With SGMK as its title sponsor, the Intellect Academy Cup brought together young chess players and participants in its auxiliary programs from 21 countries: Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Kenya, China, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, UAE, Peru, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, North Macedonia, and of course Russia. With more than 700 participants in total, 42 teams went head‑to‑head over five days – from February, 17th to 21st – all vying for the Grand Cup.
«In just a few years, this festival has grown from a regional tournament into a major international event, » Russian Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev said in a video address to participants. «President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has noted that chess enjoys well-deserved love and popularity in our country. Today, more than one million people play chess on a regular basis in Russia. We take great pride in the traditions and achievements of Russian chess schools. I wish all participants valuable experience, new victories, and, for all of you, faith, hope, and love. Love for Russia and for sport – that is what unites us. »
The centerpiece of the festival will be the Open All-Russian Team Rapid Chess Competition for schoolchildren. The tournament features a new format based on the Intellect Academy system. All games are streamed online with commentary from international grandmasters – a format with no parallel in the world.
In 2023, the tournament was added to the calendar of the Asian Chess Federation and granted international competition status.
«What makes this event particularly meaningful for me is the opportunity to study different organizational structures and gain valuable experience. I am confident that participating in this event will open many new horizons for us and provide invaluable knowledge, » said Hisham Al Taher, General Secretary of the Asian Chess Federation, member of the Board of Directors, and CEO of the Al Ain Chess and Intellectual Club (UAE), one of the festival's distinguished guests.
Participants can look forward to a packed program. Beyond the chess matches and intense competition, the schedule includes simultaneous exhibition games with international grandmasters, an international blitz tournament with rating calculations, a «Exchange Chess» tournament, and a variety of entertainment offerings. The chess festival has brought friends together, erasing borders and distances.