Karpov says he’s being rooked

David Clayton

Monday, July 19, 1999 | 11:57 a.m.

In the lore of chess there's a story about the great German player, Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch. On the eve of a 1908 match with his bitter rival, then-World Champion Emanuel Lasker, the story goes that the two were not on speaking terms. Tarrasch is said to have proclaimed that this would not be a handicap as he would have only two words for his foe: Check mate!

Another story is about to be added to chess lore. Its climax may come Wednesday when World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov is scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas. He is not now on speaking terms with the World Chess Federation, which plans to stage a world championship tournament at Caesars Palace beginning July 30 and extending through Aug. 30.

This will not be a handicap for Karpov either as he will have only one word to say: Check!

But this time the word will have nothing to do with a great player putting his opponent's king in mortal danger. It will have everything to do with the modern notion of "Show me the money."

Karpov is the reigning champion of the Federation Internationale Des Eches, the World Chess Federation commonly known by its French acronym, FIDE. According to a "joint declaration" carrying the force of a binding contract signed by Karpov and the president of FIDE on Oct. 8, the champion's written agreement was to be obtained before scheduling any defense of his title.

Speaking from his cell phone over the weekend while en route to Las Vegas from his Montreal office, Shiloh Quinn, Karpov's agent, said the champion has never agreed to the dates of the Caesars Palace tournament. In fact, Karpov was never consulted about the dates, Quinn said. Karpov has other contractual obligations for that period that could cost him perhaps $130,000 if he suddenly reneges because he must defend his title, Quinn said.

It's that money that concerns Karpov. Quinn says FIDE could assuage that concern with a check.

"Karpov is willing to play if they are willing to pay him," Quinn said. "This is his argument: 'I am ready to play, but only on the condition that I am paid for all the contracts and additional expenses that I am committed to.' "

Quinn says Karpov's rationale is simple. If he had been properly approached about the tournament as FIDE agreed, and if he had agreed to play as the joint declaration states he must before a tournament is scheduled, then he would not have made other commitments.

On Wednesday, according to Quinn, Karpov is scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas to hold press conferences and meet with as many local officials as will see him. A letter from Quinn announcing his visit was copied to Gov. Kenny Guinn, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Nevada Gaming Commission Chairman Steve DuCharme and Caesars Palace President Paul O'Neil.

And today in Lausanne, Switzerland, Karpov's attorney, Alban Brodbeck, was set to submit the joint declaration signed by Karpov and FIDE to the international Arbitration Court for Sports. Karpov is also submitting his arguments to the International Olympic Committee and its president, Juan Antonio Samaranch, who local organizers say is planning to attend the opening ceremonies in Las Vegas. Mikhail Gorbachev, former general secretary of the Soviet Union, is also planning to be among the international figures at the opening ceremony, sources say.

Karpov, a Moscow resident, cautions that it would be bad for Nevada's international reputation if officials here did not defend the champion's contractual rights. Quinn said Saturday while driving through Iowa that he is working with a prominent Las Vegas lawyer to act as Karpov's representative following the champion's arrival on Wednesday.

Sunday, contacted while driving through the Denver area, Quinn said Karpov's major differences with FIDE are centered on one man -- Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of FIDE and ruler of Kalmykia, a Russian republic on the Caspian Sea of about 400,000 citizens. Quinn said it's Karpov's position that Ilyumzhinov rules FIDE much as he does his semiautonomous republic -- like a dictator.

"He just runs over people," Quinn said.

Quinn said Karpov will use his considerable influence as world champion to push for Ilyumzhinov's resignation. Karpov is not the only critic of Ilyumzhinov, who has been portrayed unflatteringly in the world press, including in a lengthy, Oct. 7, 1998, Wall Street Journal article.

The tournament planned for Caesars would pit 100 of the world's best players against each other in seven knock-out rounds. This style of tournament to determine the world champion was Ilyumzhinov's idea and it debuted in December 1997. Karpov won that tournament after being seeded into the final round. This time, he and 27 other top players would be seeded into the second round. A $3 million total purse -- $700,000 for the winner -- and the two-year title of FIDE world champion is at stake.

Gary Kasparov, the world's best player who broke with FIDE in 1993, and Viswanathan Anand of India, who oscillates as the world's No. 2 player, will not compete as they are planning to meet for their own, non-FIDE world championship match in October.

However, an American phenomenon, Gata Kamsky, who in 1989 at age 14 made front-page news in the New York Times when he and his father defected to the United States from the Soviet Union during the prestigious New York Open chess tournament, is expected to end three years of public chess abstinence at this tournament.

Ilyumzhinov was roundly panned in the world's press three years ago when he tried to name Iraq as the site of a world championship match between Karpov and Kamsky, with opening ceremonies hosted by Saddam Hussein. The match, won by Karpov, was eventually played in Kalmykia.

Karpov was successful in stopping a world championship tournament that FIDE had planned for November-December 1998 in Las Vegas. His argument that he had a year left on his title ultimately prevailed. Karpov chose that opportunity to visit Las Vegas for a business and pleasure trip, catching the McGuire Sisters show, schmoozing with officials such as then-Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, and arranging an entertaining match with Paul Fisher, the Boulder City inventor of the Fisher Space Pen.

The Caesars tournament will be open to spectators free of charge. Computer monitors will show select games in progress and expert commentary will be available on the games from grandmasters.

Willie Iclicki, FIDE's chairman of the World Championship Organizing Committee, was contacted at Caesars Sunday. He said he could not speak about FIDE's policy toward Karpov and directed all questions to Emmanuel Omuku, FIDE's executive director. The Sun was unsuccessful Sunday and Monday in trying to contact Omuku at his headquarters in Lausanne.