“In relation to yesterday’s decision of the secondary FIDE disciplinary committee. No illegal military occupation is justified or legitimatized or penalized by sports (national or international) federations through ridiculous monetary fines. The right to life, your place, your home, your family has no face value.,” says Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou.

Parallel to the ongoing FIDE Ethics case against Russia, there is an ongoing flag battle, known as the Kyrgyzstan resolution. A reaction came from the English Chess Federation via a page 4 article in The Telegraph, in an article written by the renowned journalist Leon Watson.

Mr. Watson starts the article with, “Russia has been accused of opening up an unlikely new front of its war against Ukraine – the world elite international chess”

While the case that Mr. Tsorbatzoglou comments about and the issue pointed out by Mr. Watson seem unrelated at first glance, there is a hot link in the making. Babur Tolbaev, President of the Kyrgyzstan Chess Federation and initiator of the resolution to restore the full membership rights of Russia, is among the candidates for FIDE Ethics commission chairman.

Opening ceremony and R1 report by ECU

The Opening Ceremony of the event took place on Wednesday, 21st of August, in the evening with the attendance of the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Mayor of the City of Prague Mr. Dr. Bohuslav Svoboda, ECU Secretary General Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, President of the Czech Chess Federation Mr. Martin Petr, Tournament Director Mr. Jan Mazuch, and the ECU Tournament Director Mr. Petr Pisk.

The Opening ceremony was enriched with outstanding light dance performances and drawing of colours performed by young champions and Chief Arbiter of the event Mr. Marco Biagioli.

The ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili addressed the distinguished guests and players, wishing them a pleasant time and memorable chess games in the city of Prague.

The Championship officially started yesterday with the first round. ECU Secretary General Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou and Ambassador of Romania to Czech Republic H.E. Antoaneta Barta made the first ceremonial move to inaugurate the tournament.

Nearly 1250 players coming from 47 federations participate in the European Youth Chess Championship 2024. Most of the favourites of the first round fulfilled the expectations and scored victories in the first games.

European Youth Chess 2024 participants: Open U18 / Open U16 / Open U14 / Open U12 / Open U10 / Open U8 / Girls U18 / Girls U16 / Girls U14 / Girls U12 / Girls U10 / Girls U8

The tournament is live broadcasted through the ECU YouTube channel with commentaries by GM Martin Petr, GM Sergei Movsesian, GM Alojzije Jankovic, WGM Tereza Rodshtein, WIM Lena Miladinovic and Lucie Fizerova.

The second round starts at 15:00 CEST and commentaries by GM Sergei Movsesian and WGM Tereza Rodshtein.

Previously: Ukraine dominates European Youth Rapid Chess 2024

With a 6th round victory over Elina Danielian, Monika Socko scored 5.5 points, to be ahead of IM Gunay Mammadzada (AZE, 2466) and WGM Maria Gevorgyan (ARM, 2216) who are in a tie for the second place scoring 5 points, each.

GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO, 2531), GM Anna Ushenina (UKR, 2423), IM Gulnar Mammadova (AZE, 2380), WGM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE, 2413), IM ALeksandra Maltsevskaya (POL, 2360), IM Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM, 2362), IM Anna Sargsyan (ARM, 2378) and WGM Olga Babiy (UKR, 2296) follow with score of 4.5 points, each.

Today is the resting day, and the event continues tomorrow with the 7th round starting at 15:00 CEST. The top pairings are:

1. GM Monika Socko – WGM Maria Gevorgyan
2. IM Gunay Mammadzada – GM Nana Dzagnidze
3. IM Anna Sargsyan – GM Anna Ushenina
4. WGM Ulviyya Fatalieyva – IM Lilit Mkrtchian
5. WGM Olga Babiy – IM Gulnar Mammadova
6. IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya – GM Antoaneta Stefanova

European Women’s Chess Championship 2022 – LIVE games

Youth Events in Thessaloniki

The European Youth Team Chess Championships (EYTCC) will include four (4) separate competitions, an open competition and a girl’s competition in categories U12 and U18. The playing members of the teams shall not have reached the age of 12 or 18, depending on the category, by 1st January 2022. European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2022 will start after the finish of European Youth Team Chess Championships being held in the same venue from 19th-23rd July. The events will be played in 6 age categories: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18, open and girls sections separately.

