Chess at Schools Project Implemented by Russian Chess

Chess at Schools Project Implemented by Russian Chess Federation with support from Charitable Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko

Charitable Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko The efforts of the Timchenko Foundation focus on the promotion of an active senior lifestyle, sports and culture, and assistance to families and children. These strategic thrusts are aimed at delivering a comprehensive solution to social ills in Russia. The Timchenko Foundation marked its fifth anniversary in 2015. The Foundation's official website: www. timchenkofoundation. org 2

Russian Chess Federation The Russian Chess Federation (RCF) is a non-governmental not-for-profit organization that brings together people and the chess federation of republics, krais, oblasts, federal cities, autonomous oblasts and autonomous okrugs of the Russian Federation. Founded 1992. The RCF's mission is to promote and support chess in Russia. The RCF organizes international and Russian national competitions and supports talented chess players in Russia. “White Rook” with support from the Timchenko Foundation Tal Memorial Petrosyan Memorial 3 Premier League Grand Finals of Russian Championship with support from the Timchenko Foundation

Chess at Museums Project Chess at Museums is an international project implemented jointly by the RCF and the Timchenko Foundation. The idea to hold chess tournaments at major cultural centres was first implemented during a match for the world crown, which took place at the Tretyakov State Gallery in 2012 as suggested by Andrey Filatov and Gennady Timchenko. As early as spring 2013, the RCF and the Timchenko Foundation held a super tournament called "Alekhine Memorial" at the Louvre and the Russian Museum. And in the autumn of the same year, a Grand Final of the Russian Chess Championship at Nizhny Novgorod museum. Thereafter, chess tournament rounds were hosted by the Hazine National Gallery of the National Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Fort No 5 Museum in Kaliningrad. In October 2016, the Novosibirsk State Museum of Local History hosted the matches of the Russian men and women championships. Chess is a special game, which is deeply rooted in culture and history. And the Chess at Museums project is designed to make this link evident to everyone. The organizers found an unorthodox format at the junction between sports and culture: chess tournaments hosted by the best museums in the world and in Russia.

Chess at Museums Project Social Day under the auspices of Timchenko Foundation Traditionally, the project features multi-board chess games between young chess aficionados and leading grandmasters. During the 2016 Super Finals, such sessions were held at four locations at the same time: the chess section of a junior sports school (Novosibirsk), Biotech Park (industrial township of Koltsovo), the Maestro junior chess centre (town of Berdsk) and a junior arts centre (town of Toguchin). Pitted against the young chess players were grandmasters Sergei Rublevsky, Yevgeny Nayer, Pavel Tregubov and Yevgeny Miroshnichenko. Novosibirsk Kazan Nizhny Novgorod

White Rook Russian National Tournament Since 2014 the Timchenko Foundation has been sponsoring the final of the All-Russian National competition for school teams called “White Rook”, which made it possible to put together an extra programme for the first time, as well as providing comfortable accommodation for the contestants on the coast of Krasnodar Krai. In 2015, thanks to sponsorship from the Foundation, White Rook went international. The teams from 75 RF states were joined in the competition by 6 national teams. In 2016, the tournament's open finals were entered by 82 teams from 80 Russian provinces and 9 foreign countries (364 schoolchildren in all). In the qualifying rounds competed over 6500 schoolchildren. In 2014 the White Rook winners were for the first time able to take part in an international tournament organized with support from the Timchenko Foundation – the Russian-Chinese Friendship Match in the city of Beijing. In 2015 the tournament took place in Shanghai. In September 2016 the Friendship Match was hosted by Russia for the first time and took place at Kamchatka.

Chess at Schools Project In 2014 the RCF and the Charitable Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko launched a project called “Chess at Schools”.

Stakeholders Number of schools that received supplies • In the 2014/2015 school year the competition entrants numbered 28 schools – some 700 pupils. 250 200 • In 2015/2016 schools and pupils numbered 100 and 2500 respectively. 150 100 • In the 2016 school year the project was joined by another 5 provinces. 50 0 2014 -2015 гг. 2015 -2016 гг. 2016 -2017 гг. 8

Major components of Chess at Schools project Chess equipment upgrade Assessment and encouragement of school involvement Competition for the best arrangements to teach chess at school

Desired outcome of Chess at Schools project in 2016 -2017 1. Implementation of the Year One Chess School Tutorial at the chessteaching schools in 7 regions which participate in Chess at Schools project. 2. Introduction of the Year Two Chess School tutorial at chess-teaching schools. 3. Provision of chess supplies to 235 schools. 4. Hold regional competitions for best chess teaching. Award 3 schools in each region based on their performance. 5. Supply the schools with a total of 96 laptops, 210 chess sets and 20 chess clocks as prizes to the competition winners.

Competition for the best arrangements to teach chess at schools In the 2016/2017 school year a competition will be held at schools in the 6 states where chess is taught for best chess teaching, which will be open to urban and rural schools. Purpose of the competition: • identify the best schools where chess is taught to a high standard of professional excellence (based on the points scored). • identify the best organizers of chess events and the best teachers (managers, principals) and coaches in the chess context. 11

Chess at Schools Criteria for school assessment • Chess teacher credentials. • A chess championship held at the school. • A chess classroom at the school. • Prominence of the chess class on the timetable. • Participation of the school's pupils in rounds of the White Rook Russian national competition for school teams and their results. • Participation of the school's pupils in local rounds and in the chess olympiad in its territory and their results.

TUTORIAL The RCF has published Year One Chess Tutorial with support from the Timchenko Foundation. The tutorial includes a textbook, a workbook and a teacher's guide. The teaching pace is consistent with the current guidelines for primary schooling.

TUTORIAL The illustrations and layout of the new textbook have been produced by a well-known St Petersburg publishing house called “Polyandria”, which specializes in children's literature. The illustrations factor in the cognitive patterns and psychology of modern-day second-graders.

SCHOOL TEXTBOOK In compliance with the curriculum requirements, the textbook content is divided into 34 lessons. These include review and reinforcement lessons. The textbook was released in February 2015. It is currently in beta-testing, with year two teaching aids in the pipeline.

Thank you for your attention. RCF Mark Glukhovsky, Executive Director m. gluhovsky@gmail. com Tel. : +7 (495) 691 -97 -55 The Charitable Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko Igor Baradachev, deputy general director ibaradachev@timchenkofoundation. org Tel. : +7 (495) 660 -56 -40