New momentum in chess education cooperation between FIDE and Armenia

During an official working visit to Yerevan, Akaki Iashvili, FIDE Director for Special Tasks, examined Armenia’s chess education model on site. The first stop of the programme was the Armenian State Pedagogical University, the institution responsible for training chess teachers in the country. There, Iashvili was welcomed by Acting Rector Lilit Mkrtchyan. The meeting focused on the university’s academic structure, its mission in teacher training, and its degree programmes designed to bring chess into the classroom. One of the most striking themes of the visit was Armenia’s approach to chess not merely as a game, but as a serious educational field that helps develop thinking skills.

The university leadership particularly emphasized its approach to training chess teachers and integrating chess into classroom practice. This model aims not only to teach students about openings, the middlegame, or endgames, but also to strengthen problem-solving, attention, planning, and decision-making skills. Also attending the meeting were Vice-Rector Mariam Ispiryan and International Grandmaster Smbat Lputian, one of the most influential figures in Armenian chess. As the founding president of the Chess Academy of Armenia, director of the “Chess” Scientific Research Institute, a pioneer of the “Chess in Schools” programme, and First Vice-President of the Armenian Chess Federation, Lputian represents the country’s deep institutional experience in this field.

One of the most important stops on Iashvili’s visit was the “Chess” Scientific Research Institute, which operates within the university. With its full dedication to studying chess as a school subject for children, the institute stands out as a highly distinctive example on a global scale. Its research focuses on pedagogical methodologies, the contribution of chess education to cognitive development, its effects on character formation, and the continuous improvement of teaching techniques. At a time when many countries are trying, with varying intensity, to include chess in their education systems, Armenia’s ability to institutionalize this effort not only in practice but also through scientific research and teacher training is especially noteworthy.

In the practical part of the visit, Iashvili went to School No. 38 in Yerevan to observe how the programme works in the classroom. By attending lessons, the FIDE official had the opportunity to see firsthand that chess education is not limited to teaching how the pieces move; it is also used as a powerful tool for developing discipline, patience, concentration, and analytical thinking. Considering Armenia’s long-standing success in international chess, it is clear that this educational approach is no coincidence. The visit is being viewed as a strategic step that could pave the way for stronger future projects, teacher-training initiatives, and broader international cooperation between FIDE and Armenian institutions.