Thessaloniki – a city full of chess history

Thessaloniki is full of chess history. The city hosted the 26th Chess Olympiad and the 28th Chess Olympiad. It has also been a magnet for chess with its fantastic playing conditions and well organized open and official tournaments.

ECU General Assembly

After the request of the Asian Chess Federation, FIDE Council decided on 28^th of April 2022 to allow Continental Assemblies to be held before or after the Chess Olympiad in Chennai. ECU examined the possibility and scheduled the ECU General Assembly for July 23 in Thessaloniki. Secretary General Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou commented, “ECU meets in Thessaloniki and this year’s General Assembly will be a milestone in European chess history. It can be followed live by the whole chess world and we will send our message based in our values.“

Part of the ECU General Assembly are the ECU elections. The following valid nominations have been received within the deadline of the 6^th May 2022, for the ECU Board elections 2022.

A – Ticket of  Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili:

• President: Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili (GEO)
• Deputy President: Mrs. Dana Reizniece-Ozola (LAT)
• Vice President: Mr. Malcolm Pein. (ENG)
• Vice President: Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson (ISL)
• Secretary General: Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou (GRE)
• Treasurer: Mr. Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu (ROM)

B – Nominations for the 3 Vice Presidents to be elected individually:

• Mr. Sarkhan Gashimov (AZE)
• Mr. Geert Bailleul (BEL)
• Mr. Alojzije Jankovic (CRO)
• Mr. Javier Ochoa (ESP)
• Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire (MNC)
• Mr. Adrian Mikhalchishin (SLO)
• Ms. Eva Repkova (SVK)

The Presidential Candidate

GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili is the incumbent European Chess Union President. He was a member of the State Committee and Director of the Organising Committee of the last 43rd World Chess Olympiad. He has served as the First Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia. Zurab was formerly a chess professional and has been the manager, trainer and second of world-famous players such as Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgar. In his career as a sportsman, Zurab was at the top of world chess for two decades with highlights including first place at the European Individual Championship in 2003 and the best individual performance at the Elista Olympiad in 1998. Zurab has gone on to demonstrate his leadership abilities and management skills as president of the Georgian Chess Federation (1998-2004), as a board member of the ECU (2000-2004), as a Vice President of FIDE (2002-2010), President of ECU (2014-2022) and a founder and first President of the Black Sea Chess Association (1999-2004). He has organised top events, such as the first knock-out Women’s European Championship (2000), the Europe vs. Asia Match (2001), and the Women World Chess Championship (2004).  He also distinguished himself on top board and as Team Captain for Georgia at seven consecutive Olympiads (1992-2004) and as Captain of the neighboring Azerbaijan team for the 2009 European Team Championship that won the gold medal.

 Our record at the helm of the ECU

The period from September 2014 until now has been one of the most progressive and creative for the European Chess Union. A period that has seen an improvement in our financial position, stability, and an upgrade of the ECU profile. The two years of Pandemic slowed our progress, but ECU reacted very fast and developed innovative and highly appreciated activities in online and hybrid competitions and seminars. 

 A summary of some of the recent development and achievements. 

Financing

The annual income of the ECU increased progressively to one (1) million euros in 2019 from 200,000 in 2014. In the following years, 2020, 2021 these figure could not be achieved due to the pause of over the board activity and cancellation of our special events. However, from 2022 the budget has begun to rise again significantly.  The ECU remains on a sustainable basis with the organization retaining after the Pandemic 500.000 euros in its reserves.  

ECU is today a part of major Erasmus+ Chess programs and benefits from this funding. It has secured funding from European Investing Bank which sponsors various events and runs the most efficient program in the FIDE Development fund.  

European Championships

Sponsorship and funding for all European Championships was secured in advance while participation increased at all levels. The European Individual Women and Open Championships were integrated with other major European Championships and become a stable part of ECU prorgam. 

New innovative European events were established and regulated including the largest and most successful hybrid Chess competitions.

Special high-profile events were developed as the “European Golden Pawn” the “European Women’s Gala”, CIS conferences and fundraising events 

ECU Structure

The ECU Board established and operated permanent commissions, namely; the Educational, Events, Women and the Arbiters Council, which have extended ECU operations and improved productivity and encouraged innovation. ECU administration & day to day operations have become more efficient and less costly.   The material assets of ECU were significally increased with e-chess sets and anti-cheating equipment.  

