Inaugural Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners conclude with global participation
The First Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners took place from May 13 to 23, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the FIDE Chess for Freedom initiative. Held for the first time on a continental level, the event brought together 77 teams from across the globe, offering incarcerated individuals a unique opportunity to compete in an organized, high-level chess environment. Organized under the auspices of FIDE, the championships showcased the growing impact of chess programs in correctional facilities around the world. The tournament was run by a team of experienced officials: International Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic from Serbia served as Chief Arbiter, Ana Srebrnic from Slovenia as Deputy Arbiter, and Sabrina de San Vicente from Uruguay as Chief Fair Play Officer. The event was organized by International Organizer Mikhail Korenman from Chicago, whose dedication helped bring this ambitious project to life. Africa The African Continental Championship was the first to be held, featuring 11 teams from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana where Zimbabwe secured first place in both the Open and Women’s sections. Zimbabwe has consistently performed at the highest level in Chess for Freedom events, having participated in every edition over the past four years and earning a silver medal at the inaugural Intercontinental Championship in 2021. With strong support from the National Chess Federation, Zimbabwe remains a dominant force on the African continent. In Ghana, a thriving program led by David Acheampong made a significant impact, fielding three youth teams that placed first and third. Kenya’s representation included both female and youth teams, reflecting the country’s growing commitment to the Chess for Freedom initiative. Special recognition goes to the Malawi Chess for Freedom program, which is supported by the nonprofit organization Gift of Chess. Through its partnership with the Malawi National Prison Services, the program has expanded into correctional institutions nationwide. Malawi earned second place across all three categories; Open, Women, and Youth, demonstrating remarkable progress, thanks in large part to the efforts of Susan Namangale, who leads the initiative both in Malawi and across the continent. Americas The American Continental Championship featured 19 teams from across the Americas. El Salvador’s Men’s and Women’s teams continued their stellar form from 2024 where they were podium finishers in the Intercontinental event, by winning first place in both sections. Colombia took home the bronze medal in the Open section. Trinidad and Tobago fielded teams in all three categories and triumphed in the Youth section. The US women’s team, with a growing Chess for Freedom program in Kansas, took second place. Mexico, which recently concluded its own National Championship for Prisoners with 17 participating teams, and also hosted a workshop to introduce the Chess for Freedom program to other Latin American countries, secured third place in the women’s section. Europe Europe was represented by 24 teams, the largest contingent of any continent. Serbia’s strong national team emerged victorious in the Open section, followed by Armenia. In the Women’s section, Ukraine secured first place, with Latvia and Slovenia earning podium finishes. The Youth section saw England come out on top, trailed by Ukraine and Latvia. Australia Two closely matched teams from the Australian continent competed head-to-head throughout the tournament, with the more experienced Australian team ultimately claiming the continental title. Asia In Asia, Mongolia dominated the Open section, with India and Iran rounding out the top three. The Indian women’s teams led the Women’s section, while Kyrgyzstan secured third place. In another victory repeat from the 2024 Intercontinental Championships, India took both top spots in the Youth section. The Iranian youth team took third place. The First Continental Chess Championships for Prisoners marked a significant step forward in FIDE’s mission to promote chess as a tool for social development and rehabilitation. By providing incarcerated individuals with a platform for high-level competition, the championships demonstrated the unifying and transformative power of the game. With momentum building, all attention now turns to the Fifth Intercontinental Chess Championship for Prisoners, scheduled for October 14–16, 2025.
