conduct his own private business with anyone he wants, but I told him clearly that I could not, as FIDE Vice President, Chairman of the Chess in Schools Commission or TSF President, make any private business venture with anyone about chess in schools; this would be a conflict of interest for me, it is very clear. I also told him that I don't like the way that Mr Danailov and the ECU works together with the Kasparov Chess Foundation. Our main issue is that this is a private business. As elected officers, it is wrong for us to make such private business in relation to any kind of chess activity; it is a conflict of interest. So, I refused. I also told him that I would not travel to Georgia for the Parliamentary session, since he is not the host and I am not formally invited. Also, I don't want to legalize anything outside of FIDE by being present as FIDE Vice President and Commission Chairman. I never received an answer to that email.

The FIDE position is very clear. We respect anything that is done to promote Chess in Schools or chess in general, including the initiatives of private institutions and private persons. We respect this, we like such initiatives. On the other hand, our business is a public business; whatever we do, all accounts, all sponsorships, all transactions, everything should be transparent to the public, because it is FIDE.

You remember, my friends, when Karpov was running for the FIDE Presidency in 2010, he was accusing FIDE of corruption. Our accounts are clear, all transactions are clear, anybody in FIDE, even outsiders, can see our accounts - they are fully transparent, those accounts are audited by the great accountancy firm Ernst & Young, who check all our accounts. There is an elected internal Verification Commission and they check the accounts, as does the FIDE Auditor. We are a fully transparent organization.

Now, I don't know what is happening in Garry Kasparov's Chess Foundation. It's not my business. Of course, he can do anything he wants, but we cannot go into business with such an institution under hidden accounts and that's the reason why we are not able to cooperate, but it does not mean that we won't cooperate. If Mr Garry Kasparov wants to make business with FIDE, in a professional way, we can sit down and talk, sign a contract and we can then cooperate fully together.

When Mr Hamers wrote his single sentence in his circular, omitting all the rest, it is clear to me that Mr Hamers, FIDE Zone President, is abusing our explanation of the situation that we gave in Krakow. He is giving the impression that we don't want to cooperate, but the reality is not like that. I thought it very important that everyone should know the real position.

Ali Nihat YAZICI

Chairman of Chess in School Commission

FIDE Vice President

This day in time

November 9

On this day, November 9, 1985, Garry Kasparov, 22, of the Soviet Union becomes the youngest World Chess Champion by beating Anatoly Karpov, also of the Soviet Union.

http://warminster.patch.com

Kasparov Hopes Arab Spring Spreads to Russia

VIDEO: Chess Champ Garry Kasparov Hopes Arab Spring Spreads to Russia
Rob Bluey and Brandon Stewart
November 5, 2011 at 10:00 am

Garry Kasparov mastered the game of chess to become a world-famous champion. These days he’s facing a much tougher opponent: the corrupt leadership of Russia.

Kasparov, a leader of the Russia opposition, spoke at Heritage about why Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is immune to the Obama administration’s reset strategy. In an interview at Heritage before his speech, Kasparov said Obama’s approach was misguided.

Putin, of course, is poised to reclaim the Russian presidency following Dmitry Medvedev’s announcement last month that he would not seek a second term. In response to the news, Kasparov urged a boycott of Russia’s parliamentary elections in December.

Kasparov, author of “How Life Imitates Chess,” said he’s had difficultly applying the same strategy to Russian politics, simply because the leadership there follows no rules.

Still, he expressed optimism about a future change in Russian leadership following the Arab Spring and toppling of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and death of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

The interview runs about 5 minutes. Hosted by Rob Bluey and produced by Brandon Stewart and Kyle Tuckness. For more videos from Heritage, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Posted in American Leadership, Scribe

Source: http://blog.heritage.org

Guess who' coaching Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura represents the best hope American chess has had since Bobby Fischer nearly 40 years ago - and we all know how that ended. Nakamura has been on the radar since a very young age, and is now playing the best chess of his life. While many in the US chess scene initially complained when Nakamura decided to abstain from the majority of chess tournaments in the states, it seems the general public has overcome this shortsightedness and is eager to see Nakamura make a legitimate bid at the World Chess Championship in the near future. So just what is Nakamura's secret to success? Apart from being a "natural prodigy" and the fact that his step-dad is a FIDE Master, Nakamura recently moved to the newly crowned center of American Chess, St. Louis. Although I think St. Louis is famous for something (hot wings, a big bridge?) - it is definitely not reknown in the chess world as the "Moscow of the West". So just how has Hikaru Nakamura gone from top 50 in the world last year at this time to firmly establishing himself as a top 10 elite player currently? Find out more about how Garry Kasparov is coaching Hikaru Nakamura ...

