In his previous postings at Google.com Goran Tomic more than once
called Lev Khariton the world's best chess journalist,the famous
chess journalist etc. I agree with Goran, but I think that Lev is more
than a journalist, or rather more than a chess journalist. He is an
exceptional man who has preserved in our difficult time the human
qualities that are not to be so easily found in this world. I have the
right to say so because I have known Lev for a number of years, I meet
him and correspond with him on a more a less regular basis.
Lev is a blend of humbleness and wisdom, Lev has a strikingly precise
insight into the past, the present and the future. Lev is keeping his
integrity, sense of justice and honesty in no matter what
circumstances he finds himself.
Lev is a prolific writer, but many people would be surprised to find
that he is practically never renumerated for his work. The only paper
that was paying him fees for his writings was the Paris Russian
immigranty weekly "La Pensee Russe" but when this newspaper started
censoring his work (obviously not accepting his critical attitude to
Kasparov's chess and political dealings, Mr.Khariton stopped
contributing to this newspaper which in the past had the glory
publishing such outstanding writers as Nobel Prize winners, the great
Russian writer Ivan Bunin and Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the newspaper
that published such outstanding Soviet dissidents as Alexander
Ginzburg and Vladimir Bukovsky and many others others. Lev worked for
this newspaper for over 12 years contributing the most interesting
articles on chess and chess history. His work received a great acclaim
from his numerous readers, chess fans and chess professionals.Lev's
decision to quit his chess column in this newspaper shows how
principled he is in the matters that are crucial to human conscience.
Lev is first and foremost a great humanist valuing an individual human
life as much the happiness of millions of people.HEnce he cannot
separate chess from politics no matter how much many people insist on
the diving line between chess and politics.The clearest manifestation
of Lev's uncompromising character has been his unflinching criticism
of Kasparov's support of the US-led aggression of Iraq.No less
critical is Mr.Khariton's attitude to Kasparov's and Ilyumzhinov's
dishonest dealings behind FIDE's back to cheat millions of chess fans.
IN the last few months Mr.Khariton's has stopped writing for such
mega-sites as www.worldchessrating.ru, www.chesscafe.com,
www.chessbase.com Many chess readers remember his wonderful articles
for these site, they enjoyed them. All this work was done by Lev on a
voluntary basis. He never asked or touched a penny for his work. As he
admitted to me, his main pleasure was in expressing himself before the
chess world. It can only be regretted that we shall not see again his
wonderful articles, as Lev says, that now he is writing, to use the
Russian phrase, only for his desk's drawer, as was the destiny of many
other great writers in history, Pasternak (whom Lev adores), Bulgakov,
Grossman, Mandelschtam. Already today Lev Khariton's writings are
missed by many chess readers. I find that this is the tragedy of the
chess world. It is for this reason that I am trying to post here, at
Googles. some of Lev's writings and comments.
Lev, many thanks to you from all those who admire your talent and
honesty!

Aryeh Davidoff