On the amendments to Women’s World Cup 2025 Regulations
In order to ensure the participation of the strongest deserving players while maintaining reasonable geographical balance, the FIDE Council has approved the following amendments to the Regulations of the Women’s World Cup 2025: • To increase the number of participants from 103 to 107• To grant each continent the right to nominate one additional player• To increase a prize fund to USD 691,250 The FIDE Women’s World Cup, now celebrating its third edition, will take place in Batumi, Georgia, from July 5 to 29, 2025. The current list of qualified players can be found here: womenscup2025.fide.com/participants/ Official website: womenscup2025.fide.com/ Regulations for FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 (PDF)
Parachess in Hungary – a truly unique competition
Jointly organized by the Hungarian Chess Federation, FODISZ (the organization for sports of persons with disabilities), and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee, the fifth edition of the Hungarian Parachess Championship took place from May 22–25. This is a unique national individual championship, bringing together players who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled, and organ transplant recipients. The visually impaired mostly play two-board chess — a special format also used internationally — where each player moves both sides on their own board, announcing moves aloud so both competitors can comfortably think about their next steps without disturbing each other. This setup requires extra attention, as communication between hearing- and visually-impaired players can sometimes be challenging. Fortunately, the dedicated arbiters are always on hand to assist, and the exceptional sportsmanship shown by participants ensures the smooth running of the tournament. It is truly commendable that these three organizations continue to join forces year after year to champion the cause of parachess. Beyond highlighting how universal, inclusive, and open chess is, this event also fosters a sense of community in what is traditionally an individual sport. It provides opportunities for players whose ability to compete among able-bodied participants is sometimes limited by technical barriers, and helps them prepare for international tournaments. This year’s championship not only drew a record number of participants — 24 players may not seem like many, but in a small country, especially within the disabled community, it is significant — it also delivered plenty of excitement. Going into the final rounds, four players had a chance at the overall gold medal, which was ultimately claimed by the rating favorite, FM Zoltán Zambó. In the visually impaired category, Zoltán Zambó took first place, ahead of Szilveszter Csuri, who had an excellent debut, and István Voján, a longtime team member returning to form. Among the hearing impaired, Balázs Máté (pictured above, right) claimed victory, followed by Tibor Hallossy and Virág Farkas on the podium. In the physically disabled category, László Lengyel, who played on board one in the final round, emerged victorious, with Péter Turoczi finishing second. Notably, Virág Farkas was recognized as both the best young player and the top female competitor, delivering a consistent performance and finishing an excellent 8th overall. The youngest participant, 14-year-old visually impaired talent Roni Dominik Filep (pictured below, right), took second place in the youth category, showing impressive combinational skills in the final round by defeating Hanna Vilics (pictured below, right), the only youth member of Hungary’s national visually impaired team. Hungarian Parachess Championship – final standings We would be delighted if other countries joined this initiative so that chess players with various disabilities can participate together in the Hungarian championship, which is planned to be an open tournament. Federations interested in sending players are encouraged to contact us at chess@chess.hu, so we can gauge international interest and explore expanding the competition to a broader level. We firmly believe that chess for people with disabilities deserves great attention and support. Written by IA Robert Kapas
Rising stars shaking up the WRB Team Championships in London
