Ladies and gentlemen we have a new President following the FIDE elections at Batumi, Georgia. The results were as follows: DVORKOVICH WON 103 to 78 out of 181 ballots with one bad ballot. The voting was done by secret ballot and each delegate was called up to place the vote for his or her federation.

With an endorsement from Mr Infantino, the FIFA President, it was always looking good for Arkady Dvorkovich, and there was no disappointments, as Federations from all over the world listened to the men speak during the 89th FIDE Congress a few hours ago and eventually cast their votes.

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It was a 3 horse race with the candidates being Arkady Dvorkovich, Georgios Makropoulos and Grand Master Nigel Short before the English Grandmaster pulled out of the race and endorsed Arkady.

With just 2 candidates left in the race it was down to the wire to see who would win the hotly contested race. Few could have given Arkady Dvorkovich a chance when he first announced his candidacy for the FIDE Presidency but he did a great deal to gain support. Nigel Short’s endorsement in the very last hour was a stroke of genius which probably tipped the scales in Dvorkovich’s favour.

Whichever way it was going to go at the FIDE Election there was always going to be a new man at the helm as President. This could be a new era in the world of chess following Dvorkovich’s election as President. The focus will now be on the delivery of election promises.