Swiss-Russian chess game prompts criticism - SWI

A group of Russian politicians, including chess legend Anatoly Karpov, took on Swiss parliamentarians in a chess tournament at the Federal Palace in Bern on Wednesday. The informal challenge has raised questions while being held during a politically sensitive time, due to Russia’s involvement in Ukraine. Senator Filippo Lombardi of the centre-right Christian Democrats, who co-chairs the Russia-Switzerland parliamentary group, made a surprise announcement on Tuesday that the tournament was to take place as part of the celebrations to mark 200 years of diplomatic relations with Russia. The chess grandmaster, Anatoly Karpov, took part, using notably less of the seven minutes allowed for each game than his opponents. Karpov, a member of the State Duma, a house of the Russian Federal Assembly, was joined by five other Russian politicians. On the Swiss side, centre-left Social Democrat parliamentarians Christian Levrat, Jean-François Steiert and Andreas Gross took part alongside the centre-right Radical party senator Hans Altherr, Social Democrat Federal Judge Ulrich Meyer, and a local politician from canton Fribourg. Lombardi described the tournament as a contribution towards dialogue with Russia in light of the current situation in Ukraine where violent unrest and political instability have sprung up the east of the country since Moscow annexed Crimea in February. No official talks were planned with the Russian politicians. The enthusiasm shown by the politicians as they faced their opponents was not matched by everyone in Parliament. Social Democrat and president of the foreign affairs committee in the House of Representatives, Carlo Sommaruga, told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper on Wednesday that it was a “disgrace” to sit at the games table with a nation making up one side of an ongoing conflict. Switzerland has brokered talks over the Ukraine conflict in its capacity as head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) this year.

Chess Armory Chess Set 17 x 17 with Raised Border Frame - Inlaid Walnut Wooden Chess Set with Folding Chess Board, Staunton Chess Pieces, & Storage

Chess Armory Large 17 Wooden Chess Set with Felted Game Board Interior for Storage

Magnus Carlsen, A Chess Child Prodigy Grows Up - Worldcrunch

Mikhail Tal Soviet Grandmaster Vintage Antique Chess Set

Millennium Chess Computer - Chess Genius Exclusive – Chess House

Hand Carved Square Premium Chess & Bronze Legs #AI21712

Chess grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi dies in Switzerland - SWI

Chess: Carlsen takes on young guns at Wijk as world champion eyes record, Magnus Carlsen

Excellent Antique Soviet Chess Set Made of Wood With Plumbum

Chess World Champion Quits After One Move, But How Would You Even Cheat At Chess?

Trans women banned from world chess events while review takes place, Chess

Deskmat Mousepad QwertyKey Chess 4mm stitched edges

LEGO® Hogwarts™ Wizard's Chess Display Case (76392) – Kingdom Brick Supply