MARK RUBERY CHESS

Before the 23 year reign of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as president of the international chess federation (FIDE), there was the equally controversial Florencio Campomanes (1927-2010). His presidency lasted from 1982-1995 and saw him play a major role in two of the greatest world championship matches of the last century: Karpov-Korchnoi Baguio 1978 and Karpov-Kasparov Moscow 1984-85. In the latter match he made the controversial decision of terminating the contest after 48 games when a rapidly tiring Karpov was leading 5-3.

The 10th world champion has the following to say:

‘Fortunately I had always very correct and friendly relationship with Florencio. I think that in the period of political opposition between West and East he saved the chess world from splitting. He showed his outstanding diplomatic talent – Baguio 1978 – and his further presidentship was evidence of that.’ (Boris Spassky)

As a chess player he was of National Master strength, won the Philippine national championship twice and represented his country at five Chess Olympiads. In the 1958 Munich Olympiad the Philippines played South Africa and Campomanes ably defeated Kurt Dreyer (1909-1981) whose Thursday column in the Johannesburg Star was the main source of chess news for a number of decades.

Dreyer,Kurt - Campomanes,Florencio [C00]