Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon |  SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan - This September, the world’s chess community has turned its attention to Samarkand, one of Central Asia’s oldest cities and a historic crossroads of cultures and civilizations.

 

 

The ancient Uzbek city is hosting the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, bringing together national teams from around the world for one of the largest and most prestigious events in international chess.

For Uzbekistan, however, the Olympiad represents more than a major sporting event. It is the culmination of a long-term national effort to transform chess from a specialised competitive discipline into a broad-based intellectual movement - one that reaches schools, neighbourhood communities, youth centres and families across the country.

The Uzbek approach can be summed up in a simple principle: from mass participation to world-class performance.

 

From the classroom to the world stage
Uzbekistan’s systematic efforts to develop chess gained new momentum in 2021, when President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved a comprehensive programme aimed at expanding and popularising the sport.
The programme placed particular emphasis on making chess accessible to children and young people, strengthening chess education in schools, organising competitions in schools and local communities, developing youth chess clubs and improving the training of coaches. At the same time, it established mechanisms for identifying talented young players and supporting their transition to high-level competitive chess.

 

The strategy was built around two complementary objectives
The first was mass participation: giving as many children and young people as possible an opportunity to discover chess and develop an interest in the game.

The second was elite development: identifying promising players at an early stage and providing them with the training, coaching and competitive experience necessary to reach the international level.

This combination has gradually created a broad and increasingly sophisticated chess ecosystem in Uzbekistan.

 

Bringing chess into schools and communities
One of the distinctive features of Uzbekistan’s approach is that the promotion of chess has not been limited to specialised sports institutions.
Chess clubs and programmes have been developed in general education schools, vocational and higher education institutions and youth centres. Regional competitions, training programmes and youth tournaments have also become an important part of the system.

Particular attention is given to children and teenagers. The objective is not simply to produce a small number of elite players, but to create an environment in which a child can discover chess, develop an interest in it and, where talent and motivation are present, progress towards professional competition.

The International Chess School established in Navoi Region is one example of this approach. It provides opportunities for specialised training, coaching and international-level preparation, while also contributing to the development of the country’s wider chess infrastructure.

 

Chess and the development of young minds
The game requires concentration, strategic thinking, patience and the ability to anticipate the consequences of decisions. These qualities have given chess a broader role in Uzbekistan’s approach to youth development and education.

The issue is also gaining international attention. During the Samarkand Chess Olympiad, FIDE is holding a Summit on Chess in Education, bringing together educators, researchers, policymakers and chess specialists to examine how chess can contribute to academic and life skills, creativity, concentration and critical thinking.

The discussion reflects a broader international trend: as education systems search for effective ways to develop analytical and independent thinking, chess is increasingly viewed as a practical educational tool rather than simply a competitive game.

For Uzbekistan, this educational dimension is central to the country’s chess strategy.

 

 From mass participation to a world-class chess school
The results of this policy are increasingly visible. In his address to participants of the 46th Chess Olympiad, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that more than two million people in Uzbekistan now play chess, while more than 6,000 chess players have official ratings and 32 Uzbek players hold the title of International Grandmaster.

These figures illustrate the scale of the transformation. The objective is no longer simply to introduce children to chess. Uzbekistan is developing a system capable of turning a broad pool of young enthusiasts into competitive players and, ultimately, into members of a world-class national team. The emergence of a new generation of Uzbek grandmasters has become one of the most visible results of this process.

Among them are Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov, whose performances on the international circuit have attracted growing attention. Their achievements have also created powerful role models for young players across Uzbekistan, demonstrating that a child who begins playing chess at school can eventually compete on the world stage.

 

Samarkand and the return of chess to its historic roots
Holding the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand carries particular symbolic significance. For centuries, Samarkand served as a major centre of scholarship, culture and intellectual exchange between East and West. The region also has deep historical connections with chess.

FIDE notes that the famous Afrasiab chess pieces, dating from around the seventh century, provide evidence of the early history of chess in Central Asia. Today, chess has returned to Samarkand in a very different form - as a truly global intellectual sport of the 21st century.

During the September Olympiad, the city has welcomed hundreds of national teams, thousands of players and coaches, officials and chess enthusiasts from around the world.

According to FIDE, the Open section has attracted more than 200 teams, while the Women’s section has set a new participation record, underlining the growing global reach of the competition.

For Uzbekistan, hosting such an event is an opportunity not only to showcase its emerging chess strength, but also to present the broader results of its investment in intellectual sport and youth development.

 

An investment in human capital
The Uzbek experience demonstrates how chess can be incorporated into a broader strategy for developing human capital. Mass participation creates a large pool of young players. School programmes help identify talent. Local and national competitions provide a competitive environment. Specialised academies and experienced coaches support further development. International tournaments then give promising players the opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best.

This creates a continuous development pathway rather than an isolated system for producing elite athletes.
It also means that the success of the national chess programme should not be measured solely by medals or rankings.

Every child who discovers chess, every school that establishes a chess club and every young player who decides to pursue the game seriously contributes to the development of a broader culture of strategic and analytical thinking.

 

 Chess as a bridge between countries
The Samarkand Olympiad also highlights the international and humanitarian dimensions of chess. Few sports can overcome linguistic and cultural barriers as naturally as chess. Players from different countries can compete, exchange experience and communicate through a common intellectual language.

This makes chess particularly well suited to international youth exchange and educational cooperation.

The Samarkand programme reflects this broader vision. Alongside the main Olympiad, Uzbekistan is hosting the Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, while FIDE’s programme includes educational and professional events bringing together participants from different countries and fields.

Chess therefore serves not only as a competitive sport, but also as a platform for inclusion, education and international dialogue.

 

A new chapter for chess in Central Asia
The development of chess in Uzbekistan also has a wider regional dimension. Central Asian countries have become increasingly visible in international chess, and the decision to hold the world’s largest team chess event in Samarkand places the region firmly on the global chess map.

For Uzbekistan, this creates opportunities to expand cooperation with neighbouring countries, share experience in youth development and sports education, and strengthen international partnerships.
The country’s approach is notable for combining high-performance sport with mass participation - seeking to build both champions and a broad chess culture.

 

Looking beyond the Olympiad
The lasting impact of the 46th Chess Olympiad may ultimately be measured not only by the final standings.
It may also be seen in the number of children who are inspired by the event to learn chess, the schools that establish new clubs and the young players who decide to take their first steps towards competitive chess.

 

This is the broader significance of Uzbekistan’s chess strategy.

Over the past several years, the country has expanded its chess infrastructure, built a large base of participants, strengthened youth development programmes and produced a new generation of internationally competitive players.

But perhaps the most important change is taking place beyond professional tournaments.

Chess is increasingly becoming part of everyday life for a new generation of Uzbeks - schoolchildren, university students, young professionals and families.

The principle of “from mass participation to excellence” therefore goes beyond sport. It reflects an approach to developing young people who are encouraged to think strategically, make informed decisions, remain focused and consider the consequences of their choices.

The 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand is consequently more than a major international sporting event.

It is a showcase of how a long-term national strategy, educational initiatives and public engagement can turn chess into a powerful instrument for youth development, intellectual growth and international cooperation.

Uzbekistan is not only seeking to raise champions. It is seeking to cultivate a generation for whom strategic thinking, curiosity and the ability to see several moves ahead are part of a broader culture of learning and personal development.