02.08.2015

Gordey Kolesov's Father Tells of Conversation With The President of FIDE

Today, (26th of July-Ed) I read the article by Kirsan Ilyumzhinov detailing the upcoming women chess players' rematch in Lviv, and about the future and children. At the end, Mr Ilyumzhinov stressed how important it was not to miss any of the talented children.
Ten days ago, Kirsan Nikolaevich called to update me in absentia. Having much to discuss, we talked for a long time. The FIDE President congratulated Gordey with his success. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that such a famous man has noticed Gordey who is just taking his first steps in chess.

Kirsan Nikolayevich asked me who coached Gordey and how he could personally help.  I told him about Andrei Anatoljevich Obodchuk, the sevenfold winner of the World Disabled Championships, who especially came to China to coach Gordey.  I also told him that we are preparing for the European Championship.  I did not mention that we are planning to achieve the norm for the Master of Sports Candidate, as proverb says, ‘don’t count your chickens before they are hatched’.
Kirsan Nikolayevich knew about Gordey's dream: to meet with Karpov. He said to me “when you visit Moscow, just call me and we will meet with Anatoly Evgenyevich”. Gordey was happy.
I picked him up after his chess lesson and told him, in one minute Ilyumzhinov would phone. During the conversation, Gordey silently walked beside me. It seemed that he was trying not only to catch every word but the very mood of what was being said. Some time ago, I told Gordey that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was the leading man in the world of chess and never mentioned it again. Seems he remembered.
Such support certainly gives one moral strength.  In the meantime ...
In 10 days, Gordey, his coach and myself are going to the Championship of Guangdong Province (the richest and most populous province in China having 112 million inhabitants) to represent the Russian chess school, worthily. Wish us luck!”

Evgeniy Kolesov
Source 

From the Editor. Evgeniy Kolesov is the founder and head of the consulting company Optim Consult International Co., Ltd, the father of the world-famous wunderkind Gordey Kolesov, whom Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in one of his articles called the "Little Buddha of the chess world."