EX-FIDE PRESIDENT CAMPOMANES, 83

BY:Marlon Bernardino

FORMER Fide President Florencio Campomanes (in photo) died yesterday after a lingering illness. He was 83. The chess icon, who stunned the world by capturing the FIDE presidency as an underdog in 1982 in Lucerne, Switzerland, breathed his last at 1:30 p.m. at Iggy’s Inn in Baguio City.

“He moved on peacefully, and with quiet gentleness all around him,” said sportsman Des Bautista, owner of Iggy’s Inn. “He was a giant in Philippine sports and his passing created a void that will be hard to fill in.”

Bautista and Campomanes–Pocamps to his dear friends–had been bosom buddies since the Sixties.

“I lost a man who was more than a brother to me,” said Bautista. “And, if I may add, I also lost a poker mate, whose passion for and skills in the card game are rivaled only by his love for and deft-laden moves in chess.”

Asia's first Grandmaster Eugene Torre added ""It's an honor na nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na makasama ang great man na si Mr. Florencio Campomanes," said Torre.

Former legal consel and confidante lawyer Samuel Estimo said : " I mourn the death of Mr. Campomanes. He was like a 2nd father to me. All local chessers who rose to fame owe their success to him. And he widened the base of chess worldwide by inviting all chess-developing nations to FIDE. I havn't seen and admired one like him.He's a big loss to the chess world," said lawyer Estimo, former secretary general and executive director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

" We had our quarrels but we maintained mutual respect for each other. I texted and made peace with him along time a ago. My only regret was I was not able 2 play poker with him when he winvited GM Torre and me to a session some 3 weeks ago," added lawyer Estimo.

NCFP president/ chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. said " We will miss him. The entire nation mourn the death of Mr. Campomanes."

Former Senator and senatorial candidate Francisco "Kit" Tatad said " Nakikiramay kami kay Mr. Campomanes mula sa aking pamilya," said Tatad, confidante of Campomanes.

Campomanes was born Manila, February 22, 1927. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in 1948. Then, he studied at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island), where he earned his M.A. in 1951. He undertook doctoral studies at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., from 1949-54.

He was a National Master strength player during his peak years, and was Philippine national champion on two occasions (1956, 1960). He represented his country at five Chess Olympiads: Moscow 1956, Munich 1958, Leipzig 1960, Varna 1962, and Havana 1966. He met some distinguished opposition as a result, losing games against Pal Benko and Ludek Pachman at Moscow 1956, Oscar Panno at Munich 1958, Mikhail Tal and Miguel Najdorf at Leipzig 1960, and Lev Polugaevsky at Havana 1966.

He became involved in FIDE as a national delegate, and worked his way into prominence in Asian chess organization. Campomanes helped to organize the World Championship match at Baguio, Philippines, in 1978, between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi.

He is best remembered as the President of the international chess organization FIDE. He was elected to that post in 1982, and held it until 1995, through several controversies, most notably the abandonment of the 1984-85 World Championship between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov without result, after 48 games, and the break-away from FIDE of the Professional Chess Association in 1993.

In 2009, the University of Baguio awarded him a doctorate in humanities, honoris causa.

At the time of his death, Campomanes was the president emeritus of FIDE.

“It was his wish that we hold a short wake at Iggy’s Inn,” said Des. “His remains would be laid beside that of our son’s, Iggy, at the Baguio Cathedral.”

Interment will be announced later.