Chess, a not so noble game in times of war

In recent times, elite chess seems determined to place itself at the center of controversy. A few weeks ago, during the World Rapid Chess Championship in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the best chess player in Polish history, refused to shake the hand offered to him by Russian Denis Khismatullin before the start of the World Rapid Chess Championship game, that they would play.

Polish television channels repeated this gesture, broadcasting the video of the events on a continuous loop on all news programs in the country. The news went viral. Journalists and fans from all over the world quickly argued about Duda’s behavior on social networks. Isn’t greeting before and after a game a sacred rule of the noble game?

The War Council

The previous question is misleading and forces us to get to the bottom of the matter first, perhaps to make it clear that Chismatullin is known for publicly supporting the “special military operation,” a euphemism coined by the Russian government. to refer to the war in Ukraine.

On the board, Khismatullin is also one of the coaches of his compatriot Sergei Kariakin, who came very close to winning the world championship crown in 2016 against Norwegian Magnus Carlsen. Kariakin (9th in the FIDE world rankings) is a national hero. As soon as the conflict broke out, he sent a letter to Putin declaring his support for the “casus belli.”

Kariakin’s involvement was so obvious that FIDE’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission disqualified him for six months. The Russian player’s sporting punishment was a bombshell in the chess community, triggering centrifugal reactions both for and against. To this end, he prevented participation in the Madrid Candidates Tournament and thus lost any chance of becoming world champion.

After the sporting sanction expired, Sergei rejected FIDE’s invitation to participate in the World Cup: “I will not be able to represent my country, since I cannot play under my flag and in this case, if I do that successfully.” “I will “We couldn’t hear the Russian anthem,” he justified himself. In fact, Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to compete in individual competitions, but only if they do so under the FIDE flag.

Since then, Karjakin has become an advanced pawn in the Russian government’s strategy. Last August, he was invited aboard the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy (50 Years of Victory) to play simultaneous games with schoolchildren at the North Pole. In the military field, Kariakin was seen on social networks visiting the front with his colleague Chismatullin.

A Polish king in opposition

Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the young Polish chess player (at 25 he is number 19 in the world), has shown unwavering support for the Ukrainian people since the beginning of the war. In February 2023, Duda posted a photo on Instagram with the Ukrainian flag, accompanied by the following message: “Poland will not leave Ukrainians alone in this difficult situation.” We are with you. Our country accepts refugees and provides all the necessary support. We say no to war!

Among the one and a half million Ukrainian refugees that Poland has taken in so far (the number is estimated at 300,000 in Warsaw alone), Kiryl Nezhentsev, just 13 years old, is the European runner-up in the U8 class. Fortunately, Kiryl was able to escape the Bucha massacre with his parents and is now playing under the Polish flag.

But Duda’s position is indescribable. In February 2022, shortly after the start of the war, he decided to auction the silver medal he had just won at the European Team Championships in Catez, Slovenia. Duda’s performance on the first board was magnificent, surpassed only by that of the Iranian genius and nationalized Frenchman Firouzja Alireza. Finally, the medal was awarded with 3,650 zloty (around 840 euros), an amount that was donated to “people suffering from cystic fibrosis in Ukraine”.

At this point in the story I ask you a new question: Do these political circumstances justify Duda’s position towards Chismatullin? The Chess.com platform, the online chess provider with the most users in the world, immediately took sides in the matter and banned Khismatullin from participating in tournaments with prizes as well as any social activities on the portal.

In a statement, the company clarified that the action is “in line with previous policies and actions against players who support the war.” Khismatullin himself also released a statement: “I don’t agree with him.” [con Duda]“But I respect your right to express your dissatisfaction with my position and my activities outside the board.” And he added: “If I have the opportunity to play with Duda again, I will tell him before the game extend your hand again.”

