FIDE President Timur Turlov met with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on 19 October. The meeting focused on the rapid development of chess in Cyprus, future plans, and how the country’s experience could contribute to FIDE’s wider efforts to strengthen chess ecosystems around the world. Turlov was joined by Evgenii Tiapkin, CEO of Freedom24.
Over the past few years, Cyprus has developed into one of Europe’s emerging chess centers, combining major international events with national competitions, youth development, and permanent training infrastructure. This progress has been supported by close cooperation between the Cyprus Chess Federation, the government of the country, and private partners.
“In three years, Cyprus has become one of Europe’s chess hubs, and we want to keep building on that. It was important for us to present our plans for chess on the island to President Christodoulides, and we are grateful for his time, his support, and his attention to the game,” said the FIDE President.
Cyprus has already hosted several major FIDE competitions. These include stages of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Nicosia in 2023 and 2025, as well as the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and Women’s Candidates Tournament, which brought the world’s strongest players to the island and featured a prize fund of €1 million.
At the same time, the country has continued to strengthen its domestic chess structure. With the support of Freedom24, 26 chess tournaments have been held in Cyprus since 2023, including the Cyprus Open Chess Championship and the Cyprus National Championship. A permanent training base has also been created. The Freedom24 Chess Academy opened in Limassol in March 2025 under the leadership of International Master Artem Sadovsky, with a focus on developing young players capable of representing Cyprus at international level. According to the Cyprus Chess Federation, around 2,000 people now play chess actively on the island, with children making up the majority.
The progress is also beginning to show in international competition. At the recent Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, the Cyprus women’s team won silver in Category D. Ranked 125th by average rating at the start, the team finished 91st among 189 teams. Twelve-year-old Aida Păunescu scored 6.5/9 on board one, recording a 2049 performance rating and gaining 142 rating points.
For FIDE, the development of chess in Cyprus offers an example of how hosting elite events can be integrated with long-term national development.
“Major tournaments are important, but they should leave something behind after the last game is played: stronger players, coaches, regular competitions, better infrastructure, and stronger federations,” Turlov said. “As FIDE President, I would like us to help more countries build this kind of sustainable system, adapted to their own circumstances.”
The meeting with President Christodoulides also underlined the importance of cooperation between national federations, public authorities, and private partners in creating long-term opportunities for chess players at every level.