The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is excited to reveal the corporate finalists competing for the win at the 2024 World Corporate Chess Championship, presented by Freedom Holding Corp.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan & New York – May 31, 2024 – FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (International Chess Federation), today announced the finalists in the 2024 FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship, presented by Freedom Holding Corp. As part of FIDE's centenary celebrations, this landmark event will bring together the biggest and brightest names in chess and business. The event will take part from June 15 to 17 at the historic Cunard Building in the heart of New York’s financial district. The championship includes eight finalists, whose strategic thinking and prowess earned them a trip to New York and seats at the chess board, as well as four wild card teams to turn up the challenge. Blending the intellectual rigor of chess with the strategic acumen of the business world, these teams will compete for international recognition and the glory of being titled the World Corporate Chess Champion.

The 12 finalists competing in New York are:

Nanjing Spark Chess Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
ChessMood Inc. (USA)
LLC “LC” “GRECO” (Ukraine)
UBS Group AG (Switzerland)
Chessify (USA)
Tengizchevroil (Kazakhstan)
Deutsche Bank (USA)
SIG (USA)

Wild card teams:

Freedom Holding Corp. (Kazakhstan)
Google (USA)
Goldman Sachs (USA)
BlackRock (USA)

"This championship is a unique combination of chess and business – a new concept which we are looking to develop further," said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. "Hosting this event in a global financial hub like New York underscores the importance of chess in advancing strategic thinking and decision-making within the corporate sector, and we want to enhance that link. We are thrilled to bring together top corporate minds worldwide and open new pathways for chess in the U.S. and globally."

The 2024 World Corporate Chess Championship, presented by Freedom Holding Corp. marks a significant milestone, integrating chess into the corporate sphere for the first time. This event highlights the parallels between the chessboard and the boardroom, celebrating the strategic thinking that drives success in both arenas.

The finals will take place in New York City’s Cunard Building, an opulent, historic example of New York City architecture reflecting the spirit of global maritime trade, located just a short walk from Wall Street. “We are delighted to host the inaugural event in New York City, a melting pot of diversity and an incubator of opportunity,” commented Timur Turlov, Freedom Holding Corp. Chief Executive Officer. “We have seen global citizens come together in peace and engagement over the board, and it is that spirit of fellowship and understanding amongst diverse peoples of the world that we would like the Freedom Holding Corp. name to be synonymous with this. It is an honour for us to be presenting sponsors.”

Attendees will not only witness a showdown for the championship title but also have the opportunity to engage in a full weekend of thoughtful and enriching activities, such as an insightful conversation with one of the world’s strongest Grandmasters, Hikaru Nakamura, a chance to meet International Master, Levy Rozman, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of a stock exchange. Additionally, the weekend event offers participants daily opportunities to share a drink and network with business professionals and chess enthusiasts from across the globe.

Event Highlights

The finals are the culmination of two online qualifying stages with entrants from around the world. The competition will feature group stage matches and intense playoff rounds, ending in the crowning of the World Corporate Chess Champion.

The teams will be split into two groups, each comprising four knockout qualifiers and two invited wild-card teams. The competition will unfold in two stages: a 10-round group stage, played over two days, June 15 and 16, followed by the semi-finals with the top two teams from each group facing off, and the finals, both held on June 17.

For information about tickets, please visit: freedomcapmkts.com/chess

Regulations and Participation

Each team may have one player with a FIDE rating exceeding 2400. This ensures a balance of professional and amateur players, making the competition both challenging and inclusive.

The finals will be played at a time limit of 10 minutes plus 5 second increments per move starting from move one.

Global Corporate Representation

The diversity of the participating teams, representing various industries (financial, tech, energy, investment) and regions (Europe, America, Asia), showcases the global appeal and inclusivity of the World Corporate Chess Championship. This event celebrates chess and aims to enhance international corporate communication and strategic collaboration.

The 2024 World Corporate Chess Championship, presented by Freedom Holding Corp. is more than a competition; it's a celebration of strategic excellence and a testament to the enduring connection between chess and business.

For more information on the championship, including official regulations, live updates, and results, please visit worldcorporate.fide.com/.

Contacts:

About Freedom Holding Corp.

Freedom Holding Corp. is a diversified financial services holding company conducting retail securities brokerage, securities dealing, market making, investment research, investment counseling, investment banking and underwriting services, consumer banking, insurance and several ancillary businesses which complement its core financial services businesses, through its subsidiaries, under the name Freedom24 in Europe and Central Asia, and Freedom Capital Markets in the United States. Through its subsidiaries, Freedom Holding Corp. employs more than 6,000 people and is a professional participant in the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, the Astana International Exchange, the Republican Stock Exchange of Tashkent, and the Uzbek Republican Currency Exchange and is a member of the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

Freedom Holding Corp. is headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and has a presence in 19 countries, including Kazakhstan, the United States, Cyprus, Poland, Spain, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, among others.

Freedom Holding Corp.'s common shares are registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and are traded under the symbol FRHC on the Nasdaq Capital Market, operated by Nasdaq, Inc.

To learn more about Freedom Holding Corp., visit www.freedomholdingcorp.com.

About FIDE

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. Constituted as a non-governmental institution, it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999.

FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne, but it was initially founded in 1924 in Paris under the motto “Gens una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”). It was one of the very first International Sports Federations, alongside the governing bodies of the sports of Football, Cricket, Swimming, and Auto Racing. It is now one of the largest, encompassing 201 countries as affiliate members, in the form of National Chess Federations. Chess is nowadays a truly global sport, with dozens of millions of players in all the continents, and more than 60 million games on average played every day.