September in chess flew by at full throttle – both in terms of pace and the sheer number of events. At times, it felt like we might forget something, miss something, or simply fail to see it all through. But you know, I think we maintained that rhythm, and as a result, Kazakhstan gained new reasons to be proud of its domestic chess. Let’s talk about it.

We successfully hosted the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships in Almaty, and my colleagues at the Federation and I breathed a collective sigh of relief.

For nearly two weeks, our city became a home for young players from dozens of countries, and you could genuinely feel that Almaty was living and breathing chess. The event coincided with Almaty City Day, which doubled the festive atmosphere.

Ultimately, playing at home helped our chess players unleash their full potential and deliver what is, without exaggeration, a triumphant performance. Kazakhstan captured three gold medals, surpassing our 2024 results (two golds and one silver) and leaving 2023 far behind (one gold and one bronze).

The players behind these victories in Almaty were Alisha Bissaliyeva, Adinur Adilbek, and Danis Kuandykuly. Remarkably, Danis had already claimed gold two years ago in Egypt.

The competition this time was equally fierce: over 840 participants from 88 countries. Once again, Kazakhstan finished first in the team standings.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone who helped us organize this championship: the winners and participants, parents, partners, coaches, and organizers. Together, we have written another fantastic page in chess history!

I want to share a bit about the mood at the tournament. Generally, in chess, it is customary to hide one’s emotions, but children are completely different. They sat down at the board with serious faces, yet their eyes were glowing with enthusiasm.

It was evident how much our foreign guests were enjoying their time in our country, and how many vivid impressions were made on the children from our own cities and regions – represented by 229 players from every corner of Kazakhstan. Throughout the tournament, this genuine childhood sincerity and energy charged the guests, arbiters, and everyone present.

There was also a joint excursion to Shymbulak, where many saw mountains for the first time, watched, and even danced the Kazakh folk dance Kara Zhorga. The kids from Africa held real snow in their hands for the very first time in their lives!

You know, I believe this is precisely where Kazakhstan’s strength lies.

We are not only capable of hosting world-class tournaments, but we can also create warm, genuine moments for our guests that are forever carved into the soul.

This is invaluable and goes far beyond “just chess.”

Of course, a massive highlight for us in September was the attention and support from our President.

Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly found time to visit the Chess House, which we opened a year ago in a picturesque location in the Akmola Region, on the shores of Lake Kopa in Kokshetau.

It is deeply symbolic that this building formerly served as a regional residence, but the Head of State decided to hand it over to the children.

Our Federation’s team carried out a complete renovation, supplied all the necessary equipment, and set up spaces for training and recreation.

Less than a year later, we demonstrated to the country’s leadership the comfortable conditions in which our chess players are training today.

The national team players and all of us at the Federation were immensely inspired by the meeting with the President: the open conversation, his encouraging guidance, and his words of support. All of this will serve as the fuel to drive us toward new victories for Kazakhstan.

Moreover, during the meeting, we realized just how much we have already achieved and that we are capable of even more. Winning 160 medals in 2024 is certainly not the limit for our country. The key is to build for the long term – to develop infrastructure and school chess, while expanding participation and improving the quality of training. This is precisely what we are striving for.

Obviously, the President's visit sent a clear and unmistakable signal: chess in our country must and will continue to grow. For our part, we will do everything possible to strengthen it and infuse it with new meaning. I can personally vouch for that.

Speaking of the Chess House, the regional governor (Akim) Marat Muratovich Akhmetzhanov was a tremendous help with its opening. We always remember this with deep gratitude. We sincerely hope and expect that my fellow business leaders and regional administrations (akimats) in other parts of the country will assist in opening similar centers.

September also brought a brilliant victory by Xeniya Balabayeva at the FIDE World Junior Rapid Championships in Peru, as well as a triumphant performance by Bibisara Assaubayeva at the prestigious FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand.

Another major development lies ahead.

A large and vital story awaits us: in October, Astana will host the 2nd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities.

This is a major FIDE event that we were entrusted to organize. Preparations are already well underway, with active support from the capital's Akimat. My heartfelt thanks go to Akim Zhenis Mahmuduly Kassymbek.

Why is this tournament so important? Quite simply, chess has the unique power to be a catalyst for inclusion. It gives everyone the opportunity to realize their potential and overcome both internal and external barriers – to finally feel accepted, valued for their intellect, and recognized for their strength of will.

Kazakhstan needs tournaments like this. They make equality and accessibility the standard for both sporting and social life.

We are expecting 34 teams from around the world at the Olympiad. If all goes well, the principles of inclusion will begin working in practice right away – in how we run tournaments, organize arbiting and logistics, and ensure that the venues themselves are accessible.

This will be a major contribution toward developing an environment where people, regardless of their social status, have genuine opportunities for growth, progress, and international athletic success.

I want to share another piece of fantastic news with you.

This year, our school chess program completely surpassed all initial forecasts. Today, more than 1,500 schools across all regions have already integrated chess into their curricula – even though our original target was 1,400 schools by 2027! This means that over 60,000 children are now playing chess. Phenomenal numbers! We could not be prouder of this result.

Our kids are incredibly curious and bright, and they are increasingly choosing chess. To me, this shows that an ambitious, bold generation is growing in Kazakhstan – one that isn’t afraid to demonstrate its intellect and challenge its competitors. It is truly inspiring.

To properly nurture our future leaders, it is essential to establish the right framework directly within the school environment. This was precisely the central theme of the 3rd International Conference “Chess in Education,” which we organized in Almaty jointly with FIDE.

The platform brought together not only key domestic industry experts, but also colleagues from the United States, European nations, Türkiye, and Armenia. It was several days of high-quality networking and brainstorming focused on answering a vital question: What will school chess look like tomorrow? Where do we see opportunities for growth and common ground today?

Fostering this global dialogue and building strong working connections serves the interests of all nations aiming to secure a strong position in the future architecture of intellectual leadership. Kazakhstan is most definitely among them. We will do our best to host such events more frequently.

Thank you for your love and support for chess! There are many more great achievements and exciting developments ahead. Let’s stay in touch.