45th FIDE Chess Olympiad is officially open!
The grand opening of the 45th Chess Olympiad took place at the Dr. Jeno Koltai Sports Center in Budapest, bringing together thousands of people: players from 194 countries (an absolute record), team captains, FIDE Congress delegates, officials, tournament guests, and media. The mood was set by performances from Lilla Vincze, an acclaimed Hungarian singer, and Jason Kouchak, an internationally renowned pianist and composer, complemented by aerial views of beautiful Budapest on the screen behind them. Together, Lilla and Jason, an amateur chess player, composed a song titled “Royal Game,” which premiered this evening. The hosts of the ceremony welcomed everyone to the Hungarian capital and noted that this year marks a truly special moment in the history of chess as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the International Chess Federation. Over the past century, FIDE has worked tirelessly to promote the universal values of chess, bringing together minds from all corners of the globe in the spirit of friendship, respect, and competition. The host invited Dr. Gábor Schmidt, Deputy State Secretary for Sport of the State Secretariat for Sports – Ministry of Defence, to the stage. He welcomed everyone to Budapest and thanked the National Event Management Agency and the Hungarian Chess Federation for their dedicated work organizing this event. “Chess is extraordinary because it teaches strategic thinking that not only helps in competitions, but also in facing everyday life’s challenges. I sincerely hope that thanks to the Chess Olympiad, more people—young and old—will sit together at the chessboard, learn, and use this common language more than ever,” said Dr. Gábor Schmidt. After the Hungarian national anthem was played, the host invited the next speaker, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. The FIDE President extended his gratitude to the hosts and officials who have worked tirelessly to make this event possible and to the players whose dedication brings the beauty of chess to life. He concluded with the words: “May this Olympiad stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of chess, and may Budapest 2024 be remembered for many generations to come! Good luck to each and every one of you. I now declare the 45th Chess Olympiad officially open!” The highlight of the ceremony was the torch relay, making its final stop in Budapest and lighting the Olympiad cauldron. The video showed the long route it took around the world. The torch relay started in India, the host of the previous Olympiad, and visited 11 more countries along its way: Canada, Colombia, France, Georgia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Morocco, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, and UAE. The final seconds of the video showed the brilliant Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player of all time, marching through the streets of Budapest in stunning red, holding the torch high and proud. The video ended with Judit appearing in the opening ceremony hall to the awe of the audience, bringing the torch to the stage. She lit the cauldron, marking the end of the torch’s long journey and the start of the Olympiad. A moment later, Judit’s two legendary sisters, Susan and Sofia Polgar, entered the stage to draw lots for the color of pieces for the top teams. Chief Arbiter Ivan Syrovy pointed them to the gigantic Rubik’s cubes, a famous invention of Hungarian sculptor Ernő Rubik. Inside each were two smaller cubes, and they had to choose one. Both Susan, for the Open section, and Sofia, for the Women’s section, ended up getting the ones with the black color inside. Thus, the top teams in both tournaments will start their first-round games with the black pieces. By the way, every participant of the Olympiad received a colorful Rubik’s cube as a souvenir from the organizers, along with their accreditation badge. The President of the Hungarian Chess Federation, Dr. Zoltan Polyanszky, spoke next. He thanked FIDE and the Hungarian Government for their support and addressed the age-old question: What is chess? Is it art, sport, or science? He said, “I went to the venue of the Olympiad and saw all those chess tables set there. I imagined that approximately 1,500 people would sit there in silence and full concentration, ready to give their all, and this was when I was convinced that chess is, in fact, a religion!” At the pinnacle of the ceremony, Rose May and Raul performed the official song of the 45th Chess Olympiad, “Trojan War.” You can watch the video of this blockbuster chess song on YouTube. The ceremony concluded with a beautiful video tribute to all the countries participating in this year’s edition, as their names and flags were shown one after another, accompanied by more songs by Lilla and Jason. As the music faded and the list of nations ended, it was time to return to the hotels and prepare for the games that start tomorrow, September 11, at 3 PM local time. Written by WGM Anna Burtasova Photos: Michal Walusza Official website: chessolympiad2024.fide.com
Tech Mahindra and FIDE strengthen partnership for 45th Chess Olympiad
India/Hungary, September 10, 2024: Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced its association with the 45th Chess Olympiad by FIDE (International Chess Federation) as the General Sponsor, which is set to take place from September 10 to 23 in Budapest, Hungary. The Olympiad, one of the biggest sporting events globally, will have 196 teams competing in the Open Section and 184 teams in the Women’s Section. The 45th Chess Olympiad is notable for having the largest participating teams ever and a record-breaking number of women’s teams. In addition, Tech Mahindra and FIDE have been revolutionizing the historic game through various initiatives over the years. One such initiative is the Global Chess League, a unique joint venture with FIDE launched in 2023. The inaugural season, held in Dubai, was a resounding success, featuring top players from across the globe. Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, said, “Our association with Tech Mahindra has been instrumental in advancing chess, and we’re excited to extend this partnership to the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Tech Mahindra’s contributions, from pioneering next-generation digital experiences to launching the Global Chess League, have been vital in the rapid rise of chess over the years. We are looking forward to an exciting tournament, and together, with Tech Mahindra, we’re set to take chess to new heights.” The highly anticipated second season of the Global Chess League is scheduled to take place at Friends House in London from October 3 to 12, 2024. Six franchises – Alpine SG Pipers, Ganges Grandmasters, Mumba Masters, PBG Alaskan Knights, Triveni Continental Kings, and American Gambits – have assembled strong squads at the recently held Player Draft in Delhi. Peeyush Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, “The 44th Olympiad received an incredible response, showcasing India’s growing influence in chess. We’re delighted to strengthen our partnership with FIDE for the upcoming 45th edition in Budapest. Technological advancements have played a pivotal role in the global expansion of chess, and we’re committed to furthering its reach worldwide through initiatives like the Global Chess League and the development of next-gen digital fan experiences. Our best wishes to all the teams participating in the Olympiad.” The Global Chess League will set benchmarks for tech innovations in the sport as Tech Mahindra will explore unique fan engagements to promote the game, particularly across London and UK by leveraging next-generation technologies such as AI, Metaverse, AR/VR, among others. About the FIDE Chess Olympiad The 45th Chess Olympiad is being organized by the Nemzeti Rendezvényszervező Ügynökség Nonprofit Zrt (Hungarian National Events Organizing Agency) in collaboration with the Hungarian Chess Federation and FIDE. The event will run from September 10 to 23, featuring a variety of free chess activities and programming at the BOK Csarnok venue. The tournament will be broadcast live with expert commentary. Organizers will also host numerous additional programs and side events, including the exhibition dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of FIDE. Children new to chess can learn the basics in a fun environment through the famous Judit Polgár Chess Palace program, while more experienced players can explore the latest trends in chess and browse a selection of specialist literature available for purchase. All expo programming is free of charge. About Tech Mahindra Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM) offers technology consulting and digital solutions to global enterprises across industries, enabling transformative scale at unparalleled speed. With 147,000+ professionals across 90+ countries helping 1100+ clients, TechM provides a full spectrum of services, including consulting, information technology, enterprise applications, business process services, engineering services, network services, customer experience & design, AI & analytics, and cloud & infrastructure services. It is the first Indian company in the world to have been awarded the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Terra Carta Seal, in recognition of actively leading the charge to create a climate and nature-positive future. Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed™ imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com/ Our Social Media Channels: For more information on Tech Mahindra, please contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Head – Global Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com