Timur Turlov has been elected President of FIDE after defeating Wadim Rosenstein 110–85 in the second round of voting at the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand.
Viswanathan Anand was elected Deputy President as part of Turlov's ticket. Turlov succeeds Arkady Dvorkovich as President of the international chess federation.
One vote short in round one
The election initially went to three tickets: Timur Turlov with Viswanathan Anand, Wadim Rosenstein with Gordon Tang, and Jan Henric Buettner with Malcolm Pein.
Turlov led the first ballot with 96 votes. Rosenstein received 76 and Buettner 20.
| Candidate | First round |
|---|---|
| Timur Turlov | 96 |
| Wadim Rosenstein | 76 |
| Jan Henric Buettner | 20 |
There were 192 votes cast, meaning Turlov had exactly 50 per cent. A candidate needed more than half of the votes to win in the first round, leaving him one vote short of an outright majority.
Buettner was eliminated and the election moved to a second ballot between Turlov and Rosenstein.
Turlov increased his support to 110 votes in the second round, with Rosenstein receiving 85, securing the presidency.
Who is Timur Turlov?
Turlov, born in 1987, is a Kazakhstani entrepreneur and financier. He is the founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. and has served as President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since 2023.
He has also been involved in the development of school chess and has held a leadership role in the International School Chess Federation.
Anand elected Deputy President
Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand was elected Deputy President alongside Turlov. Anand has served in FIDE's senior leadership since 2022 and provides significant playing experience at the top of the new administration.
A new FIDE administration
The result brings the Dvorkovich presidency to an end after eight years. Dvorkovich was first elected in 2018 and won a second term in 2022.
Turlov now takes charge of the governing body responsible for the World Championship cycle, Chess Olympiad, international rating system and FIDE titles, as well as supporting more than 200 national chess federations.
The election is finished. Attention now moves to how the new administration turns its programme into policy during the next presidential term.