Three-time world champion, two-time Oscar-winning chess player, three-time Olympic champion, World Cup winner ... One of the greatest modern chess players announced his retirement from professional chess at the end of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee. Chess observers Marina and Sergey Makarchevs met and talked with Vladimir Kramnik.Here we would like to share with our readers Vladimir Kramnik’s opinion on the sixth FIDE President.
- Vladimir, what can you say about the presidency of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov?
- In general, I rate him highly. Yes, there were mistakes and much could have been done better, but many good things had been done. I respect what he has done. Some would think that once you are elected president you may do as you like. In reality, you have to constantly look for sponsors, find money, resolve conflicts and settle everything like what happened at my unifying match with Topalov.
I consider that Ilyumzhinov deserves our gratitude, with all the pluses and minuses. The man did what he could. We are now at a fairly good level, especially when compared with 1995 when he was elected. This is his merit.
