Chess in Education conference takes place in Almaty on 12-13 November 2026
Published · By TG, the site operator
FIDE has announced the 4th International Scientific and Practical Conference "Chess in Education", to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 12 and 13 November 2026. Sessions open at 10:00 on both days at Narxoz University, 55 Zhandosov Street. The announcement was posted on the FIDE news page on 27 October 2026.
What the two days cover
The programme combines panel discussions, presentations of teaching programmes and hands-on workshops. The FIDE page lists these subjects: chess for cognitive skills, critical thinking and mathematics; training large numbers of teachers; placing chess in school curricula; encouraging girls and women to play; and using digital tools in lessons. Representatives of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education are due to review interim results from bringing chess into schools.
The speakers named
- Timur Turlov, President of FIDE and of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation
- Anzel Laubscher, a member of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission
- Dr Jonathon Quest, visiting associate professor at Webster University
- Ali Abbas, President of the Syrian Chess Federation
- Ramon Chalmeta Ugas, President of the Catalan Chess Federation
Registration is online, and the FIDE page gives a separate press office number for media accreditation. Anyone who wants to attend should use the registration link on the FIDE page rather than a third-party listing.
Why it matters to a casual player
Much of the programme is aimed at teachers and education planners, but the skills it names apply at any level. Sorting a position into checks, captures and threats before choosing a plan is a critical-thinking habit as much as a tactical one. The conference is about teaching that skill to pupils, so the habit is worth practising yourself.
How to practise the habit on this site
- Pick Easy, Normal or Hard for the computer and play a short run of games on one level before you move up.
- When you notice a threat too late, press Undo in the game controls. It takes back the last move so you can look at the position again and see what you missed.
- After each game, write down the one check you skipped most often, such as a capture on the far side of the board, and make it the first thing you look for next time.
The site has no classroom features: there are no class accounts, teacher dashboards or school reports, so nothing here changes because of the conference. The rules guide covers the draw rules you will need during practice games, and the FAQ explains the computer levels.
Sources
- FIDE News — FIDE, 27 October 2026
- International conference 'Chess in Education' to be held in Almaty — FIDE, 27 October 2026
Written by the operator of this site from the sources listed above. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected] and it will be corrected.