Garry Kasparov, Nakamura's new Secret Weapon

When I first heard this, it simply sounded too good to be true. Kasparov was still coaching Magnus Carlsen last year, however these two incredible chess players had something of a falling out and they stopped working together. Apparently Kasparov had some free time on his hands and reached out to Nakamura via top American chess liason Rex Sinquefield. Nakamura accepted Kasparov as a chess coach, later describing his excitement [highlight]"I knew right away that I would definitely take up the offer simply because there are certain times – certain opportunities you have in life that just don’t come around that often, and certainly having the opportunity to work with, at least what I consider to be, the greatest chess player ever, is sort of an opportunity you can’t turn down."[/highlight] Nakamura began working with Kasparov before the Tata Steel Classic, where he won the tournament to achieve his first major victory at a Super-GM tournament. This was an incredible breakthrough in Nakamura's career, and he is making powerful strides not just for his own path to the very top of the chess world but also giving a big hand to the popularization of chess in the US.

Deception, Trickery: All in a Day with Chess Coach Garry Kasparov

Chess Coach Garry Kasparov has a few tricks up his sleeve, and not showing your hard too early is definitely one of them. Aggression, flexibility, and precision were trademark characteristics of Kasparov's playing style. Kasparov opened with Nakamura aggressively, coaching his newest protege to the largest success of his career at the Tata Steel Tournament in January, 2011. Kasparov then switched gears and did not foolishly turn his cards over - instead preferring to keep his status in the dark as the chess coach of the best US player since Fischer. And finally the precision - working with Nakamura in the last 12 months has caused the young prodigy a total rating gain of 50 points at the highest level, establishing Nakamura among the world's very best chess players. As an American chess player myself - I could not be more excited about the future of this relationship between Nakamura & Kasparov and eagerly await the day that Nakamura joins Carlsen, Anand, Aronian, and Kramnik in the 2800 club. On a side note, I would also like to see Nakamura playing for the title of World Chess Champion in the next few years accompanied by none other than Chess Coach Garry Kasparov!

Find out more about how Garry Kasparov is coaching Hikaru Nakamura ...

Follow William for fresh daily updates: Follow @OnlineChessLess



William Stewart is a National Master. He specializes in Online Chess Coaching and maintains a daily updated Chess Blog

Good idea or not?

I have known about Kasparov - Nakamura teaming up for a while now. But since it was not revealed publicly by either party before, it was not my place to talk about it. Personally speaking, I think it is great to have a patron like Mr. Rex Sinquefield helping U.S. chess.

What do you think about the idea of Kasparov training Nakamura?
	Great idea! Nakamura will become World Champion because of this help.
	Great idea! But I am not sure how much it will help.
	Makes no difference. Nakamura already has enough talent.
	Makes no difference. Their personalities will clash.
	I have no clue and I can't decide one way or the other.

It's Official: Kasparov trains Nakamura

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 1, 2011

Nakamura training with Kasparov -- the full story in New In Chess 2011/07

Some knew, some thought they knew, and speculation was rampant during the Grand Slam Final in Sao Paulo and Bilbao.

Yes, Garry Kasparov is working with Hikaru Nakamura, but the real story is in the details, straight from the protagonists themselves, in the latest issue of New in Chess Magazine, out now. Kasparov writes about the cooperation in his exclusive New In Chess column, and, in an 8-page feature, New In Chess contributor Macauley Peterson interviews Nakamura at length about his work with the man he considers ‘the greatest chess player ever’.

Learn about the origins and progress of the new collaboration, as Nakamura cements his place among the world elite, plus new information about the end of Kasparov's previous partnership with world number one Magnus Carlsen. To find out more, including quotes from Nakamura and Kasparov for release, please have a look at the attachment or visit www.newinchess.com

Read all about Garry Kasparov and Hikaru Nakamura teaming up in the new issue of New In Chess.