International position

ECU became a member/partner of major international organizations including: the ‘European Fair Play movement” the European Universities Sports Association, the “European Capital & Cities Sports Federation (ACES Europe)”.  The ECU has also registered in the European Union transparency database. 

Chess & Education

ECU organized major Chess Educational Conferences in Batumi Georgia, in the European Parliament in Brussels, in Zurich and online. 

The ECU also supported and participated in major CIS Conferences in Europe such as the “London Conference” the “Yerevan CIS Conference” the “Madrid CIS Conference”.  

The ECU Educational committee developed CIS studies, organized informational meetings, became an active consultant to national chess federations, launched the ECU School Teacher Courses. Today education is an active and autonomous branch of ECU operations, but also develops a number of common projects with FIDE and the FIDE Chess in Education Commission. 

The latest major development is the creation of the “Chess in Education Portal” 

Transparency

The ECU Board conducted and continues to fight hard against corruption and pursues the case involving the discovery of a parallel shadow organisationcalled “ECU Delaware”. The ECU Board took various actions at the administrative, civil, and criminal levels.   The Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) made a historic ruling where all the actions of the ECU were justified and praised by the court. The last court decision come in March 2022 from Bulgaria justifying ECU actions. In 2019 the ECU all the owner(s) of the shadow company in the U.S.A and exposed the shadow bank account in Slovenia which sent a strong message to all involved in its operation, that this criminal activity will not be tolerated.  

The ECU Ethics Commission was established as an advisory board while the ECU Fair Play regulations were established.  

Women’s Chess   

The ECU Board took several initiatives to ensure sponsorship was secure for European Women’s Chess Championship combined with the organization of the European Youth Chess Championship and there was an increased Prize fund. The fees for the women’s chess clubs and players were minimized while players’ restrictions were waived.  The ECU Women’s Commission was established. The minimum of 25% women arbiters in the European Championships was proposed and approved by the ECU General Assembly. Several special events, seminars and webinars were organized encouraging and motivating female participation in all levels of chess activity (players, trainers, arbiters, organisers, federations, and clubs’ managers). 

Inclusivity

The doors opened for any person willing to work, the commissions were staffed with significant chess personalities, the establishment of the ECU Board of Trustees and the ECU Educational Advisory Board bring additional value to the organization. Today ECU is a healthy and open organization full of energy and willing to co-operate with any entity or individual who can contribute.  

Chess for Persons for Disabilities & Social Responsibility 

The ECU was particularly active in the last 3 years. The Workshop “Equal Opportunities” become an annual event with the co-operation of the FIDE Commission for Disabled. The program “A Chess board for all” launched in 2021 aiming to deliver hundreds of special chess sets to visually handicapped young players. An environmental info webinar was launched in 2021 in cooperation with the WWF and the Judit Polgar Chess Foundation. 

TARGETS FOR THE NEW TERM:

Financing

1. Increasing the outside sources of funding/sponsoring based on commercial agreements for joint programs. 
2. Applying and being part of more EU funding programs.
3. Creating more innovative chess events which can attract sponsorships.  

Rebranding  

The European Chess Union has made significant progress, but we fell would still benefit from a rebranding of its profile and presentation in the Chess and Sports Market. Ideas will be developed by professionals and will be presented to the ECU members. 

Administration

ECU shall reevaluate its day-to-day operations and to continue the process of digitalization to produce faster and better services to its members. Support and strengthen of the ECU Commissions with new ideas and energy. 

European Chess Heritage

Scheduling of special chess events in archeological sites, museums, further connecting chess with history and culture.   

Chess and Education

Chess education is a top priority for a healthy chess ecosystem.  The ECU Educational Commission have already done excellent work.  New opportunities are constantly arising which require concrete initiatives and projects: some encouraging innovation and some encouraging standardization. The new term operational programs include:

1. Partnership in more European Programs with Erasmus+  
2. Strengthened communication with EU Commission and Parliament and prepare a new CIS conference in EU Parliament for 2023 
3. Development of official ECU tutorials (printed and online) for Chess in School Programs and recognition through the EU
4. Consultancy on developing National CIS programs 
5. Participation in major CIS festivals in Europe

Professional chess

Main projects: 

1. Developing a European Chess Grand-Prix of round-robin tournaments with top players. 
2. Developing a European circuit of International Opens. 

