A chess celebration in Stockholm
The second day of the Chess Party, held on April 18 at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, brought together every generation and level of the chess world under one roof. With around 2,500 participants and 25 different events spread across two days, the festival has quickly become one of the most compelling gatherings on the international chess calendar. The presence of world-famous figures such as Magnus Carlsen, legendary grandmaster Judit Polgar, popular chess creator and master Levy Rozman, Swedish icons Pia Cramling and Anna Cramling, and widely followed personalities like Andrea Botez gave the event not only sporting importance but also strong cultural appeal.
One of the highlights of the day was the Little Star Girls Blitz, a tournament dedicated to girls under 18. Opened by Swedish Grandmaster Pia Cramling, the blitz event stood out for its aim of creating a safe, encouraging and positive playing environment as much as for competition itself. The tournament forms part of a broader international initiative led by the FIDE Women’s Commission to inspire more girls around the world to take up chess. Events like this do more than showcase emerging talent at an early age; they also help reshape the outdated perception that chess is a male-dominated space.
Running alongside it, the Queen’s Party captured the spirit of the festival with its inclusive format open to women of different ages and backgrounds. Designed for beginners, improving players and those discovering that they truly belong in the chess community, the event created a strong sense of belonging beyond pure competition. Between rounds, participants were treated to a talk by Judit Polgar, one of the greatest players in history and widely regarded as the strongest female player ever. Her insights and experiences turned into one of the most inspiring moments of the day, especially for younger participants.
At the same time, a major open tournament featuring roughly 1,000 players raised the energy in the arena even further. Open to everyone regardless of age, rating or experience, the event clearly reflected the festival’s central message: chess is for everyone. That idea also connects closely with Sweden’s widely admired Schackfyran project. Built around the belief that “everyone is valuable,” this class-based chess competition is known as one of the largest school chess initiatives in the world, involving tens of thousands of fourth-grade students from more than 100 municipalities. The Stockholm festival brought exactly that vision to life: from little stars to world champions, everyone can share the same game around the 64 squares.