Here’s just a small fraction of what you’ll learn:

Kasparov and Nakamura started working together before the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk aan Zee last January, which ended in the American’s greatest triumph to date.

Looking back with new knowledge it’s easy to understand what part Kasparov played in his success. Nakamura reveals that he first talked with the 13th World Champion about a possible cooperation at the London Chess Classic.

Nakamura: The beginning of it would have been last December when, right before the London Classic, I got an email from Rex, and he sort of wrote it in a cryptic way where he said he had spoken with Kasparov, and there’s something that he wanted to talk to me about. It didn’t reveal any specifics, but I just put two and two together.

“Rex” is Rex Sinquefield, whose many contributions to the game in recent years include The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis -- possibly the finest chess club in the world, and the current venue for the U.S. Championship. The Chess Club is now joined by Sinquefield-sponsored World Chess Hall of Fame (also covered in NIC 2011/07) which sits just across the street.

Nakamura moved to Saint Louis in 2010 and you don’t have to guess long to know what Mr. Sinquefield hopes Hikaru will achieve for his country.

In London, Nakamura and Kasparov indeed spoke about teaming up and Hikaru didn’t have to think twice. Nakamura: I knew right away that I would definitely take up the offer simply because there are certain times – certain opportunities you have in life just don’t come around that often, and certainly having the opportunity to work with, at least what I consider to be, the greatest chess player ever, is sort of an opportunity you can’t turn down.

As was the case when he was working with Magnus Carlsen, Kasparov believes that keeping his role secret gave his protégé an advantage over rivals.

Nakamura is less certain about this advantage, and felt that by April several of his colleagues knew anyway, even if they didn’t speak about it. It’s clear that two outspoken and temperamental characters like Kasparov and Nakamura can reach great heights together, but their temperaments will also inevitably lead to differences of opinion.

In his New In Chess column Kasparov writes: ‘I had the opportunity to work extensively with Magnus, and I have been working less formally with Hikaru since the start of the year.’

Kasparov goes on to say that the American’s talent is evident, but he grumbles about Nakamura’s interest in poker, which could impede his chess progress. Whereas Kasparov remains reluctant to talk about their work, Nakamura speaks candidly and in detail with interviewer Macauley Peterson.

His opponents may now know that he gets help from Kasparov, but they will find out much more about what makes Nakamura tick when they read his views and convictions.

Kasparov blasted Obama, Bush

Obama's Russia Reset a 'Disaster'
Oct 26, 2011 1:27 AM EDT

Chess champ-turned-opposition leader Garry Kasparov tells Eli Lake the upcoming Russian elections will be a “charade” and Obama’s Russia policy is a “disaster.” And he spares no word for George W. Bush or Condi Rice, either.

Many democratic opposition figures in countries sliding toward authoritarianism see Western election monitors as a lifeline, a chance for a fair election that might be fixed if not for the watchful eye of outside observers. That’s not the case for Garry Kasparov, the iconic chess champion who has emerged as a public face of Russian opposition to Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.

“We are asking Americans and Europeans not to send observers,” Kasparov said in an exclusive interview. “You understand Putin will get whatever he wants. What is the point of pretending this is an election? It’s a charade. Don’t interfere with it, just don’t pay respect to the charade.”

Putin, the former Russian president currently serving as prime minister, announced last month that he would be seeking the presidency anew in the Russian elections scheduled for March, putting a damper on President Obama’s Russia policy, known as the reset. After years of George W. Bush embracing Putin directly, under the reset the Obama administration courted current President Dmitry Medvedev in the hopes of bolstering moderate and liberal voices in the Kremlin against Putin and his loyalists.

Kasparov, a former world chess champion, was critical of both presidents and blunt about the reset. “It’s a disaster,” he said. “From day one they bet on Medvedev as a counterweight to Putin. The whole idea of reset was founded on the false assumption Medvedev was an independent politician. He is not.”

Later in the interview, Kasparov acknowledged that his views on Obama’s Russia policy has not won him any friends at the State Department. “They have no interest in hearing my very specific views,” he said. Kasparov spoke Tuesday at the conservative Heritage Foundation for a conference critical of the reset with Russia.

More here.