5/10/2022 – Sergey Karjakin was born in 1990 in Simferopol, the second-largest city in Crimea – Ukrainian territory that was annexed by Russia in 2014. At 12 he became (at the time) the youngest grandmaster in history. In the past months, Karjakin publicly supported the Russian assault on Ukraine, for which he was banned for six months from all FIDE chess competitions. Now he has sought revenge with a deep-fake call to FIDE Director General GM Emil Sutovsky. The British Chess Magazine reports.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
Unlock the secrets of one of the most resilient and strategic openings in chess with our comprehensive video course, “The Caro-Kann Defence.”
€36.90
In its May issue, the British Chess Magazine gives a detailed analysis of challenges and issues currently surrounding the chess world. One of the issues analysed is the downfall of Sergey Karjakin and how his dispute with FIDE has dragged both him and the International chess federation down.
After receiving a ban for six months for his rhetoric in support of Russia’s war by FIDE’s Ethics Commission, Sergey Karjakin played a risky move.
Two friends of his set up a fake call with FIDE Director General Emil Sutovsky, posing as the Ukrainian Minister of Sport. In the ‘interview’ they provoked Sutovsky to say several things openly: that he was the first to suggest Karjakin’s ban, that in his opinion six months was too short, and that if Karjakin is allowed to play he will resign from his post. Sutovsky also gave unflattering descriptions to some high-ranking Russian officials and businessmen.
In this two-volume video course former world-champion and startrainer Rustam Kasimdzhanov shows you the ins and outs of this hugely complex opening.
If you are interested in more details, you can watch this video of the call (with English subtitles) on YouTube.
Sutovsky took to Twitter to call the prank Karjakin’s new low, while Karjakin gleefully enjoyed the success of his move.
Banned @SergeyKaryakin hits new lows, arranging a deep-fake prank call to me on behalf of Ukrainian Minister of Sports V. Gutzeit. I am not ashamed of what I said there, but the very fact Karjakin masterminds it, quoting me in Russian media right after a call, says it all.
It is difficult to see Karjakin return to chess after everything he’s done, so Sutovsky’s post is safe (until the elections and likely after them, too). Still, it is probably a good idea for FIDE officials to be a bit less enthusiastic when it comes to interviews with unconfirmed collocutors.
Conclusion
There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from the omnium-gatherum above. The chess world, just like the real world, is in total chaos without a clear direction or vision. Anything can happen, and it probably will.
The May issue of BCM also brings you problem studies, endgames, openings advice and much more!
British Chess Magazine is the world's oldest chess journal in continuous publication. First published in January 1881, it has appeared at monthly intervals ever since.
Published continuously during the reigns of six British sovereigns, twenty world chess champions, twenty-five British prime ministers, and two world wars, BCM has featured the play of every world champion, from Wilhelm Steinitz through to current world champion Magnus Carlsen.
How do you play the Queen's Gambit Accepted? Does White have promising variations or can Black construct a water-tight repertoire? The Powerbook provides the answers based on 300 000 games, most of them played by engines.
The Queen's Gambit Accepted Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 11827 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 240 are annotated.
Rossolimo-Moscow Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 10950 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 612 are annotated.
The greater part of the material on which the Rossolimo/Moscow Powerbook 2025 is based comes from the engine room of playchess.com: 263.000 games. This imposing amount is supplemented by some 50 000 games from Mega and from Correspondence Chess.
Focus on the Sicilian: Opening videos on the Najdorf Variation with 6.h3 e5 7.Nb3 (Luis Engel) and the Taimanov Variation with 7.Qf3 (Nico Zwirs). ‘Lucky bag’ with 38 analyses by Anish Giri, Surya Ganguly, Abhijeet Gupta, Yannick Pelletier and many more.
€14.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.