Gaddafi playing chess with head of the World Chess Federation in Zawiya

An image grab taken from Libyan state television Monday shows Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi playing chess with the head of the World Chess Federation in Tripoli.

State television broadcast footage of Gaddafi playing chess with head of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who later said he had easily got the better of the Libyan leader on the board during Sunday’s game in Tripoli.

The Russian eccentric who once claimed he hosted extraterrestrials, also sat down for a game of chess with Gaddafi’s son Muhammad and the two played the Sicilian defence, Russia’s Interfax news agency said. "The meeting lasted around two hours, we played some chess with Gaddafi," Ilyumzhinov, who is on a visit to Tripoli in his capacity as FIDE president, told Interfax.

"Gaddafi stated that he is not going to leave Libya, stressing that it is his motherland and a land where his children and grandchildren died. He also said that he does not understand which post he needs to step down from."

Meanwhile: The Libyan government says it has repulsed a fresh attempt by rebels to take the western town of Zawiya.

Rebels said there had been heavy fighting in the centre but journalists taken to the town said it appeared calm and under government control.

Separately the BBC has learned that the rebels are smuggling weapons through Tunisia to fight Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Reporters taken to Zawiya by government officials said the green national flag was flying in the central square.

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said an attack by rebel fighters had been driven off.

AFP