From 10 to 16 June, London will host the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships. In its third year, the event has grown in scale, adding a Blitz tournament, an increased prize fund and a greater number of teams. One standout feature of this edition is the number of young talents signed up to compete. The tournament is open to teams comprising players of all levels, fighting in both Rapid and Blitz events. With 55 teams taking part and with many having top-world GMs in their squad, this will be one of the largest and strongest chess gatherings ever held in the British capital. There are no specific requirements to include young players, but many teams have done so regardless. Among them, 9-year-old Sarbartho Mani, who is playing for one of the favourites, Freedom, and the 10-year-old Roman Shogdzhiev on the team of Rookies (who are also formidable fighters, having a good run in the previous edition). These players aren’t just filling boards. They’re shaping results. Their presence signals a broader generational shift in elite chess. Here are some of the young talents poised to make their mark at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Teams in London: Shreyas Royal (16) Photo: English Chess Federation Representing the “Rookies” team, this English Grandmaster, born on January 9, 2009, became the youngest British player to achieve the GM title at 15 years and 7 months on August 20, 2024. His notable appearances include the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss tournament, where he finished on 4,5/11 and took sixth place at the British Chess Championship in 2024. Deborah Quickpen (13) Photo: islandkey.com From Nigeria, playing for “Mother Continent,” Quickpen began her chess journey at age three and by 11 became the youngest ever Nigeria Chess Champion in 2023. She is the youngest person ever to have won the national title. Bodhana Sivanandan (10) Photo: Michal Walusza This English Woman FIDE Master, on the “e-therapeutics” team, started playing during the 2020 lockdown and by March 2022, had won silver medals in European Under-8 rapid and blitz championships. In July 2024, Bodhana became the youngest person ever selected for an English national team in any sport, representing England at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Roman Shogdzhiev (10) Photo: Lennart Ootes Another “Rookies” team member, born February 4, 2015. Just ahead of the event, on 25th May, he made history by becoming the youngest ever International Master – at the age of 10 years, 3 months, and 21 days. Roman made headlines in December 2023 by defeating five Grandmasters at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, at just eight years old. Faustino Oro (11) Photo: Maria Emelianova Playing for “Turkish Airlines Sports Club,” this Argentine International Master, born October 14, 2013, became the youngest player to achieve a classical rating of 2300, in 2023. In March 2024, he famously defeated Magnus Carlsen in a Bullet Brawl tournament. He held the record for the youngest International Master until May 2025. Sofia Blokhin (19) Photo: Eesti Maleliit An Estonian Woman FIDE Master from the “Olala Stars,” born March 27, 2006, Blokhin is the reigning World Rapid Champion in the Girls Under-18 category (2024) and a multiple European champion. She also represented her country in two chess Olympiads and was a reserve player at the 2023 European Team Championship. Zsóka Gaál (18) Photo: Michal Walusza A Hungarian Woman Grandmaster from “Team Hungary.” Born May 2, 2007, Gaál earned her WGM title in November 2024. She was the 2016 European Youth Champion (U10 girls) and the 2021 online World Youth Champion (U14 girls). Marc’Andria Maurizzi (18) Photo: Biel International Chess Festival This French Grandmaster, born May 16, 2007, for “Knight Dance,” became the youngest French GM at 14 years and 5 days in May 2021. In 2023, he shared first place in the World Junior Chess Championship. At the 2024 Tata Steel Challengers, he tied for second with Daniel Dardha, and in February 2025, he won the strong Djerba Masters with a round to spare and a tournament performance rating of 2898. Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş (13) Photo: Mikael Svensson A Turkish Grandmaster, born June 3, 2011, playing for “Generation XYZA,” Erdoğmuş achieved his GM title in April 2024 at 12 years and 10 months. In September 2024, he became the youngest player to cross the 2600 Elo mark. He has had notable successes at several strong tournaments, including the Sunway Sitges tournament in 2023 where he was 9th, and the 2024 Grenke Open. Pranav Venkatesh (18) Photo: Mitar Djukanovic Representing “Team MGD1” and India, born October 13, 2006, Venkatesh became India’s 75th GM in 2022. Most recently, in March 2025, he clinched the World Junior Chess Championship title. He also has two gold medals in the U-18 section of the FIDE World Youth Rapid and Blitz Championship. Sarbartho Mani (9) Photo: Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha An Indian Arena FIDE Master, born in 2016, Mani is listed as a player for the “Freedom” team alongside Viswanathan Anand. At seven years old, he won the 36th National Under-7 Open Championship in 2023 with a perfect score of 9/9. The tickets for the event are available here: tickets.fide.com Follow the action with live commentaries by England’s Daniel King and Jovanka Houska on FIDE YouTube channel. Official website: worldrapidblitzteams2025.fide.com
Ju Wenjun, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Anna Muzychuk headline Women’s World Cup 2025 in Batumi
