On 18 July, the French Institute in Turkmenistan hosted a chess tournament among representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Turkmenistan and their family members. The event, dedicated to International Chess Day, was organized by the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan in cooperation with the French Institute in Turkmenistan (l’Institut français du Turkménistan).
The tournament brought together chess enthusiasts from the diplomatic community, serving as a platform for intellectual rivalry, friendly communication, and the strengthening of international ties in an informal setting.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by Vepa Myalikgulyev, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, and Vincent Lorenzini, Director of the French Institute in Turkmenistan.
Following the official opening, the regulations and rules of the competition were presented to the participants. The symbolic first move was made by Vincent Lorenzini, Vepa Myalikgulyev, a representative of the Resmi Kepil insurance company (the tournament’s main sponsor), as well as the Ambassador of Tajikistan, Vafo Alibek Niyatbekzoda, who attended the tournament as a spectator and supporter.
The competition was held under the Swiss system in a blitz format, consisting of seven rounds with a time control of 7 minutes plus a 3-second increment per move. FIDE Arbiter Mergen Kakabayev served as the Chief Arbiter of the tournament, assisted by National Arbiter Ogulsuray Bayrambayeva.
Throughout all rounds, the participants demonstrated a high level of concentration, strategic thinking, and the ability to make decisions under time pressure. The tournament took place in an atmosphere of fair play, mutual respect, and sporting excitement.
“Chess is a universal language that unites people regardless of national borders, profession, or position,” the organizers noted. Such meetings contribute to the development of “chess diplomacy,” creating additional opportunities for cultural dialogue and strengthening friendly relations between representatives of different countries.
Following the results of the seven rounds, Rahman Saparbayev, representing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), emerged as the winner of the competition, scoring a maximum of 7 points.
Second place went to Volker Basche, representing the Embassy of Germany, with a score of 6 points.
Michael Finn, representing the British Embassy, took the bronze medal with 5 points.
Special prizes were also presented during the award ceremony. Elina Larina (UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia) was recognized as the best female player. A prize was also awarded to the youngest participant, 11-year-old Komron Niyatbekov, competing on behalf of the Embassy of Tajikistan.
The award ceremony took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The organizers expressed hope that holding chess tournaments for the diplomatic corps would become a fine tradition, further promoting cultural interaction and informal communication among representatives of the international community in Turkmenistan.
The tournament also marked the symbolic conclusion of the chess club’s meeting season, which the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan runs at the French Institute. Due to the summer holidays, the activities of all the Institute’s educational sections, including the chess club, will be temporarily suspended from July until mid-September. ///Chess Federation of Turkmenistan