1/2006 - Chess World Champions have a responsibility to promote the game
around the world. For 10 years, from 1975 - 1985, Anatoly Karpov was the
12th Chess World Champion. He was a dominating player and a great ambassador
for the game. He's not the dominating player he once was, but he still is a
great ambassador for Chess.
In October of 2005, Karpov's International Chess School, in
Lindsborg, Kansas hosted the first Chess for Peace initiative. Former
President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev was in attendance. Also
attending were Anatoly Karpov and Susan Polgar, who played a 6 game match.
In the spring of 2006, Susan Polgar will take a team of American students to
Moscow for a match. In June of 2006, 2000 students from around
the world will visit Lindsborg, Kansas to play chess and develop life long
friendships and exchange cultural ideas.
During the days festivities, in Presser Hall at Bethany College,
Mikhail Gorbachev and Alan Murray, Assistant managing editor of the Wall
Street Journal, played a game of chess while debating world affairs.
The
goal of Chess for Peace is to establish
long-term relationships between young people from around the world utilizing
chess as a vehicle to promote mutual understanding of shared problems.
Karpov opened the International Lindsborg Chess School in July of
2003. Karpov has established well over 30 chess schools around the world. In
addition to the United states, Karpov has schools in Europe, Scandinavia,
and the Mid East.
Karpov has announced plans to run for FIDE President in 2006.
In addition to promoting the game around the world, Karpov had a successful
playing year, by winning a few tournaments and matches.
In March of 2005, Karpov defeated GM Andrei Istratescu in a 8 game
rapid/standard match. Karpov won both portions of the match and the overall
with a 6-2 score. In April of 2005, Karpov won the 5th grand prix d'Echess de
Bordeaux.
In January 2006, Karpov recently tied for first, with Ivanchuk, and Kasimdzhanov at
the Keres Memorial Blitz tournament. Currently, Karpov has the 29th spot in
the FIDE rating chats and is rated 2672.
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