To the American chess fans: The hidden chess war, how KGB influenced the world of chess and politics thru advertising and press. By Roustam Kamsky.

I was not able to express my thoughts and opinion before but Fisher’s death made everything transparent and clear in my head.

We all saw chess ads by Kasparov and Karpov or writers who write on their behalf in different chess publications. Many times the writer is unknow- anonymous. What is the hidden danger?

From the time of Bobby Fisher the moneys paid by Russian KGB influenced chess events and public image public images of chess players in the United States and particularly Fisher. The KGB sponsored journalists criticized and insulted Fisher and showed the superiority of Russian chess players. The totalitarian system of the former USSR and the powerful arms of KGB have extended far beyond the Russian boarders. This hidden and invisible army of spies was working under the secret code in reaching out to mind of common people and with higher education. It was a publicity was and methods used by Russian had no limitations.

Contrary to the US, where chess is merely a game, in Russia it was and continues to be a part of well oiled political machine. That is why it is so easy for Kasparov to change gears from chess to politics nowadays. The interview in a March issue of the Play Boy Magazine described Putin’s ‘democratic’ regime of KGB influx into everyday Russian way of life. However forgotten for some reason was one detail that on his own way to the championship Mr. Kasparov and as well as his old rival and buddy Mr. Karpov, navigated with the help of the same totalitarian system all the way to the top of chess. Premise number 1: One of the easiest way to get rid of your opponent is to demolish his image in the eyes of a public opinion. Whatever your opponent will say or do later is irrelevant because he has no credibility. The practical way is to organize negative publicity, distort facts at our opponent’s home country. Which was done by Russian Gov. in the US regarding Fisher and now Kamsky.

The world of chess is still highly polarized and the most common view is that any player is not merely a chess opponent but a representative of a foreign government thus the game itself becomes political. Have any of you saw ads on a Russian Chess Federation website regarding promoting any foreign grandmaster or that a foreigner made a foundation to ask for a support from members of the Russian Chess Federation? I was not able to find any. Same search gave no results at the Bulgarian Chess Federation website which only promotes GM Topalov. So why is it Kasparov’s Foundation is so visible on the USCF website?

It is reasonable to conclude that the money received by a multimillionaire Gary Kasparov in the US will be used not for his chess-in-school program, but to demolish the reputation and the chess career of an American chess player like Gata Kamsky who represents the US from 1989. Here are a few clear examples of that hidden war: In 1989 Gata, only 15 years old, wins 2-nd place in Palma de Mayorka, competing against 160 grandmasters from around the world. That qualified him to play in world championship qualifier held in Moscow but Kamsky was not invited.

1994 PCA, headed by Kasparov, intentionally schedules the PCA semi-final qualifying world championship Kamsky –Anand match held in Spain within a week of finishing FIDE’s semi-final qualifying world championship Kamsky –Salov match, held in India. In 1994-1995 during dual PCA and FIDE championship cycles, only Kamsky’s rating was not computed and credited by his victories in 5 qualifiers matches and 3 tournaments which could bring his rating to 2800, the highest rating at that time.

In 1995 was the year when the Kamsky-Karpov match was scheduled for but Karpov delayed the match for one year using his powers as the world champion. In the mean time USCF consuming donations from abroad did not react to adequately protect no sponsor Gata Kamsky in his preparations against Karpov.

Gata Kamsky like Bobby Fisher was under heavy attack on his image which was the easy way to push his potential sponsors away from him. As a young boy he was playing chess and all attacks we made against me, his father, portraying me as a monster. I was only defending and protecting my son’s interests.

The next level that KGB’s manual would say on destruction of public image is to use person’s nationality against him. Thus Kamsky’s became Muslim which is not true because his mother is Christian and his step-mother is Jew. In reality person’s NATIONALITY PLAYS NO ROLE, eventhough Fisher was Jewish he was destroyed by the KGB’s sponsored press. Thus the long arms of KGB sponsored press and its myriad of ‘independent’ writers becomes THE STRONGEST FORSE THAT HOLDS AND DIRECTS INFORMATION on a daily basis and changing the course of history. At first the general public starts to doubt its hero, then disinformation spreads out and reprinted by so called ‘impartial’ journalist who never check the original source and then the image of a hero is destroyed beyond repair.

Chess is a clean and honest game but the war is not only on a chess board but in real life. Since in Russia chess is a serious business and politics, most prominent foreign players had been under a psychological profiling at the faculty of psychology of Moscow Institute of Sports. It developed the most effective ways of influencing and neutralizing strongest competitors to Russian sportsman in different sports and especially for a mindgame like chess where psychology is one of the main ingredients. Almost like any other espionage operations, the chess profiling was widely used by Russians for the benefit of its two chess kings—Karpov and Kasparov. End justifies the means as the principle of LAW AND PHILOSOPHY OF CHESS.

