World Chess Champions Will Hold Master Classes for Turkmenistan’s National Teams at KIDS EXPO 2026
The International Exhibition-Fair “KIDS EXPO: Everything for Children” will be held in Ashgabat from August 19 to 22. One of the highlights of its sports programme will be a large-scale chess festival featuring renowned international guests.
Two grandmasters and former world junior champions will visit Turkmenistan: Darmen Sadvakasov, First Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and Vice-President of the Asian Chess Federation, and Ilaha Gadimova, Woman Grandmaster and Secretary General of the Turkic Chess Association and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation. The renowned chess players will conduct educational master classes for Turkmenistan’s women’s and junior national teams.
The central event of the festival will be the international Kids Expo Chess Cup 2026, a rapid and blitz tournament to be held on August 19–20.
Interactive activities will be available to all exhibition visitors at the “Chess Island” area, including:
• a 30-minute express course on how to play chess;
• a simultaneous blindfold chess exhibition by experienced masters;
• prize quizzes, games against professional players and a themed photo zone.
As part of the business programme, an international round table will be held on August 19 with representatives of chess federations from 11 countries. Federation leaders and experts will discuss successful practices and prospects for introducing chess into school curricula across the region.
The tournament is organized and supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, the International School Chess Federation, the Turkic Chess Association, the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives (FACI) programme of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, the Freedom group of companies, and TurkmenExpo.
The chess festival at KIDS EXPO 2026 will be an important step toward promoting chess among children and young people in Turkmenistan, while also strengthening international cooperation in sports and education.
ORIENT