Ju Wenjun, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Anna Muzychuk headline Women’s World Cup 2025 in Batumi The FIDE Women’s World Cup — a prestigious knockout chess tournament held every two years — will celebrate its third edition in Batumi, Georgia, from July 5 to 29, 2025. Georgia holds a special place in the history of women’s chess, having produced some of the game’s most legendary female players. Batumi, known for its stunning Black Sea coastline, offers a fitting venue for this major event, which will bring together the world’s top female chess players in a battle for glory. The prize pool is a remarkable USD 676,250, one of the largest ever for a single women’s chess competition. So far, 65 of the 103 participants for the 2025 Women’s World Cup in Batumi have qualified. The remaining spots will be finalized by June 10 — the deadline for eligible federations to submit their nominations. Additionally, the five rating qualifiers will be announced by June 1. Players qualified for the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 Women’s World Championship 2025 (1 player) Ju Wenjun (CHN) – winner Women’s World Cup 2023 (4 players) Goryachkina, Aleksandra (FIDE) – semi finalist Salimova, Nurgyul (BUL) – semi finalist Muzychuk, Anna (UKR) – semi finalist Tan Zhongyi (CHN) – semi finalist World Junior Girls Championship 2024 (1 player) Deshmukh, Divya (IND) – champion Rating in June 2025 FIDE Rating List (5 players) – top-5 – top-5 – top-5 – top-5 – top-5 Qualifiers from the Continental events (54 players) Africa February, Jesse Nikki (RSA) – Championship 24 Wafa, Shrook (EGY) – Championship 25 Nassr, Lina (ALG) – Championship 25 Americas Pourkashiyan, Atousa (USA) – Championship 24 Francisco Guecamburu, Candela Be (ARG) – Championship 25 Yip, Carissa (USA) – Zone 2.1 Lee, Alice (USA) – Zone 2.1 Ouellet, Maili-Jade (CAN) – Zone 2.2 Miranda, Tania (MEX) – Zone 2.3.1 Miranda, Yerisbel (CUB) – Zone 2.3.2 Wilson, Hannah (BAR) – Zone 2.3.3 Cori, Deisy (PER) – Zone 2.4 Borda, Ana Paola (ARG) – Zone 2.5 Asia Song Yuxin (CHN) – Championship 25 Mungunzul Bat-Erdene (MGL) – Championship 25 Zahedifar, Anahita (IRI) – Zone 3.1 Ahmed, Wadifa (BAN) – Zone 3.2 Herfesa, Shafira Devi (INA) – Zone 3.3 Khamdamova, Afruza (UZB) – Zone 3.4 Kaliakhmet, Elnaz (KAZ) – Zone 3.4 Kamalidenova, Meruert (KAZ) – Zone 3.4 Gao Muziyan (CHN) – Zone 3.5 Zhang Lanlin (CHN) – Zone 3.5 Zhai Mo (CHN) – Zone 3.5 Wang Chiqiao (CHN) – Zone 3.5 Ryjanova, Julia (AUS) – Zone 3.6 Nandhidhaa P V (IND) – Zone 3.7 Priyanka K (IND) – Zone 3.7 Padmini Rout (IND) – Zone 3.7 Kiran Manisha Mohanty (IND) – Zone 3.7 Lagno, Kateryna (FIDE) – Zone 3.8 Charochkina, Daria (FIDE) – Zone 3.8 Shuvalova, Polina (FIDE) – Zone 3.8 Europe Fataliyeva, Ulviyya (AZE) – Championship 24 Buksa, Nataliya (UKR) – Championship 24 Javakhishvili, Lela (GEO) – Championship 24 Batsiashvili, Nino (GEO) – Championship 24 Bulmaga, Irina (BUL) – Championship 24 Beydullayeva, Govhar (AZE) – Championship 24 Toncheva, Nadya (BUL) – Championship 24 Tsolakidou, Stavroula (GRE) – Championship 24 Mkrtchian, Lilit (ARM) – Championship 24 Sliwicka, Alicja (POL) – Championship 24 Injac, Teodora (SRB) – Championship 25 Narva, Mai (EST) – Championship 25 Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra (POL) – Championship 25 Ushenina, Anna (UKR) – Championship 25 Daulyte-Cornette, Deimante (LTU) – Championship 25 Mammadova, Gulnar (AZE) – Championship 25 Milliet, Sophie (FRA) – Championship 25 Kiolbasa, Oliwia (POL) – Championship 25 Kulon, Klaudia (POL) – Championship 25 Urh, Zala (SLO) – Championship 25 Khotenashvili, Bella (GEO) – Championship 25 Nominees of National Federations (35 players to be announced by June 10) Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Azerbaijan Bulgaria Canada China Egypt France Georgia Greece Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Israel Kazakhstan Malaysia Mongolia New Zealand Peru Philippines Poland Spain Sri Lanka Switzerland Tajikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States of America Uzbekistan Vietman Nominees of the FIDE President (2 players) 101.102. Nominee of the Organiser (1 player) 103. Official website: womenscup2025.fide.com/
Vincent Keymer and Dinara Wagner win 2025 German Championship
Vincent Keymer and Dinara Wagner have emerged as the new German chess champions. Keymer confirmed his status as the pre-tournament favorite by winning the title in convincing fashion, while top seed Wagner triumphed over WGM Hanna Marie Klek in an exciting tiebreaker. The 2025 German Championships took place at Fat Cat GmbH, Munich, Germany, from May 15-23. Both the Masters and Women’s Masters were 10-player round-robin tournaments played under classical time controls. Additionally, Candidates tournaments for lower-rated players were held in both sections. The Masters event was dominated by Vincent Keymer, who steamrolled the competition scoring an impressive 7/9. Despite a last-round loss to Alexander Donchenko, Keymer had already secured the title with a round to spare. Reigning European Champion Matthias Bluebaum took silver with 5.5/9, while Dennis Wagner completed the podium. Wagner’s crucial final-round victory