FIDE President Timur Turlov visited Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, where the World Senior Chess Championship is currently underway.
Turlov met with the President of the Municipality of Vrnjačka Banja, Boban Đurović, in his office. The meeting was also attended by Andrija Jorgić, President of the Chess Federation of Serbia; Bolat Imanbayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Serbia; and Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports in the technical government.
During the meeting, they discussed improving cooperation in the field of chess, the implementation of joint projects, and the promotion of Vrnjačka Banja as a destination for significant sporting and international gatherings.
Special attention was given to the longstanding friendship and successful cooperation between Serbia and Kazakhstan, as well as the possibilities for further strengthening these ties through future joint activities and initiatives.
Following the meeting, the FIDE President visited the World Senior Chess Championship and addressed the participants before the start of Round 6.
“I am pleased to welcome all participants to the FIDE World Senior Chess Championship. I would like to thank the Serbian Chess Federation and all the organisers for hosting this tournament. This year, the championship has brought together nearly 400 players from 65 countries, which clearly demonstrates the strong interest in competitions of this kind. Chess is unique in that it allows players to maintain a high level of skill and compete throughout their lives. I am confident that the experience and achievements of the participants serve as an inspiration to new generations of chess players. For FIDE, it is important that chess players of all ages have opportunities to compete in international tournaments. We are committed to further developing senior chess and supporting tournaments that bring together experienced players from around the world. I wish all participants a successful continuation of the championship, exciting games, and excellent chess,” he said.
Together with Andrija Jorgić, President of the Serbian Chess Federation, Timur Turlov made the ceremonial first move in the game between Martine Dubois (MNC) and Marina Aseeva (FIDE) in the Women 65+ category.
Following the opening ceremony, the FIDE President took the opportunity to personally greet some of the most distinguished figures in women’s chess, including former Women’s World Champion Nona Gaprindashvili and the legendary Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling.
After Round 6, WGM Galina Strutinskaya (FIDE) continues to dominate the Women 65+ section with a perfect 6/6, while WGM Monica Calzetta Ruiz has maintained her lead in the Women 50+ category with 5/6.
In the Open 50+, GMs Kiril Georgiev and Pavel Kotsur notched up victories in Round 6 and tied for first place on 5.5/6. Meanwhile, in the Open 65+ category, eight participants share the lead on 5/6.