The legend of the obligatory greeting

Contrary to what is believed, there was never a mandatory handshake in the rules of chess. Chess is not judo, a sport in which the referee oversees the first bowing ceremony between those who step onto the tatami. However, the Code of Ethics and Discipline for Chess Players states that members of the “FIDE Family” will behave in accordance with the “right of every individual to dignity and to be treated with respect” (Article 6.3), and includes the following: “socially unacceptable Behavior” is that which violates “customary social norms” (Article 11.9.a). For this reason, the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission of FIDE, when making its decisions, considers whether or not the spirit of these (and other) clauses has been complied with.

The case of Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Denis Khismatullin has many antecedents (some are already mythical scenes in the history of chess), but one stands out above all because of its similarity. In March 2023, Ukrainian Kirill Shevchenko rejected Russian Mijail Kobalia’s opening greeting in the seventh round of the European Individual Chess Championship. Kobalia considered the treatment humiliating and reported the incident to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee. In its decision, the commission was forceful: “The chess community has long adopted and accepted the traditional or customary handshake as an established practice and norm of behavior among chess players at the beginning of the game.”

Nevertheless, the sanction remained a mere warning to Shevchenko, but at the same time the commission warned that in the future “the culpable refusal to shake hands with the opponent” would be assessed on the basis of the specific circumstances of each individual case. » By the way, the Russian Chismatullin has already stated that he does not plan to file a lawsuit against Duda.

‘White Chess Set’

In 1966, Yoko Ono designed the “White Chess Set,” a pacifist allegory in which the Japanese artist arranged two sides of white pieces on the same board. Yoko Ono believed that the rivals would be confused in the middle game and would have to reach a peaceful agreement. With the memory of this work in mind, I contact Grandmaster Pavel Eljanov, number one in Ukraine, and ask him a naive question: Can chess somehow contribute to resolving the conflict? The argument is not quite so harmless: Karjakin has direct contact with the Kremlin. Eljanov and Kariakin have played many times.

It occurs to me that Eljanov may also have diplomatic influence on the Ukrainian government. “I wouldn’t say I’m a well-known personality in Ukraine,” Pavel replies. “In my entire life, I have not been recognized on the street or in other public places more than ten times. And yes, it is likely, although not certain, that this war can be ended through negotiations, but Ukrainians’ hatred of Russia will live on for decades to come,” he concludes.

After the war began, Eljanov went with his family to the Arab Emirates, where he worked as a trainer for local star Salem Saleh. For a time he was trapped in the city of Kharkiv, where the airport was closed, but he managed to escape hell. I ask him about Kariakin and Khismatullin. His opinion is strong: “Both should be disqualified for life, but neither FIDE nor the Ukrainian Chess Federation are taking action.”

Advice in times of war

Yuriy Gnyp is the executive director of the Ukrainian Chess Federation (UCF). For Yuriy, “the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) is part of the Russian military and propaganda machine.” In the purely sporting sphere, the Ukrainian Federation gives a number of recommendations to its players, including: “If possible, do not play with Russian citizens.” Or: “When you play, avoid shaking hands, conversations, taking photos together…”

Regarding Duda’s case, Yuriy welcomes the gesture: “We welcome the fact that players from other associations continue to do the same.” But he limits: “In our opinion, we should not focus on these warlike monsters.” “We have to constantly “Recall that the RCF and FIDE (led by a former close ally of Putin) bear part of the responsibility for the war in Ukraine.”

Many Ukrainian chess players are still on the front lines today. Some of them were injured, dozens died, like Artem Sachuk, Vice President of the Ukrainian Federation. The case of Igor Kovalenko, number 68 in the world, is particularly moving. In September 2023 he was awarded by President Zelensky. I email him to find out more about him without hoping for a response. But he answers me when I touch him:

“I am in one of the hottest regions of the front: Avdivka. I’m sorry, but I don’t even have time to do an interview. Now I see all chess news differently. It does not bother me”.

Kovalenko’s message worries me. As much as I can, I wish you the best of luck. While the chess world argues about a welcome, he risks his life.

By the way, the game between Duda and Khismatullin ended in a draw, if that matters.