The President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Arkady Dvorkovich, visited Cabo Verde, Senegal and Morocco, where he held several high-level meetings and attended a number of chess events.

The first stop was Senegal, where Dvorkovich met with the country’s Minister of Sports, Lat Diop. The main topics of the discussion were the organization of international chess tournaments in Senegal, the training of the national Olympic chess team and the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The Organizing Committee of Dakar 2026 and FIDE are discussing the possibility of including chess in this global sports forum program that will be the first IOC event to take place in Africa.

The FIDE President also attended chess lessons in one of the local schools “Aime Césaire” and an amateur chess tournament, where he met chess enthusiasts and talked with them about the game’s development on the African continent and worldwide.

The next stop on his trip was Cape Verde. On December 10, the FIDE President attended the closing ceremony of the Final Phase of the 7th Absolute Individual National Championship, which took place in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão. Together with the President of the Cape Verde Olympic Committee, Filomena Fortes, Vice President of the African Chess Confederation, Nadezhda Marochkina and the President of the Cape Verde Chess Federation, Francisco Manuel Carapinha, Dvorkovich awarded the winners of the tournament.

The top seed, IM Mariano Ortega Amaralle, dominated the competition, winning all nine games. The champion finished two points ahead of FM Diogo Alho (7/9), who won silver. David Mirulla netted 6/9 and took bronze. 

“2024 is a very important year for the International Chess Federation as it will celebrate its 100-year anniversary. We will have events all around the world to celebrate it. The most important one will be the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. I hope your team will be fully prepared to fight there. But there will be many other festivals and tournaments to celebrate. And I hope one of them will be held here, in Cape Verde,” Dvorkovich said in his speech.

Then, the FIDE President flew to the capital of Morocco Rabat, where he had a meeting with the organizers of the traditional Casablanca Chess Week and discussed the program of the 2024 edition. Scheduled for May 2024, this chess forum will be a part of the FIDE 100th anniversary celebrations.

The past five years at FIDE have been marked by a significant shift in the way the organization is managed and how chess is promoted worldwide

On October 3 2018 in Batumi, Georgia, at the 89th FIDE Congress, Arkady Dvorkovich was first elected as the President of the International Chess Federation. He won his second mandate in August 2022 at the Congress held in Chennai, India. Dvorkovich succeeded Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (who ran FIDE from 1995) as the head of the world’s governing chess body.

In his final pitch to the delegates in Batumi five years ago, Dvorkovich spoke about restoring dignity and responsibility within FIDE. He promised accountability and cutting bureaucracy, reducing fees from national federations as well as boosting their capacity to develop chess. Since taking over FIDE, Dvorkovich has put together an international team from across the globe and set out to deliver on his ambitions to reform chess on a global scale.

The achievements of the past five years can be encapsulated in key areas:

Modernization and Transparency: Over the past five years one of the primary goals has been to modernize FIDE’s management structure and instill transparency. Reforms have been made to improve FIDE’s governance, including changes in the electoral process, the establishment of new committees to oversee various aspects of FIDE’s operations and independent auditing of the Organization’s finances. Emphasis was put on building a diverse team and upskilling their expertise, to better streamline the planning, organization and execution of major events and activities, ultimately boosting FIDE’s credibility and accountability.

A Fivefold Budget Increase: FIDE’s budget has been increased fivefold, all the while reducing fees for national federations and players. A strategic outreach to partners and sponsors worldwide yielded seven-figure sums from broadcasting rights sales. As a result of these connected activities, FIDE’s financial position is more stable than ever before.

Photo: Stev Bonhage

Enhancing the FIDE World Chess Championships: Since 2018 FIDE has successfully secured sponsors and organized high-profile events. Prize funds for both the World Championship match and the Women’s World Championship match surged, doubling and increasing by 150%, respectively. Increased prize funds, better playing conditions and higher media visibility of top chess events have been one of FIDE’s priorities.

Chess Promotion: With an international team, and thanks to more investment in chess, the International Chess Federation has worked diligently to promote chess worldwide. FIDE has launched and spearheaded initiatives to popularize the game, particularly in schools and among young people. Recognizing chess’s educational and social benefits, FIDE has actively participated in chess-in-education programs. Financial support was provided for developing federations, catering to their practical needs, from seminars to travel subsidies and chess equipment.

