Oktober 15, 2024

Isa Kasimi (Igors Rausis) 1961-2024

Kasimi had been under investigation for cheating for a long time. He had raised suspicions after he increased his rating to 2685 in 2019. He had gained almost 200 points in a period of about 10 years. Then the world number-50, he was the oldest player in the world’s top 100.

After the incident in Strasbourg, where he voluntarily withdrew from the tournament, he commented to Chess.com: „I simply lost my mind yesterday. (…) At least what I committed yesterday is a good lesson, not for me—I played my last game of chess already.“

However, in October 2020, Kasimi showed up at a small rapid tournament in Valka, Latvia, playing under his new name. He was allowed to participate because the games were not FIDE-rated, but he withdrew from the tournament after a protest from the Latvian grandmaster Arturs Neiksans.

„After what happened yesterday, actually I am not very upset,“ he told Chess.com. „Because now I understood that my first wish was not to come to chess at all after Strasbourg happened. But yesterday I regretted that I returned to chess.“

After Kasimi married his first wife Olita Rause, a Latvian Woman Grandmaster, he changed his surname from Kondylev to Rausis. He had two daughters and two grandsons with her. After the cheating scandal, he changed his surname name to Kasimi, after his second wife Ajgul Kasimova.

Kasimi told Chess.com that he changed his name because of the unflattering photo that was published in numerous publications and on social media. He said he also changed his name because he felt ashamed for his family.

Mehr …