From 20 to 23 September 2025, Grandmaster Nigel Short, FIDE Director for Chess Development, visited the Caribbean island of Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic). The visit carried special significance: his first trip in 2021 had inspired local players to establish the Dominica Chess Federation, which was formally registered and admitted as a FIDE member later that same year.
Since then, chess life in the country has developed rapidly. Today, the Federation unites 67 registered members and around 100 active players, while approximately 1,500 island residents have been introduced to the game. Dominica fielded teams at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in the open section and at the 2024 Olympiad in both the open and women’s categories. National players have also participated in the prestigious CARICOM International Chess Tournament in 2024 and 2025, as well as in internationally rated hybrid competitions. The Federation regularly stages national championships and open and women’s tournaments. In 2025, in collaboration with the Confederation of Chess for America, it organised the island’s first chess festival, an event that attracted broad media coverage and became a milestone for the wider community.
Particular attention is being given to work with youth and schools. After receiving 400 chess sets from the Confederation of Chess for America in collaboration with the Gift of Chess programme, the Federation began distributing them to educational institutions. Already, eight Dominican schools have their own chess clubs, where students engage in training sessions, masterclasses, and tournaments. Chess life is also sustained online: interisland competitions are held every Sunday on lichess.org, while on Thursdays, players gather for regular meetings on the University of the West Indies campus.
Women and girls in Dominica receive additional support through the Queen’s Gambit Challenge—a global initiative of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess. This programme provides free training and mentorship designed to strengthen skills and confidence, creating opportunities to represent the country on the international stage.
During his September 2025 visit, Nigel Short met again with the Federation’s leadership and the country’s leading players. His schedule included a simultaneous exhibition at the Fort Young Hotel, where seventeen young talents and three invited participants took their places at the boards. The event drew a large audience, who watched with keen interest and were inspired by the Grandmaster’s skill.
The visit also included stops at St. Mary’s Academy and Convent High School. At St. Mary’s Academy—the Federation’s most successful Chess in Schools institution and winner of the 2024 School Chess Tournament—GM Short met with Principal Mrs. Sylvia Jno. Baptiste, who highlighted the school’s progress and commitment to chess education. The Grandmaster spoke to students about the global benefits of chess, engaged with them directly, and presented commemorative chess pins to over twenty students in a special ceremony.
At Convent High School, GM Short was welcomed by Principal Ms. Isabella Prentice and club teacher Mr. Nicholas Goldberg. In a lively discussion with more than twenty students, including national women’s champion Ayani Casimir, he shared advice on improving their play, encouraged them to work hard, and answered questions about his career and experiences at the highest level of the game.
Beyond the schools, the programme featured meetings with representatives of the tourism sector and potential partners, as well as a press conference and interviews focused on the development of chess in Dominica and across the Caribbean.
The Dominica Chess Federation regards this visit as a fresh impetus for the growth and consolidation of the national movement. Support from FIDE, the attention of international experts, and the enthusiasm of the local community are creating a strong foundation for the further advancement of chess on the island and for Dominica’s deeper integration into the global chess family.