Photo: Anna Shtourman

Promoting Gender Equality: FIDE has introduced initiatives to encourage more female participation. This includes supporting female players, coaches, and arbiters, increasing the number of chess events for women and increasing the prize funds. FIDE has aimed to foster an open debate and address issues related to gender disparities.

Focus on Inclusivity: FIDE has been providing more support for specific groups within the chess community. Special funds and awards for the elderly, programs like Chess for Children with ASD, increased funding for projects aiding people with disabilities, and initiatives like Chess for Freedom (aimed at people in prison) and Chess for Protection (aimed at refugees and the displaced) have demonstrated FIDE’s commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.

Photo: Stev Bonhage

Digital Transformation: Acknowledging the importance of technology, FIDE has been keen on cooperating with digital platforms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, FIDE joined the chess world in adapting to the new circumstances and organized events online, including two Online Chess Olympiads. FIDE is also working hard on connecting chess to the esports world, looking for new platforms for chess promotion. The development of online chess platforms, streaming of chess events, and engaging with chess enthusiasts through social media and other digital channels have become one of the priorities for any FIDE event.

Hosting Major Chess Events Globally: Over the past five years FIDE has successfully organized major international chess events, such as the Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai, Grand Prix tournaments, world championship cycle competitions, and junior events. With a global outlook, FIDE aims to host more chess events in different regions, furthering global chess participation and diversity.

Photo: Lennart Ootes

New International Events: Innovative events such as the Grand Swiss, the World Rapid Team Championship, and global tournaments targeting corporations and businesses have significantly elevated the profile of the game, garnered considerable attention and heightened the visibility of chess, attracting more investment.

Arkady Dvorkovich: “We made FIDE better, but the best is yet to come”

Reflecting on the five years since taking office, Arkady Dvorkovich made the following remarks: “The past five years have been a challenging period, not just for chess but for the world as a whole. However, we have transformed FIDE into a chess powerhouse, a beacon for the game’s development and promotion worldwide.

“With a fresh perspective centered on modernization, transparency, and global chess promotion, we have succeeded in making FIDE better, and the best is yet to come. We remain committed to promoting gender equality, addressing all disparities within the chess community, and leveraging new technologies to grow the game and attract more players.”

FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, has issued an apology for the errors of local organisers regarding the Women’s Grand Prix tournament in India. In a letter addressed to the participants of the event, Dvorkovich expressed his sincerest apologies for the problems and inconveniences experienced by the players, which led to the withdrawal of one player. Despite this setback, the tournament will continue with adjustments made for the remaining players. FIDE will also appoint an additional coordinator to be at the full disposal of the participants and provide compensation for any additional expenses they may have incurred. Dvorkovich has also pledged to conduct a thorough review of the guidelines and standards for organising women’s tournaments and improve the proficiency of the organisers of future events.

Here is the letter in full. The publishing of the letter has been agreed upon with the players participating in the tournament in New Delhi.
 

New Delhi, 25 March 2023      

To:

Bibisara Assaubayeva 

Nino Batsiashvili 

Harika Dronavalli

Nana Dzagnidze 

Aleksandra Goryachkina

Zhu Jiner

Humpy Koneru

Kateryna Lagno 

Elisabeth Paehtz 

Polina Shuvalova

Rameshbabu Vaishali

On Women’s Grand Prix tournament              

Dear Participants,

On behalf of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), I would like to extend our sincerest apologies for the mishandling of the Women’s Grand Prix tournament in India. We deeply regret the problems and inconveniences you have experienced, which has led to one player withdrawing from the tournament.

We understand that this situation has caused great dissatisfaction among the players and has put the tournament in danger. We acknowledge your concerns and frustrations, and we take them seriously. We highly appreciate your openness and would like to assure you that we are committed to addressing the issues that have been raised regarding this tournament and FIDE women events in general. We are also determined to improve the level of communication with the participants.

Considering all the arguments in place, we have decided to continue with the Women’s Grand Prix tournament in India. We believe that such a decision is best under the given circumstances, even though the withdrawal of a player would require all of the tournament participants and organizers to adjust themselves.

In case of postponement, the current FIDE calendar does not allow space for strong assurances when the tournament can be held. It is also important not to create a precedent  that the whole event can be terminated and other players’ plans influenced due to the decision of a player to withdraw. Alongside the utmost respect for the comfort of our professional players, we are equally committed to demonstrating our reliability as trustworthy, credible partners to our organizers and sponsors.

