14 nations join Expo chess tournament among pavilions
Players from Poland, Latvia, Spain, Argentina, India, Denmark, Vietnam, Panama, Germany, UAE, Angola, Russia, Italy and Mexico are participating in the EXPO chess tournament among pavilions that started today on a football pitch next to the Australian Pavilion as a side event of the FIDE World Championship Match between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi held at Expo 2020 Dubai. The tournament is open for staff of Expo pavilions and companies working at the World’s Fair.
In the course of two days of the preliminary stage, participants battle in an 8-round Swiss tournament with 10 minutes per game time control. Eight best players advance to the final that will take place at Russian Pavilion conference hall on December 07.
The FIDE World Championship Match between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi – the most important chess event in the world – is held as a part of the Expo 2020 program. The International Chess Federation, together with Expo, decided to organize some side events. A chess tournament among pavilions is one of them. Anyone who is involved in the activities of Expo pavilions can participate and play chess, but also it is very important for networking and for future projects of these pavilions. We are very happy that so many people came here to play chess.
FIDE Vice President Lukasz Turlej
The first game of the tournament was played between FIDE Deputy President Bachar Kouatly and Spokesman for Expo 2020 Dubai and Vice-President of Communications Mohammed Issa al Ansari.
The game of chess is universal, as this Expo is universal. This is an extraordinary similarity. The rules of chess are the same all over the world, the pieces look the same way, and to be here at Expo is not a coincidence; it’s an absolutely normal thing. It is great that people can meet here. Although everyone at Expo pavilions is focused on what he is doing, to have time when you can rest a little and to play chess with people of all nationalities – this is showing the universality of our game.
FIDE Deputy President Bachar Kouatly
Although most participants are chess amateurs, some professional players, including Indian GMs Nihal Sarin (pictured above) and Gukesh D, joined the event.
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