Intercontinental ChessKid/FIDE Challenge Returns
Following the tremendous success of the first edition, the Intercontinental ChessKid FIDE Challenge returns in the first month of summer. The second edition, open to any child aged 12 and younger, will be held on June 19, 2021. Over 1900 kids from 86 countries competed in the first edition that took place in January 2021. Let’s try to get 100+ countries participating! The prizes for the winners include group lessons localized to winning kids’ language and time zone. For the last event, GM Humpy Koneru and GM Vishy Anand taught in English, GM Irina Krush – in Russian, GM Jorge Cori – in Spanish, GM Stelios Halkias – in Greek, and IM Hongjin Ahn – in Korean. To accommodate as many time zones as possible, there will be two different tournaments. Children are eligible to play in either one or both, whichever is more convenient for them. Each of the two events will be played in two sections: Age 9-12 and 8 & Under. Both will be broadcasted on Chess.com/TV with FunMasterMike and his guests commentating on the games. Both editions will be 7-round Swiss tournaments with the time control 10+2 (10 minutes starting time plus 2 seconds added per move). The expected length for each tournament is about three hours. Although the Intercontinental ChessKid FIDE Challenge is first of all about involvement and fun, every child will have a chance to win a prize. For every half-point earned, a player receives one “raffle ticket” (two “raffle tickets” for every win). In addition, any player finishing the tournament receives a bonus raffle ticket. The prize draw for both events will take place on June 26, 2021. To join the tournaments, register here: The Eastern Hemisphere edition (starts at 9 am UK):https://www.events4chess.com/events/?event_ID=1367 The Western Hemisphere edition (starts at 9 am Pacific U.S.):https://www.events4chess.com/events/?event_ID=1366 FIDE invites you to join this worldwide initiative and hopes kids from all over the world will enjoy the challenge. You can find all the details at the ChessKid website: www.chesskid.com
Russian juniors and trainers awarded in Sirius
The award ceremony for the Russian juniors and trainers, the members of the Russian national team, which jointly won the first FIDE Online Olympiad, took place in the Main Media Centre of the Educational Centre “Sirius” in Sochi. Andrey Esipenko, Polina Shuvalova, Alexey Sarana, and Margarita Potapova are the graduates of the chess section of Surius. All of them contributed a lot to the victory of the Russian team. Dmitry Savin, the Deputy Director of Sirius, greeted the chess players and guests before the ceremony and showed them around the exhibition halls. Andrey Filatov, President of the Chess Federation of Russia, thanked the Educational Centre “Sirius” and personally its director Elena Shmeleva for the great contribution to the preparation of the Russian chess players, future members of the national team. In his speech, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich recalled how the Russian President Vladimir Putin had suggested creating a chess section in the Education Centre while visiting Sirius in 2015 and a year later in 2016, this idea had come to fruition. Arkady Dvorkovich presented the FIDE gold medals to the juniors and the trainers Andrey Filatov, Alexander Motylev, and Sergei Rublevsky. Other team members have already received their medals during the ceremony held in the Central Chess Club in Moscow in December 2020. The leading Russian players were also given high state awards. Photos: Education Centre “Sirius”
UPDATE: 1st workshop “Equal Opportunities”
Dear member federations, We would like to remind you that the 1st Online Workshop “Equal Opportunities” will be held 16-19 of May, 2021. Below you can find an updated programme for the workshop, which now includes the confirmed names of the 4 keynote speakers and 3 special guests that will make a brief presentation together with the lecturers: Arthur Kogan, Arkady Dvorkovich, Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Sonja Johnson, Elias Mastoras, Dr Marape Marape, Victor Bologan, Sorin Lapadatou, David Cordover, and Jirina Prokopova. The purpose of this workshop is to introduce and explore important information about chess players with disabilities. We will demystify the concept of disability in chess and offer basic skills for interacting with and accommodating people with disabilities acting as Organizer, Trainer and Arbiter. The following are the goals of the workshop: Increase participant awareness of disability issues and disability culture. Educate Chess Arbiters, Trainers & Organizers providing special certificates of specialization. Inform about European programs and activities that National Chess Federations as also the rest of chess organizations can create or take part in. The workshop is organized by the FIDE Commission for the Disabled (DIS) together with the European Chess Union (ECU), and is supported by the FIDE development fund. Schedule: List of lecturers: Trainers: Thomas Luther, GM and FIDE Senior Trainer Organizers: Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, FM and International Organizer Arbiters: Carolina Muñoz Solis, WIM and International Arbiter Registration form: Information: secretariat@europechess.org(Ms Ismini Tzegka)