Chess Personalities

Irish FIDE Master, author and journalist. President of FIDE Zone 1 (1978-1994), Chairman of FIDE’s Computer Chess Committee (1982-1990). A member of FIDE’s Qualification Commission since 1978, he was Chairman (1990-1994) and Chairman of the Titles and Ratings Committee (1994-2002). O’Connel published approximately 28 books, 500 magazine articles and 2000 or more newspaper columns. Introduced

Azerbaijan International Arbiter (1964). Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Chess federation. He is considered one of the chess pioneers in Azerbaijan. In 2020 The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to award Faig Gasanov the Sharaf Order (Order of Honor) for his outstanding achievements in promoting sport in the country. Chief Arbiter at Women World Championship

Monegasque chess amateur, president of the Monaco Chess Federation since 1991 and president of the Cercle d’Echecs de Monte Carlo since 1990. Chief dealer at the Monte Carlo Casino. A member of the national team since 1996, he has participated in two Olympiads in 1996 and 2006. Former President of the Max Euwe Association of

Malaysian entrepreneur, developer and chess patron. He was one of the richest businessmen in Malaysia. FIDE Deputy President (1982-1986). FIDE Honorary Member (1999). Back in the 1970s, Dato was the first chess sponsor in China. More recently, between 2004 and 2018, he was financing a chess festival organized every year in Kuala Lumpur.

Arkady Dvorkovich, the 7th FIDE president (2018), a Russian economist who was Deputy Prime Minister in Dmitry Medvedev’s Cabinet from May 2012 until 7th May 2018. He has been graduated from Moscow State University, Faculty of Economics (1994), New Economic School (1996) and Duke University (USA, 1997). Fluent in English and German, Dvorkovich was one of Russia’s

Slovenian chess organizer, FIDE Vice President (2010-2018), author and journalist. Kutin was the European President between 1998 and 2010. He has also been the Yugoslav then Slovenian delegate to FIDE since 1982, the FIDE Executive Board member from 1986 until 1990 and 1997 until 1998 and the FIDE Marketing Director from 1990 until 1991. From

Maltese FIDE Master who is the CEO of Global Chess since 2007 and CEO of FIDE between 2010 and 2018. MBA from Warwick University, England (1995). The President of the Maltese chess federation (2001-) and General Secretary of the Mediterranean Chess Association (2002-). Vice-President of FIDE (2006-2007). Champion of Malta from 1983 until 1987. A

President of FIDE 1995-2018, a Russian citizen. Former President and Head of Republic of Kalmykia (Russia) between 1994 and 2010. A former Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federative Republic and Member of the Federation Council of Russian Federation. Graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations. Ilyumzhinov has spent millions of

Liechtensteiner chess amateur born in Belgium. FIDE Treasurer (1990-1996), ECU Auditor 2002-2014, General Secretary of the French Speaking Country Chess Association (AIDEF) 2007-2012. FIDE President Assistant (2014-), FIDE Ethics and Constitutional committee member (2014-2018), FIDE Chief Operating Officer (2018-) Organizer of ORHA-Brussels (1985-1987), Iclicki Masters (1986-1990), Zonal 1.1 (1992) and a member of the organizing committee

Austrian politician and chess amateur. Professor of languages at the University of Graz. Deputy Governor of Styria (1985-1991). In 2007 he received from the Federal President Fischer, the Great Golden Badge of Honour with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria. Vice President of FIDE (1978-1986), President of ECU (1986-1998), FIDE Continental President for