Other

BBC World Service East Asia

Sporting Witness

Podcasts

Factual: History

Sport

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

No Master Brand

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

The BBC's international radio station (B2B)

BBC World Service US Public Radio

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Core

BBC World Service ANR

BBC World Service News Internet

Sporting Witness: Chess City

Documentaries

Chess City

09/04/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - Sporting Witness, Chess City

In 1998, the world's most expensive chess centre opened in a remote region of Russia.

In 1998, a remote region of Russia hosted one of the biggest events in chess. The controversial president of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, spent millions of dollars on the venue.

In 1998, a remote and impoverished region of Russia hosted the Chess Olympiad - one of the biggest events in the sport. The controversial president of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, spent millions of dollars on the venue, which he named Chess City. British Grandmaster Nigel Short played at the Olympiad.

PICTURE: The plans for Chess City (BBC)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Sporting Witness

Chess City

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service East Asia

About BBC World Service