The sixth FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov received a letter from Dagestan Chess Federation: “Dear Kirsan Nikolaevich! The Chess Federation of the Republic of Dagestan, like the entire world chess community, recognizes your great merits in the development and popularization of this intellectual game. It is thanks to your perseverance and ability to find a common language with all the great chess players that the seemingly impossible turned out to be possible, which is the unification of the restless chess world under the auspices of one international organization. For 23 years, under your leadership, FIDE prospered and held a huge number of tournaments of the highest level. Chess has become widespread throughout the world and has become a truly popular sport. Considering the above, it would be a great honour and responsibility for us to name the chess pavilion on the Rhodope Boulevard in Makhachkala after you. This beautiful, comfortable leisure facility for all chess lovers of our capital is in a seaside park, not far from the historical centre of Makhachkala. The pavilion is a real attraction for all citizens, where people of different generations, religions and nationalities play at the chess tables. It is important that very young guys immediately comprehend the wisdom of the ancient game, and tournaments are regularly held among amateurs and veterans of chess. We are confident that your consent will give an additional impetus to the development of our intellectual sport, both in the capital and in the Republic as a whole.”
Editor’s note:
The pavilion is in the very centre of Makhachkala, in a picturesque corner of the city, next to the Caspian Hotel. Chess lovers can come there every day and play chess.