Supporting them with a common marketing strategy and additional prize fund

Public relations, media and marketing strategy

ECU’s social media strategy already includes operating accounts in all the main social media, Facebook, Twitter Instagram, Twitch and YouTube

1.  Further development of the European Chess TV.

2.  Re-introduction with more features of the mobile ECU App 

3.  Developing its own results and statistic software for the standardi  

     zation of tournament coverage.

4. The ECU’s management will create a portfolio of marketing products and tools to help organizers attract sponsors, players, and audiences to their events.
5. Supporting initiatives of promoting chess, as European Golden Pawn, European Women’s Gala, Global Chess Festival.  

Social Responsibility 

1. Continuation of the Social program launched over the last 3 years 
2. Scheduling and organizing of new programs for vulnerable sections of society
3. Supporting European Championship for disabled players

Specific initiatives with ECU member federations

Above all, the ECU is a service provider for its 54 federation members, large and small, enabling cooperation and collaboration. We will continue or launch the following initiatives:

1. Establish and regulate annual ECU Hybrid Championships in Classic and Rapid formats.
2. Provide shared bilateral professional resources for its members in the areas of organization, PR, government relations, and sponsorship sales.
3. Continuation of support for joint events for training and development of arbiters, coaches, commentators, and players.
4. Continuation of support for development projects and CIS programs. 
5. Encouraging regional co-operation among federations to develop mutual activities and to share good practices in all chess fields.
6. Develop co-operation with other continental chess associations and stakeholders from other continents.

The Conference features the following themes:

• CGS project overall presentation
• Psychomotricity on giant chessboard – CATLE/ERASMUS+ project
• The final report of the CGS research
• Chess and Coding presentation
• Guidelines for Teachers presentation
• Interactive online training platform

The speakers of the Conference are: ECU Secretary General, Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, Luis Blasco de la Cruz (Club Villalba 64), Davide Della Rina – Turin University, Chairman of ECU EDU Commission Jesper Hall, Miriam Minardi – CSEN, Alessandro Dominici – Alfiere Bianco, ECU president Zurab Azmaiparashvili, ECU Vice President and FIDE Managing Director Dana Reizniece Ozola, and Bea Johner – President of Chess4kids Association Zurich.

LIVE broadcast of the Conference Part 1: (scroll down for Part 2)

LIVE broadcast of the Conference Part 2:

Read more: FIDE ECU Survey on Chess in Schools / CASTLE conference in Turin / Chess in School Conference in Warsaw, Poland / Chess in School Conference – European Parliament, Brussels

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We are here with Jesper Bergmark Hall, Chairman ECU Education Commission. Can you share with us the latest developments and initiatives of the EDU commission

The ECU EDU commission has the basic idea to support the countries, federations and organizations with Chess in Schools. In our analysis the best way is to take the knowledge of how to teach chess to a new level when the goal is not primarily to develop chess skills but cognitive and social skills. That is why we focus on developing courses. We have the basic didactic course ECU101, but beside that we have courses on chess and mathematics, chess for younger years, chess and logic, and so on. We continuously try to develop the courses and create new ones depending on what is needed. Beside that we have a newsletter: “First rank”, and we arrange and visit CiS conferences. We also want to support with research, statistics, surveys and not the least the knowledge on how to fund and run CiS projects.

The Chess and Education portal of ECU has just been launched.

The goal of the Chess in Education portal is to be a spider in the net for CiS in Europe so that all people that work with CiS can get inspiration and hands-on advices on how to structure and run CiS.

The SMART Method to Teach Chess Seminar is coming soon. What can the participants expect?

This course gives the participants hands-on tools on how to teach chess, specifically in a class room with school children. So far the course is recommended by 100% of the participants that have participated.

Now that we transition from the pandemic period back to normality, what will change for chess education? What methods and experience from the pandemic period will you continue using? 

In the first three months of the pandemic chess took a ten-years-step into the digital era, by necessity. Now it is the time to evaluate and find the right hybrid. The human contact, not the least in CiS, can not be underestimated as social interaction is one of our goals, but still many experiences from the last years should stay.