The Prime Minister of Mongolia, Uchral Nyam-Osor, met with FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and ISCF President Timur Turlov, as the country hosts the Asian Chess Championship for the first time.
The 21st Asian Continental Chess Championship is taking place from 28 May to 7 June in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar. More than 240 players from around 30 countries are taking part in a 9-round Swiss-system classical tournament. The tournament is a major continental championship and qualification event, with the top five players in the Open and the winner of the Women’s Championship directly qualifying for the 2027 FIDE World Cup.
This is the first time that Mongolia is hosting a top-tier Asian chess tournament, and the event has also received wide backing from the Mongolian government and Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor, who today held meetings with the delegation of the International Chess Federation, led by President Arkady Dvorkovich.
Alongside the tournament, Mongolia is also hosting the Chess in Education Conference, which covers the preparation and implementation of Chess in Schools programmes, looks at international and Mongolian experiences and best practices, and identifies future policy directions and strategic priorities for integrating chess into the general education system.
The value of Mongolia in chess development
Prime Minister of Mongolia Uchral Nyam-Osor emphasized that Mongolia’s hosting of the Asian Chess Championship for the first time represents an important contribution to the development of international mind sports. He also expressed Mongolia’s intention to expand cooperation in regularly organising international mind sports competitions and events, as well as supporting young chess players.
Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the International Chess Federation, praised Mongolia’s strong commitment to developing chess and noted that the goal of introducing the sport into the general education school curriculum is of great importance for the development of children and young people.
“We see that Mongolia is treating chess not merely as a sport but also as part of its educational strategy. FIDE stands ready to provide support. This meeting as well as the Chess in Education Conference, alongside the 21st Asian Continental Chess Championship can inspire many other countries. Today’s discussions are not only about chess, they are about how we prepare the next generation to think, learn, and succeed,” Dvorkovich said.
The discussions with government leaders were followed by a visit to the playing venue, where Dvorkovich met players and organisers and spoke about Mongolia’s future role in Asian chess.
Mongolia’s place in the global chess community
During the day, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich visited the venue of the 21st Asian Continental Chess Championship, where he was also a guest on the event’s live broadcast, analysing games and discussing chess in Asia, with a particular focus on Mongolia.
While Mongolian chess is at an advanced level and the competition is very strong at younger ages, Dvorkovich noted the importance of providing more support for players, enabling them to travel to international events and take part in training camps with experienced coaches.
“What would greatly help increase the quality of chess in Mongolia is having one strong international Open,” said Dvorkovich.
The FIDE President pointed to Kazakhstan as a good example of building a strong chess infrastructure intertwined with the social and educational system, transforming chess from not being just a sport but an important tool for development.
The Asian Championship and educational conference taking place in Mongolia this week follow a January 2026 visit by FIDE officials, who traveled to the country to discuss support for social and educational chess initiatives, including youth training programmes with the Mongolian Chess Federation and local chess academies.
Written by Milan DInic
Photos: Asian Individual Chess Championship, Mongolian Chess Federation and Монгол Улсын Засгийн газар