23 February 2017

Shakh and Co on a Visit to Sheikhs

Maria Emeljanova’s picture report from the FIDE Grand Prix leg in Sharjah.

The FIDE Grand Prix leg in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) began with the opening ceremony, which was attended by a member of the ruling Al Nahyan dynasty, Al Sheikh Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Mualla
 
Also attending were Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE President, Georgios Makropoulos, FIDE Vice-President,  Sheikh Saud, Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club Chairman, and others.

Even the Grand Prix opening could not dispense with the world champion: for a few minutes the audience was kept in a state of guessing by a local painter, who was drawing seemingly meaningless shapes on four separate canvasses, and then, turning the pieces by 90 degrees, he put together a portrait of Magnus Carlsen to leave everyone speechless.