On Land and Sea

This fall, Batumi, Georgia will host not only the FIDE presidential election, but also the European Chess Union (ECU) and Continental Federation’s presidential elections at the same time as the 43rd World Chess Olympiad, which will also take place in the capital city of Adjara from September 23 to October 5. Georgian Grandmaster Zurab Alekseyevich Azmaiparashvili is both the ECU President and one of the major organisers of the Olympiad, in a land which stands as a power in chess history. As a politician, Azmaiparashvili has already succeeded in painting his masterpiece, he being the only candidate in the presidential race for the European Chess Union. So maybe there will be little suspence for the ECU election itself, but doubtless the ECU President is among those who can make some difference to all other Presidents in pectore.

A little in the background stands Bathusa Turtlestein, the 43rd Chess Olympiad mascot-turtle. Photo: batumi2018.fide.com.