The Politics at Play in Chess: Three Decades of Russian Influence and Chess’ Political Nature

Chess remains a force for unity: It’s a fun, intellectual game that is unfortunately ever exploitable for soft power. Hopelessly mixed up in international politics, chess is facing the dilemma posed to several other sports organizations– an existential fight for neutrality. Can FIDE break from decades of Russian influence and promote chess for its own sake, and not itself be a pawn in the political games world powers play?