The delegation of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, led by the governor Natalia Komarova, visited the World Chess Olympiad, which is currently taking place in Batumi, Georgia. On a trip, the head of Ugra is accompanied by Deputy Governor Yuri Yuzhakov, President of the Ugra Chess Federation Vasily Filipenko, Director of UgraMegaSport Valery Radchenko and other members of the Organizing Committee of the Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk.

Upon arrival at the Sport Palace of Batumi, where the matches of the main chess tournament of the biennium take place, Natalia Komarova first went to the playing hall to watch the games of the world’s strongest chess players, including Russian men’s and women’s teams, that include two representatives of Ugra – Dmitry Jakovenko and Olga Girya.

After visiting the playing hall, the head of the region attended the exposition of Ugra – host of the next, 44th World Chess Olympiad. The stand of the region shows the history and traditions of the Ugra land, the high popularity of chess in Russia and Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra. The expo panel of Ugra attracts much attention of the international chess community due to original decorations, colorful national costumes, use of modern multimedia equipment that allows to make a virtual trip through Khanty-Mansiysk.

“We are certainly grateful to FIDE for trusting us,” – the head of the region said. – “This is a worldwide organization that unites chess players around the world, which trusts Khanty-Mansiysk to conduct various competitions. We do not ponder why. I believe, because we love chess and create conditions for chess to love the whole Ugra people. You know that our teaching of chess is included in the compulsory educational program, and for the 2016-2017 school year more than 110,000 schoolchildren have passed through these programs. It is a universal understanding that chess is a platform where you can develop yourself, achieve success and the opportunity to tell the world about yourself, including the place where we live – about Khanty-Mansiysk, Ugra, about Russia. Of course, this motivates us to unite and offer our capabilities to FIDE so that various events and competitions are held in our country and in Ugra.”

The head of the region also had a chance to talk to the organizers of the Olympiad in Batumi, FIDE officials, representatives of chess federations of different countries, arbiters, commentators, players and journalists covering the tournament. Everyone wanted to know more about the region where the next Olympiad will take place. Thus, the sixth World Chess Champion Maia Chiburdanidze admitted that she had never been to Khanty-Mansiysk. The legendary chess player was surprised when Natalia Komarova informed her that it is possible to reach the capital of Ugra by plane from Moscow in just three hours, because in the eyes of many foreigners, Western Siberia is a remote and hard-to-reach land.

It should be noted that the World Chess Olympiad in Batumi has a record number of participating countries. Representatives of 189 countries from all over the world are fighting for victory in it.

The governor admitted that the rich experience of Ugra in conducting chess competitions of the highest level does not mean that the organizers do not need to adopt the experience of other organizing committees and host countries. “We have arrived to Batumi so that the experience that the organizers have developed here is used in Khanty-Mansiysk. This is a very useful meeting, because if you organize some kind of competition, you should definitely know what has already been done to move on. We know what needs to be done in Khanty-Mansiysk to move forward and to conduct the best possible event.”

It should be noted that, in addition to the 2020 Olympics, two more major tournaments will be held in the next two years in Khanty-Mansiysk: the FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship in November 2018, and the FIDE World Cup in 2019.

This Sunday, March 23, in the vicinity of Batumi at the stadium “Black Sea Arena” the opening ceremony of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad took place. Participants and guests were greeted by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and other officials.

Besides the main games of the Olympiad that attracted players from 189 countries, the program of the event includes tournaments for amateurs, exhibitions and presentations. In particular, the host of the next, 44th World Chess Olympiad – Ugra, presented its expo panel at the tournament. Many chess players, participants, organizers and representatives of FIDE from different countries wanted to become acquainted with the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug ahead of schedule.

For instance the panel was visited by the FIDE President Candidate Arkady Dvorkovich, the fifth female world champion in the chess’ history, the first female international grandmaster, the first female international grandmaster among men Nona Gaprindashvili and the sixth female world champion, nine-times winner of the Chess Olympian Maia Chiburdanidze.

The Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova will join the delegation later. As a part of the closing ceremony there will be the handover of the FIDE flag to the next Olympiad host – Khanty-Mansiysk.

The right to host the Olympiad was given to Khanty-Mansiysk in Baku in September 2016. The participants of the General Assembly of FIDE unanimously voted for the candidacy of the Ugra capital. It should be noted that in addition to the 2020 Olympiad, in the next couple of years Khanty-Mansiysk will host two more major tournaments: the Women’s World Chess Championship, which will be held in November 2018, and the World Cup in 2019.

The 43^rd World Chess Olympiad has been taking place in Batumi (Georgia) from September 23 to October 6. Men’s team of Russia represented by Vladimir Kramnik, Ian Nepomnyashchiy, Sergey Karyakin, Nikita Vitiugov and a player from Ugra Dmitry Jakovenko, has the second starting number. The first place belongs to USA team, the reigning champion of Chess Olympiad. The main rivals of our chess players are teams of China, India, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, France, Armenia, Great Britain and Israel. Meanwhile the Russian chess players top the rating list of the women’s tournament. Team Russia is represented by Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandra Goryachkina, Valentina Gunina, Natalia Pogonina and Ugra chess player Olga Girya. Their main competitors are teams of China, Georgia, Ukraine, India, France, Poland and Kazakhstan.

Recently the first round of the 43^rd World Chess Olympiad has ended. In men’s tournament team Russia won the match against team Uganda with a shutout. During the second round team Russia will face Ireland. Women’s team Russia defeated Costa Rica with a score 3,5:0,5. Valentina Gunina, Natalia Pogonina and Olga Girya won, Alexandra Goryachkina had a draw.

Photo: David Llada, Goga Chanadiri

In order to get an accreditation to the Women’s World Championship 2018 in Khanty-Mansiysk you need to fill the following form and send it to the official press team of the event:

The location of the press center and accreditation center will be announced later.

The deadline for sending accreditation requests is October 29.

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Press service contact:
Chief of Media Anna Volkova (English, Russian)
Tel.: +73467361234
Mobile phone:+79527154686
E-mail: media@ugramegasport.ru