We are fully committed to taking swift and decisive action to improve the situation immediately. Above all, our priority is to demonstrate that we truly care about our participants, and we will spare no effort to ensure that they receive the highest level of support and attention. To that effect, FIDE will appoint an additional coordinator to be at the full disposal to the participants of the event. Also, all affected players will be provided with compensation, such as covering any additional expenses they may have incurred or will incur during the event.

In order to manage the tournament under the new conditions, the following schedule and principles will apply:

• The tournament will be held with the participation of 11 players
• The first round pairings will remain as they are (IM Assaubayeva exempt) 
• The following rounds will be affected as less as possible in order to balance colours where it is possible.

The broader issues which have been highlighted by the players regarding other events have also been taken into account.

From the very beginning, my team and I have been dedicated to promoting women’s chess, and we are proud to have made significant strides in this regard. This includes the creation of numerous new events for top players, the allocation of major tournaments across three continents, record prize funds, and an increasing number of opportunities for female participation. We remain committed to advancing the cause of women’s chess around the world. Having said that, I realise there is still a lot we should do to improve.

Concerning women’s chess events and the broader issues raised, FIDE will take the following steps:

1. We will conduct a thorough review of the guidelines and standards for organizing women’s tournaments, and make sure to strengthen the connection with players, as well as further improve the proficiency of the events organizing team.
2. We will ensure that the cooperation between local organizers and FIDE functions significantly better, to reflect the standards of events.
3. Improve and sharpen the mechanism of selecting the host cities and venues for the tournaments, thus improving the planning of the FIDE calendar.
4. We will continue to work on closing the prize gaps between Open and Women events.

Once again, please accept my apologies and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Yours sincerely,
 

Arkady Dvorkovich
FIDE President

Following the invitation from the Saudi Arabia Chess Federation to participate in their board meeting represented by the new members and as per invitation from Mr Turki Al-Sheikh to meet on the occasion of Riyadh Calendar Chess Championship 2023, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich visited Saudi Arabia.

FIDE President had a chance to check and test the playing conditions of the championship and praised both the venue and the organizers’ efforts.

Arkady Dvorkovich used the visit as an opportunity to discuss further chess development in Saudi Arabia, reiterating FIDE’s support for children’s education, social initiatives, professional chess events and the possibility of hosting the World Teams Championship.

Saudi Arabia has been very supportive of the FIDE Year of Women in Chess celebration by initiating a new tradition of Queens Awards that allows paying tribute to the great personalities in women’s chess. Improving gender balance is one of the top priorities for Saudi Arabia and FIDE, which both intend to pursue in their policies and development projects.

When asked about his impressions on the Saudi Arabia Chess Federation board meeting, the future of chess in the world in Saudi Arabia in particular, FIDE President said: “I really appreciated the invitation by the Saudi Arabia Chess Federation to come to the first board meeting. The board members are very active in supporting chess in the country. We, in our turn, are ready to contribute our share to chess development in the country, supporting new initiatives, especially in chess education and training young talents and hosting big international events here in Saudi Arabia. We stimulate professional chess but also believe in the social role of our game in helping disabled and incarcerated people. We are eager to ensure a good gender balance so young girls and ladies can play chess actively. I think we can do all this together here, in Saudi Arabia.”

On October 13-17, the second Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners – the biggest-ever chess event among correctional facilities – was held among 85+ men, women and youth teams representing 46 countries. The only country that managed to get two medals in the event was Serbia winning gold in the youth tournament and silver in the women’s section.

The medalists were congratulated by the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who attended the Penitentiary Home in Belgrade (Padinska Skela) during his visit to Serbia. Dvorkovich had a meeting with the inmates of the Correctional Home in Krusevac, who played in the youth section of the 2nd Intercontinental Championship for Prisoners and female convicts of the Correctional Institution for Women in Pozarevac, who participated in women’s tournament.

Players of both teams were awarded certificates, chess sets and online master classes with the top GM. In his speech, Arkady Dvorkovich thanked all participants and organizers from Serbia, congratulated them on the excellent results and noted that Serbia, with two medals won, is the most successful country in the 2nd Intercontinental Championship for Prisoners.

“I wish chess will help you to overcome the current situation; you will continue to learn the game of chess and enjoy it,” he said.

FIDE President also played a game of chess against one of the youth team members.

The Chess Federation of Serbia plans to devote even more attention to the Chess for Freedom project and, together with the Administration for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions, will soon start preparing for the next chess competitions.