When was your Federation founded?
Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KCF) was established in 1992 for the development of this sport in the country, holding competitions inside the country and organizing the participation of leading athletes and national teams of Kazakhstan in international competitions and promoting healthy lifestyles.
The Chess Federation of Kazakhstan, which existed in the times of the USSR, was reorganized into the Kazakh Chess Federation (Chess Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan) in the first years after gaining independence. The first Chief of the new KCF (in that time – a Сhairman) was poet, writer, public figure Olzhas Suleimenov. In this position, in total, he spent 18 years – from 1977 till 1995. The current President of the Federation – Galymzhan Yessenov – was elected at the KCF Congress on July 4, 2015.
Kazakhstan Chess Federation carries out its activities in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Civil Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Law «On public associations», Charter and other legislative acts.
KCF conducts active work in the following areas:
- Development and popularization of chess in Kazakhstan;
- Creation of technical base, practical and methodological assistance in creating chess clubs;
- Propaganda and development of chess among children and youth;
- Carrying out competitions;
- Ensuring the participation of the national team of the Republic of Kazakhstan in international tournaments (Championships, Cups etc.);
- Individual support of athletes.
Contacts of KCF: Republic of Kazakhstan, 050040, Almaty city, av.Al Farabi 36, block B, Business Center «АFD», 3d floor, E-mail: office@kazchess.kz
How many chess players are there in your country?
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan, there are 6,138 schools in the country; total 173,205 people are engaged in chess in the country.
Do you have FIDE titled and rated players?
Female athletes of the Republic of Kazakhstan (of the 100 best female chess players):
- IM – 2,
- WGM – 6,
- WIM – 6,
- WFM – 24,
- WCM – 3.
Male athletes of the Republic of Kazakhstan (of the 100 best chess players):
- GM – 15,
- IM – 31,
- FM – 29,
- CM – 2.
Who are your top players?
The best results in international competitions are shown by two leading chess players of Kazakhstan – international masters. Dinara Saduakasova (ELO-2484), born 1996, 4-time World Champion, recognized as the best chess player of Asia up to 20 years by the Asian FIDE Federation. Zhansaya Abdumalik (ELO-2484), born 2000, 5-time World Champion, in 2018 fulfilled the third (final) norm of the male international grandmaster.
Top-5, men:
- Rinat Dzhumabaev, GM, 2621 ELO
- Murtas Kazhgaleev, GM, 2577 ELO
- Anuar Ismagambetov, GM, 2547 ELO
- Pavel Kotsur, GM, 2539 ELO
- Azamat Utegaliev, 2517 ELO
Top-5, women:
- Zhansaya Abdumalik, IM, 2484 ELO
- Dinara Saduakasova, IM, 2484 ELO
- Guliskhan Nakhbaeva, WGM, 2308 ELO
- Madina Davletbaeva, WGM, 2301 ELO
- Gulmira Dauletova, WIM, 2295 ELO
Tell us about the leader(s) in your National Chess Federation and their vision for chess in your country
The President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation is Galimzhan Shakhmardanovich Yessenov. He graduated from the Academy of Economics and Management «Eurasian Market Institute» on the specialty «Economics and Management», MBA degree from the London School of Business and Finance; he has 15 years of management experience in business, led manufacturing companies and headed the Board of directors of DeltaBank; he is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Company «Alliance – Life insurance» and Insurance company «Alliance Police», included in the insurance and bank holding “KNG Finance”.
Galimzhan Yessenov sees the main goal in the activities of the Federation in developing the intellectual potential of Kazakhstan people, strengthening the authority and creating a favorable image of Kazakhstan in the international chess arena. Kazakhstan Chess Federation actively works on the introduction of chess as a compulsory subject in Kazakh schools, which will help create a solid foundation of chess potential in the future of our country.
Are there major or proud accomplishments in recent years that we should know about?
The number of citizens who are more and more involved in chess is growing in Kazakhstan. If in 2015 the number of athletes at the tournaments, which have been organized by KCF, was 1000 people, then last year – more than 2,000 athletes. The Federation is systematically approaching the implementation of a number of long-term projects. This is the Program «Chess in the school», and holding major international tournaments in Kazakhstan. Annually we hold 20 republican and 3 major competitions with the participation of strong foreign grandmasters. This is also the program for improving the skills of trainers and arbitrators: now we competently select judges and train them. We are proud of our leading chess players – Zhansaya Abdumalik, Dinara Saduakasova, Rinat Dzhumabaev and Murtas Kazhgaleev. In September 2017, at the V Asian Games in Turkmenistan, our girls won “Gold”, and men – “Bronze”.
What are your major competitions??
Kazakhstan Championship in Classic for Men and Women, as well as Children and Youth Championship, Adult and Children’s Cups of Kazakhstan.
Is there chess in schools and how does it work?
In most schools in Kazakhstan there are chess clubs, un which from 10 to 15 schoolchildren of different ages are engaged in chess with a coach. Since the beginning of the academic year, 1st September, in the timetable of 18 schools in Almaty, Kyzylorda, Pavlodar and Pavlodar region, new subject “Chess” will appear. The sponsor of this project is the Scientific-Educational Foundation named after Sh. Yessenov. At the expense of this organization, schools are equipped with classes: each school received 20 sets of chessboards and figures, a demo board, a projector and a screen, a laptop, speakers, a printer, as well as textbooks specially prepared for the project “Chess in School”, workbooks for students and teaching guides for teachers.
Do you get support from your government and if so, how do they help?
The main sponsor of Kazakhstan Chess Federation is Scientific-Educational Foundation named after Sh. Yessenov. Federation is a public association; it does not receive any financial support from the state. The state allocates money for chess, but does not allocate them through the Federation. At the level of the sports management, athletes are sent to various competitions, tournaments. This money goes through local executive authorities (Akimats). Also, money is allocated for various tournaments; the state finances Children’s and youth sports schools, which have branches of chess. That is, the state’s attention to chess is serious enough.
Finally, please tell us about your developmental programs and activities
Within the framework of the development and popularization of professional chess in Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation implements a number of programs in the country. These are programs for holding national championships, children’s and adult cups of the Republic of Kazakhstan, participating in national teams in international official FIDE tournaments, training FIDE arbitrators, getting university education by trainers, and so on. The Federation pays much attention to the development of amateur chess. In particular, there is work to identify talented chess players, to expand the base for training international athletes, to create a reserve of national teams of Kazakhstan. To this purpose, the Federation is implementing a pilot project “Chess in schools”, publish children’s educational books in native language, hold chess tournament, in which representatives of various professions take part.