Newly elected FIDE President Timur Turlov called Armenia’s school chess program the best model in the world during his first official visit as head of the international federation, which he chose to make to Armenia, reports Zartonk Sports.
“The Armenian example of school chess is the best model for the whole world,” Turlov told reporters. “I love Armenia very much. We admire this country, and the entire international community has something to learn from Armenia. Armenia is achieving wonderful results in chess.” He pointed to the Armenian teams’ performances at the Chess Olympiad that had just concluded in Samarkand.
Turlov, who is also president of the International School Chess Federation, came to open the European Continental Stage of the 2026 World Schools Team Championship in Tsaghkadzor on September 29. The tournament runs under FIDE’s “Chess in Education 2026” initiative. Armenia has taught chess in schools since 2011 and was the first country to make the game a mandatory part of the public school curriculum, a program Turlov said has built the largest school chess culture in the world.
Later in the day, Turlov visited the Chess Academy of Armenia, where he was welcomed by Smbat Lputian, vice president of the Chess Federation of Armenia and the academy’s founder. He toured the academy, met children in a lesson, and praised its competition hall. “A wonderful hall, I am simply delighted,” he said, wishing the young players success.
Turlov noted this was not his first time in the country, only his first as FIDE president. His holding company operates in Armenia, and he said he visits about once a year.
He also described a new development fund being created under FIDE, intended to give talented young players the chance to travel, compete internationally, train, and work with leading specialists.
Turlov was elected FIDE president on September 26 in Samarkand, during the 46th Chess Olympiad, in a vote of 196 national federations. At 38, he became the second-youngest president in the federation’s history. The founder and chief executive of Freedom Holding Corp. and president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since 2023, he ran on a ticket with five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, who was elected deputy president.
