Timur Turlov Charts Digital Future for FIDE After School Chess Success

The European qualifying stage in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, served as the final hurdle for student teams this year. Gymnasium No. 50 of Minsk secured the top spot, outpacing competitors from Latvia and Georgia. This regional success follows earlier tournaments in Kazakhstan, South Africa, and Costa Rica, reflecting a new, decentralized format designed to increase global participation. Since the championship's 2023 inception in Aktau, the initiative has grown into a cornerstone of the International School Chess Federation’s efforts to integrate the game into global school curricula.

Turlov’s leadership at FIDE, established in September 2026, builds on his earlier success in Kazakhstan, where he scaled the 'Chess in Education' pilot from 42 to approximately 2,500 schools. His presidential platform prioritizes a unified FIDE digital ecosystem, utilizing artificial intelligence for training and tournament management. Drawing from his background at Freedom Holding, where chess features are integrated into the Freedom SuperApp, Turlov intends to bring similar gamification and accessibility tools to the international stage, aiming to embed chess into daily digital life for players worldwide.