Geopolitics and Power Struggles: The Battle for the FIDE Chess Presidency

Arkady Dvorkovich, who previously served as a deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation under Dmitry Medvedev, stepped down from his post after facing mounting political pressure tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to reports from El Periódico, Dvorkovich initially backed sports sanctions against Russian teams before later moving to readmit athletes from his home country ahead of similar actions by the International Olympic Committee. His presidency remained protected for a period due to a blockade on sanctions led by Hungarian negotiators during the tenure of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. However, after Péter Magyar won subsequent elections in Hungary, Dvorkovich lost that crucial diplomatic backing, allowing his name to reappear in European Union sanctions packages against Russia.

Following his removal, Dvorkovich issued a public statement condemning the action. “Esta decisión ilegal e injusta, y será impugnada por todos los medios posibles. Estoy seguro de que prevalecerá la justicia,” the former president stated, according to El Periódico.

Currently, the legendary Indian grandmaster and former world champion Viswanathan Anand serves as interim president of the governing body. A permanent successor will be chosen following the official Chess Olympiad scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, between September 15 and September 27.

Three Magnates Vie for the FIDE Presidency

Three distinct candidates have formally launched their bids to lead the global chess organization, representing vastly different backgrounds in finance, technology, and logistics. The race features an establishment continuity candidate alongside reform-minded alternatives and entrepreneurial challengers.

Timur Turlov enters the contest as the official establishment candidate. The 39-year-old Moscow native previously served as a vice president on Dvorkovich’s governing ticket. To facilitate his leadership ambitions, Turlov has renounced his Russian citizenship to acquire nationality in Kazakhstan, where he currently heads the Kazakh Chess Federation. He is the founder of Freedom Finance, an enterprise with a market valuation exceeding 6 billion euros on the Nasdaq exchange that also serves as a primary corporate sponsor of the FIDE.

Jan Henric Buettner represents a reform-oriented platform backed by high-profile figures within the modern chess ecosystem. The 62-year-old German telecommunications multi-millionaire used financial settlements to transform an aging seaside property along the Baltic coast into Weissenhaus, an exclusive resort destination. Buettner utilized the venue to launch the Freestyle Chess format with the active collaboration of elite grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. His candidacy enjoys close ties to the Norway Chess holding group, which counts Chess Mates—founded by professional football star Erling Haalang and Norwegian entrepreneur Morten Borge—among its shareholders.

Wadim Rosenstein rounds out the candidate field as the youngest contender at 36 years old. Born in Ukraine and holding a German passport, Rosenstein leads the logistics firm WR Group. Driven by a childhood passion for the sport, he has frequently organized major international tournaments. Notably, Rosenstein stands out as the only candidate among the three holding an official FIDE Elo rating in rapid and blitz disciplines, though pre-election prognostications characterize his campaign as an outsider bid.

Geopolitical Pressures Shape the Global Governing Body

The unfolding leadership contest highlights how closely competitive chess remains tied to international diplomacy and state affairs. For decades during the Soviet era, state sponsorship turned the game into an international ambassador and an ideological battleground, famously highlighted by the match in Reykjavík between American challenger Bobby Fischer and Soviet titleholder Boris Spassky.

That political undertone resurfaced starkly during the negotiations surrounding Dvorkovich’s tenure. Prior to losing Hungarian backing, political maneuvering kept his name off active sanction lists. During that period, Hungarian opposition figures such as Péter Magyar had even proposed legendary Hungarian grandmaster Judit Polgár as an alternative candidate for the presidency.

Today, the FIDE faces an unprecedented surge in global participation, fueled by technological advancements, new competitive disciplines, and the recent successes of two of the most populous nations: India and C. With telephones ringing constantly across diplomatic and chess circles, candidates are actively lobbying national federations ahead of the pivotal vote in Central Asia.

Next Steps in Samarkand

The leadership race culminates at the upcoming FIDE Olympiad hosted in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Delegates from national federations worldwide will gather to cast their ballots between September 15 and September 27, determining which of the three contenders will steer the organization through its next administrative era.