over Marco Dobrikov and his head-to-head win against Frederik Svane gave him the edge for third place. Final standings – Masters 1 GM Keymer, Vincent 2720 7 2 GM Bluebaum, Matthias 2660 5½ 3 GM Wagner, Dennis 2616 5 4 GM Svane, Frederik 2671 5 5 GM Svane, Rasmus 2629 4½ 6 GM Donchenko, Alexander 2615 4½ 7 IM Costa, Leonardo 2531 4½ 8 GM Kraemer, Martin 2581 3½ 9 GM Huschenbeth, Niclas 2601 3½ 10 IM Dobrikov, Marco 2404 2 The Women’s Masters followed a much tighter script, coming down to the wire as IM Dinara Wagner (pictured below, right) and WGM Hanna Marie Klek (pictured below, left) entered the final round tied for first place at 6/8. Both players drew their final-round games, finishing tied at 6.5/9. A two-game rapid tiebreaker was played to determine the champion. Despite being in a lost position in the first game, Wagner rallied to win both encounters and claim the title. Kateryna Dolzhykova finished a full point behind the champion and runner-up, securing the bronze medal. Final standings – Women’s Masters 1 IM Wagner, Dinara 2403 6½ 2 WGM Klek, Hanna Marie 2322 6½ 3 WGM Dolzhykova, Kateryna 2331 5½ 4 WGM Schneider, Jana 2314 5 5 FM Schulze, Lara 2340 4½ 6 WFM Peglau, Charis 2138 4½ 7 WGM Sieber, Fiona 2232 4½ 8 WGM Heinemann, Josefine 2321 4½ 9 WFM Kostak, Tetyana 2092 2 10 WFM Sickmann, Lisa 1970 1½ Photos: German Chess Federation / Stev Bonhage; Deutscher Schachbund Facebook Official website: schachbund.de/deutsche-meisterschaften-2025.html
FIDE World Cadet Championships 2025: Registration now open
FIDE, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the Department of Sports of the City of Almaty with support of the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan invite all FIDE member Federations and eligible players to participate in the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships U8, U10, U12. The competitions will take place from September 18 (arrival) to October 01, 2025 (departure) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. National Federations can register one official player in each category: under 8, 10, and 12 (Open and Girls). The total of six official players and one head of delegation with a valid FIDE ID from the National Federation are invited by the Organizers. All players must not have reached the age of 8, 10 or 12 in their respective categories before January 1, 2025. Personal rights also are granted to the top 3 players in each category of the last World Cadet Championships (2024), the Continental Cadet Champions of 2024 (1st ranked) and the players placed 1-3 in the 2025 FIDE World Cup for youngsters. National federation may register additional players and accompanying persons and being responsible for all related costs. The registration deadline is July 1, 2025. As part of the event, the World Cadet Chess Solving Championship will be held on September 25, across the same six age and gender categories as the over-the-board competitions. FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships 2025 official website (coming soon): worldcadets2025.fide.com E-mail: worldcadet@fide.com Invitation letter, regulations, visa information (PDF)
World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad 2025: Registration is open
On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the World Under-16 Chess Olympiad, we are honored to extend a cordial invitation to all FIDE member federations to participate in this prestigious international event, which will be held from August 16 to 23, 2025, in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. Each official delegation must consist of four (4) players and one (1) team captain, forming a mixed team representing your federation. We are pleased to inform you that accommodation and meals for the official team will be fully covered by the organizers, from August 16 to August 23, 2025. The Under-16 Olympiad will be a celebration of young chess talent, cultural exchange, and international friendship through sport. We are fully committed to providing all delegations with an organized, warm, and memorable experience. All information related to the registration process, official forms, and logistical details is available on our official website: youtholympiad2025.com We sincerely thank you for your attention and remain at your disposal for any questions or further information. It will be a great honor to welcome your delegation to Colombia. Promotional video: https://youtu.be/IxMGL9mk9Ks
2025 African Championship: Bilel Bellahcene and Shrook Wafa claim titles
