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Sporting Witness: Chess City

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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)

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