On June 18, a chess tournament was held at the French Institute in Turkmenistan for representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Turkmenistan and their families. The Chess Federation of Turkmenistan jointly with the French Institute in Turkmenistan organized the event, timed to coincide with International Chess Day.
The tournament brought together chess enthusiasts from the diplomatic community, providing a platform for intellectual competition, friendly communication, and the strengthening of international ties in an informal atmosphere.
Vepa Myalikgulyev, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, and Vincent Lorenzini, Director of the French Institute in Turkmenistan, welcomed the participants.
Following the official opening, the participants were presented with the competition regulations and rules. Vincent Lorenzini, Vepa Myalikgulyev, a representative of the Resmi Kepil insurance company, the tournament’s main sponsor, and Tajik Ambassador Vafo Alibek Niyatbekzoda, who attended the tournament as a spectator and fan, made the symbolic first move.
The competition was held in a Swiss system blitz format and included seven rounds with a time control of 7 minutes plus a 3-second increment per move. FIDE Arbiter Mergen Kakabaev served as the Chief Arbiter, assisted by National Arbiter Ogulsurai Bayrambaeva.
Throughout all rounds, the participants demonstrated a high level of concentration, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills under time constraints.
The tournament was held in an atmosphere of fair play, mutual respect, and competitive passion.
“Chess is a universal language that unites people regardless of national borders, profession, or position,” noted the organizers. Such meetings contribute to the development of “chess diplomacy,” creating additional opportunities for cultural dialogue and strengthening friendly relations between representatives of different countries.
After seven rounds, Rakhman Saparbayev, a representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), emerged victorious, scoring a maximum of 7 points.
Volker Basche, a representative of the German Embassy, took second place with 6 points.
Michael Finn, a representative of the British Embassy, won bronze with 5 points.
Special prizes were also presented during the awards ceremony. Elina Larina (UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia) was named the best female player. The youngest participant, 11-year-old Komron Niyatbekov, representing the Embassy of Tajikistan, also received a prize.
The awards ceremony took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The organizers expressed hope that holding chess tournaments for the diplomatic corps will become a good tradition and will contribute to the further development of cultural interaction and informal communication between representatives of the international community in Turkmenistan.
The tournament also served as a symbolic conclusion to the chess club season, which the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan hosts at the French Institute. Due to the summer holidays, all educational sections of the Institute, including the chess club, will be temporarily suspended from July to mid-September.
