It looks like the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is going through hard times. The scandal concerning the elections of the Federation’s President, due in September, has distracted the attention of journalists and chess fans from the sport itself. And while the two candidates – renowned grandmaster Anatoliy Karpov backed by France and the present FIDE leader Kirsan Ilyumzhinov backed by Russia – compete, chess games continue.
Alexandra Kostenyuk, the world chess champion among women, tells about her daily routine: “ There is a struggle for presidency in the Federation, and sometimes it even makes the headlines. This doesn’t only have to do with the elections – the Federation’s whole structure is changing. I hope all this vanity will soon pass and won’t affect our preparations for the main chess event of this year – the World Chess Olympics where both men’s and women’s Russian teams will take part.”
The Russian chess federation is among the world’s leading ones. A chess player is traditionally treated in Russia as an intellectual. “When I say I’m a professional chess player, people start to respect me. I hope Russian love for chess will remain in the future. When I place a video of my chess game in the Web, thousands of people watch it. I have millions of fans all over the world. Wherever I go, it turns out that people know me. Russia has a strong chess school, be we should work on hard to maintain this high level. But I see that today people have interest in chess, and I am optimistic about the future,” says Alexandra.
Today Alexandra’s time is distributed between sports and her family. “Professional chess takes much time. To maintain a high level, you have to practice 5 or 6 hours each day. But after I’ve won the world’s championship, I don’t want to devote all my life to chess any more. I want to see my family, my child, want to do some other things. But I don’t want to quit chess altogether either. I hope I can still have more victories,” she says.
Alexandra often takes part in charity. For example, she was a referee at a chess competition for children who have survived cancer. “I realize that this is very important for both children and their parents. My child has also been ill for a long time, luckily not with cancer, so I can understand what these parents feel. I’m glad to help people like that,” she says.
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