Now about the current state of chess affairs. FIDE rules change fast excluding some and violating other player’s rights in favor of its favorites. In 2006 Russian FIDE president nominates without any selection Russian grandmaster Kramnik as a champion to play a reunification match against Topalov in Russia. Before that Kramnik was not able to pass thru thermions road of qualifier matches either in FIDE or PCA cycles and was hand picked by Kasparov for his private PCA match. By all rules Kasparov should be playing against GM Shirov, who won the candidates match against Kramnik, but Shirov was ignored and defamed publicly. By official rules if GM Kasparov refused to play GM Shirov the title should go by default to Shirov. Kramnik won against Kasparov only because he knew Kasparov too well for many years being his second, assistant and adviser. Now, for the second time, Kramnik was given unexplainable favor against interest of other strongest world chess players when in 2008 Kramnik was allowed to play against Anand after he lost his title in Mexico City in 2007. This is outrageous and unfair politics when it appears that FIDE president earns political credits promoting the Russian “champion” Kramnik as directed to him by Russian Government. Acting as directed by Moscow, FIDE president solidifying his power in Kalmyk republic. Then to keep Topalov quiet FIDE allowed him to play against the winner the 2007 World Cup. Both Kramnick and Topalov could play in the 2007 World Cup and qualify which is different from getting a spot at the semi-final and the final levels of the championship by the desire of the FIDE president.

The bottom line is that an American Kamsky is stuck with unfavorable conditions for the Kamsky-Topalov match that could be organized in Bulgaria if Kamsky does not find a sponsor on a short notice and there is no force powerful enough to protect his interests other than a join force of public opinion. All of it looks like a corruption paired with favoritism all contrary to the interest of millions of fans who care about a good chess game.

Currently there are no official protests made to FIDE by any chess federation and the Russian Chess Federation thru its affinity to the FIDE president would dominate. Thus American chess playing public needs to protect American players. From early 1990 multimillionaire Kasparov collects donations from American public. This is not just a business as many may perceive but a smart way to influence the USCF’s decision making process and its general polices not only thru his personal friends appointed to rule the American chess but also influencing the USCF thru a small money donations back to the USCF. This explains why Gata Kamsky was not able to get any assistance from USCF when he was playing against Karpov.

The joint effort of Russian KGB, personal connections used by Karpov and Kasparov within the USCF, donations collected in the US for the benefit of those who used they powers to fight (directly and indirectly) against American players including Kamsky who are struggling for sponsors, recognition, and support in they own country! Eventhough Kasparov does not play chess now his presence and influence in the USCF is substantial. In Russia such publicity and advertisement that is done here by Kasparov and Karpov, for example, would be considered as a betrayal of Russian values and a crime against Russia for such an assistance to the foreigners.

No one argues that that personal preferences towards on or another player should not count. We all like or dislike certain things based on an individual taste: however as a policy makers within any Chess Federation there are unbendable rules of conduct and that is the own countrymen needs and interest should prevail over any foreign interest or lobbying group.

Tomorrow there will be another rising American star in need of support which I now pave a road to ease their fight. The stronger the support of the American players by the USCF now, the stronger American players’ position becomes at the world arena the sooner they will be invited to participate in the international tournaments. It is clear that while the US is the country of endless opportunities, we can not compete with Europe in a number of super-tournaments. This is not because we are poorer but because our American sponsors are not presented with a good portfolio where they can invest money and get a return on publicity like it is done in European tournaments.

As a general group American chess players are getting weaker and this is a direct result of a long term policies of Karpov and Kasparov described before. American public does not know its own chess heros because we are too busy praising others. We lose Our sponsors and now it is the time to get them back. Say positive things about our champions and praise them without reservation and thru the positive publicity and press releases we can bring the American chess to the higher level like it should be without looking in a mouth of the FIDE president –what should we say or do next. America is a country of immigrants of all nationalities. We are the country of people of smart and strong people. Why we fail to see the obvious? I think that Kasparov does not have any success with getting donations in Russia to his foundation and nobody gives him donations because he is in a position of making donations himself. America is not a golden mine with an unlimited resources where players from abroad came to destroy American players by depleting potential and real financial resources that could be and should be used to sponsor our own players.

Finally I propose for you consideration that the highest rated American player should have a seat in the USCF Board of Directors and advisory position. A player like GM Kamsky, being at the top of the American chess and dedicated to it for 18 years should have a say regarding important issues in American chess life. In Russia, all Russian champions have been participants in Russian Chess Federation and even FIDE. Karpov was presented with a medal from Russian Government as a savior of Russia for his dishonest victory over an American Kamsky. Two different countries two different positions however there some things that we can borrow from Russians and participation of the highest rated US player in the USCF is a good thing.

Written by Roustam Kamsky March 5, 2008