200 Words
by Lev Khariton


August 1st, 2003
I love chess history, but I think that right now we have to discuss
something far more important things than the parentage (that is, who his
father was) of Bobby Fischer. With September 18 looming on the horizon, the
beginning of the Ponomariov – Kasparov match in Yalta, I would like to ask
the chess world some questions. Chess history is being made today, isn’t it?

1.Is there any hope that Ponomariov will defeat Kasparov ? If that happens,
this victory will be an event of historic importance. But what if it does
not happen?

2. If Kasparov wins, I think that he will alienate himself completely from
the chess world, there will be no talk about the reunification of the chess
world, and chess history will be totally in Kasparov’s hands. In other
words, it will be a never-ending stand-off! Do chess fans agree with me, and
if so, do they like such a disastrous prospect?

3. Possibly, chess fans do not know that today’s situation in world chess
roots back to the year 1993 when Kasparov entered the conspiracy with
Raymond Keene and Nigel Short to destroy the FIDE and the well-functioning
system of World Championship qualification?

So, can anyone give a more or less plausible explanation why Kasparov now,
10 years later, has deserved the right to play a world title match under the
auspices of FIDE?

Isn’t it more logical and fair to organize today, may be in Yalta, a
match-tournament of Kramnik, Ponomariov, Leko and Anand (true, where is
Anand ?). Another question: how will Kasparov consider himself world
Champion if he lost a full-fledged match to Kramnik in 2000? Would not he
look like Karpov when the latter defeated Timman in a farce of the match in
1993 and “returned” the chess crown?

4.Returning to Iraq. Long before the start of the US invasion of Iraq,
Kasparov joined those hawks who were whipping the anti-Iraqi hysteria. Now
that it is clear that the war in Iraq is in full swing, and remembering
Kasparov’s call for the swift and immediate destruction of this country, do
chess players believe that morally he deserves the right to play for the
most prestigious – morally! – title in world chess?

Everyone has the right to ask and answer the questions I have posed here. We
are living in a free and democratic world, aren’t we?