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International Chess Federation
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Monday, 25 May 2020 20:41
Checkmate Coronavirus: week one



The Checkmate Coronavirus initiative is in full swing, as it enters its second week of activity. We are very grateful for the warm welcome that the chess community has given to this project, with special mention all those to have contributed to its success. First and foremost our partners at Chess.com, Lichess.org, Chess24, FIDE Online Arena, and Playchess.

Secondly, to the many National federations that have already organized events within the Checkmate Coronavirus project: so far, the list includes the European Chess Union, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Greece, Japan, Mongolia, Qatar, Romania, Syria, Uruguay, and Venezuela, but the number keeps growing by the day. We are also very grateful to the many private organizers who have tried to contribute. And last but not least, to the dedicated team who has been running this project, headed by Ilya Gorodetsky

One week and 170 hours into the project, a total of 520 chess online tournaments have been organized as a part of this initiative, with an average of 261 participants each. This amounts to an approximate total of half a million chess games played, and 74 tournaments per day. These numbers are already slightly above our initial expectations, so we hope to reach new heights as we are reaching cruise speed.

If you want to be a part of this celebration of chess, you can still do it. On our website, you can find instructions on how to join the initiative. There is also a FAQ section at the dedicated website for Checkmate Coronavirus, with some additional information. And if you simply want to be a participant in one of the events, please check out our complete schedule of events.

As the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich explained in his letter addressed to all of you, this project wants "to promote the ideals of unity and solidarity which must be manifested in such times", apart from providing "a creative outlet to those who have to spend many hours at home" under the global lockdown. We believe that both goals are being fulfilled, and we are very proud of how we, the whole chess community, have stood together in these trying times.