First Russian Chess Academy opened in Khanty-Mansiysk

A Chess Academy was opened in Khanty-Mansiysk in September 2010. The Academy had been constructed within the Gazprom to Children program with the use of cutting-edge energy-saving technologies and solutions making it versatile.

The Academy building comprises two training halls, a specialized multi-purpose room containing 128 game tables and an adjustable spectator space as well as a computer room equipped with the specialized software enabling the Chess Academy students to compete with counterparts from any part of the world.

Young chess players were presented with the symbolic key of the new building by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Natalia Komarova, Governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. Moreover, they started the first tournament in the new Academy.

The Chess Academy has already formed groups of students aged below 5 years and schoolchildren in Khanty-Mansiysk. Citizens from other population centers of the Autonomous Okrug will enjoy distant learning programs via the Internet.

In October 2010 the Chess Academy hosted the 39th World Chess Olympiad, the 81st FIDE Congress General Assembly as well as the International Workshop titled “Chess as a Tool to Develop Children’s Minds”. Upon the end of the World Chess Olympiad, where the Russian female team took the first place and the male team – the second place, the Academy was at full disposal of young chess players of Yugra. The Academy will serve as a tournament venue and a chess training, education and guidance center of the region.

In 2011 up to 30 tournaments including the Urals Federal Okrug Championship and semi-finals of the Russian Chess Championship will be held in the Academy.