Any Russian patriot would behave as Putin is behaving with such an overwhelming winning hand of cards re oil and gas.
It’s not a matter of being a better chessplayer than Obama. An amateur would defeat a grandmaster if the amateur has overwhelming board material and position. He does.
I don’t know that Putin is a chess player or not but I would guess he is because chess is very much into the Russian culture. I think Putin with a pawn and one other board piece of his choice would/could wipe out Obama with full board. Obama is less than a lightweight in anything except talking the game. At least the Russians have a reality about their oil and gas while the powers that be in the USA, Obama being the latest representative, would rather have the USA beholding to others especially the Arab Muslims.