As rebel forces march further west toward the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and Germany declares its support for the rebels, Muammar Gaddafi took on Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of the World Chess Federation in a game of chess on Sunday. What do they have in common? They’ve both been in powerful leadership positions for a long time.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was the President of the Republic of Kalmykia in the Russian Federation from 1993 to 2010 and has been the president of the World Chess Federation since 1995. He also has close links with the Russian Kremlin.

Reportedly Gaddafi poured out his heart to his mate about the NATO airstrikes, the death of his son and three grandchildren, the American bombing 25 years ago that killed his daughter and his future in the face of NATO’s demand that he abandon power and leave Libya.

Over cups of tea and a courteous exchange of their chess moves that ended with a diplomatic draw, Gaddafi again vowed not to quit the country over which he has held absolute power for four decades.

I don’t understand why they want to send me away.

A message was sent with Ilyumzhinov though, the Kremlin’s official Libyan peace envoy, Mikhail Margelov, who has said he expects to visit Tripoli next week.

He told a Russian news agency on Monday that he had asked Ilyumzhinov to convey a tough message to Gaddafi over the chessboard.

I asked him to play white and move E-2 to E-4 and make it clear to Gaddafi that his side is close to the endgame.

Basically E-2 to E-4 would see Gaddafi moving his pawn two spaces forward on the chess board exposing his king to attack.

Nothing like a little chat over a game of chess to make one feel better, I suppose.

[Source: NYTimes]