GM Bilel Bellahcene (Algeria) and WGM Shrook Wafa (Egypt) are the newly crowned African chess champions. The #1 Algerian, Bellahcene edged out to top-seeded Egyptian GMs to secure his maiden title, while Wafa captured her fifth African crown, repeating her successes of 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2019. The 2025 African Chess Championships (Open and Women’s sections), organized in cooperation with the International Chess Confederation (ICC) and the African Chess Federation, were held at the Pyramids Park Hotel in the Pyramids region from May 13–20. Both the Open and Women’s events were 9-round Swiss tournaments played with classical time control, bringing together top players from 17 African countries vying for individual titles. The Open tournament was fiercely contested and evolved into a thrilling race among the rating favorites. Top-seeded GM Bassem Amin (Egypt) took the lead after Round 6 and maintained it until the penultimate round, when he lost to fellow Egyptian GM Ahmed Adly, who caught up with him. Meanwhile, fourth-seed Bellahcene capitalized on the opportunity by defeating GM Ahmed Alaa Ahmed, entering the final round a half-point ahead of the two Egyptian grandmasters. In the final round, Bellahcene (pictured below) achieved a winning position against IM Hamed Wafa, but ultimately settled for a draw. With Amin and Adly both winning their final games, all three players tied for first place. However, Bellahcene secured the championship title on tiebreaks, thanks to the highest average rating of his opponents. Amin took silver, while Adly completed the podium with bronze. Final standings – Open 1 GM Bellahcene, Bilel ALG 2504 7 2 GM Amin, Bassem EGY 2649 7 3 GM Adly, Ahmed EGY 2597 7 4 IM Wafa, Hamed EGY 2367 6½ 5 FM Fadi, Marko EGY 2244 6 6 FM George Samir, David EGY 2346 6 7 IM Ezat, Mohamed EGY 2296 6 8 GM Fawzy, Adham EGY 2513 6 9 Ahmed, Moustafa Elsayed EGY 2079 6 10 FM Yousry, Salah EGY 2256 6 Complete final standings – Open Section In the Women’s event, Shrook Wafa (pictured below, right) delivered a dominant performance, scoring an impressive 8/9. She remained undefeated throughout the tournament, conceding only two draws. The 2023 African Champion, Lina Nassr, finished second with 7/9 to claim the silver medal, while 15-year-old Jana Mohamed Zaki caused a minor sensation by capturing bronze and increasing her rating by 98 points. Final standings – Women 1 WGM Wafa, Shrook EGY 2189 8 2 WIM Nassr, Lina ALG 2029 7 3 Mohamed Zaki, Jana EGY 1891 6½ 4 WGM Wafa, Shahenda EGY 2085 6½ 5 ACM Alaa, Dema EGY 1828 5½ 6 WIM Romany, Joy EGY 1932 5½ 7 WCM Ampaire, Shakira UGA 1784 5½ 8 WIM February, Jesse Nikki RSA 2052 5 9 El Barbry, Sarah MAR 1841 5 10 WCM Bwalya Mulwale, Lubuuto ZAM 1954 5 Complete final standings – Women’s Section Photos: Egyptian Chess Federation
FIDE Delegation applauds Jamaica Chess Federation for leadership in social impact through chess
Kingston, Jamaica – May 20, 2025 — A high-level delegation from FIDE concluded a successful visit to Jamaica from May 17–19, commending the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF) for its groundbreaking social chess initiatives and longstanding leadership in the Caribbean region. Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, was welcomed to the region by CCA President José Carrillo and CCA Vice President Francisco Cruz. The delegation met with JCF President Peter Myers and key members of the Council, including IM Jomo Pitterson, Maxine Brown, Richard Shaw, Ian Wilkinson KC, and WIM Deborah Richards-Porter. Meetings were also held with Jamaica Olympic and Paralympic Association President Christopher Samuda, representatives from the Department of Correctional Services, and leaders of the Jamaica Society for the Blind. Meeting and demonstration at the Society of the Blind During the visit, the delegation observed the federation’s impactful community outreach programs, including its initiatives in correctional facilities and work with the visually impaired. “The trip to Jamaica was amazing! The federation is powered by people who are not just passionate about chess, but about using it to change lives. Truly a golden team,” said Dana Reizniece. “In this Year of Social Chess, Jamaica’s work with the blind and incarcerated communities exemplifies the very heart of our mission, to make chess accessible and impactful for all.” JCF President Peter Myers expressed gratitude for the visit, noting, “This was a moment to show that chess in Jamaica is more than competition, it’s a tool for transformation. We are committed to expanding access to all communities and deeply appreciate FIDE and CCA’s support.” CCA President Jose Carrillo added, “Jamaica has a rich history of leadership in chess across the Caribbean, and they continue to set the bar in 2025 for FIDE’s Year of Social Chess. The federation’s dedication to inclusion and innovation serves as an inspiration for the entire region. What we’ve witnessed here is a living model of how chess can change lives.” Fransisco Cruz (CCA VP), Jose Carrillo (CCA President) and Dana meeting with the Jamaican Chess Federation As a key outcome of the trip, CCA Vice President Francisco Cruz will return to Jamaica in June to lead a School Instructor Seminar and continue engaging with the JCF’s social initiatives as part of his work with the FIDE Diversity Commission. The delegation departed with renewed inspiration and a commitment to spotlight Jamaica’s efforts as a blueprint for socially impactful chess development.