2026: Year of Chess in Education

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF) have officially declared 2026 as the Year of Chess in Education.

This landmark initiative by FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich underscores his vision to prioritize education as a vital part of chess’ future. Chess serves as a foundation for developing young minds and promoting critical thinking.

According to Dvorkovich, more than 25 million children and 237,000 teachers and trainers are engaged in educational chess.

The FIDE also announced that a Global Survey on Chess in Education will be conducted this February and invited federations, schools and partner organizations worldwide to provide comparative cross-country data and insights to guide global efforts.

This global survey will gather insights to shape FIDE’s Educational Strategy and Action Plan for 2027-2030, ensuring that chess remains a strong tool for learning and inclusion.

The survey and action plan will also increase international visibility and recognition as the results will be shared with UNESCO, UNICEF, ministries of education, universities and NGOs.

These developments could be the push that Philippine universities need to become more proactive in promoting chess within the school system. 

As I discussed in an earlier column, sports development in the Philippines is stagnating due to a fragmented education governance system, from basic to higher education.

The disjointed governance structure is most apparent in higher education, where very few school-based tertiary sports leagues include chess on their calendars. There is no inter-league competition that culminates in a national championship.

The sluggish progress of chess in the country is both discouraging and concerning.

Who can forget nine-year-old chess champion Bince Operiano, who (along with his father) had to sleep on airport benches in Bangkok for three nights because they couldn’t afford to buy plane tickets all at once for an international competition?  

Or Filipino Super GM Wesley So, who left the country due to frustrations with chess officials and joined the US Chess Federation?

But we can and should be good at chess.

Eugene Torre, the first Asian grandmaster, pioneered international recognition for Asian chess players. Known as the Ironman of Chess Olympiads, he competed 23 times, earning medals in 1974, 1980 and 1986 and made history as the oldest medalist at 64 during the 2016 Chess Olympiad. He was inducted into the World International Chess Hall of Fame in 2021.

While Eugene Torre was the first Asian grandmaster in 1974, India’s Vishwanathan Anand became the third Asian GM in 1988 and went on to win five world championships. Both proved that Asians can compete at the highest levels. 

Since then, India has produced 89 GMs compared to 19 Filipino GMs. Currently, 12 Indians are ranked in the top 100 on the FIDE chess list. No Filipino is in the top 100, unless you still count Wesley So, who is ranked eighth worldwide.

How is India producing all these outstanding chess players?

Both India and the Philippines share many similarities. 

In both countries, chess is regarded as a mentally challenging activity that parents value for its role in their children’s development. Both nations have large, young populations, creating a significant pool of potential talent. Young people in both countries are often described as highly motivated, diligent and hardworking traits essential for success in a demanding game like chess. 

Both the Philippines and India have successful chess players who serve as role models for young people.

But significant differences exist.

The Indian government has successfully integrated chess into its education system. It allocates sports quota seats in colleges to national-level players and provides permanent, sponsored positions to those who achieve Grandmaster status.

Government agencies and private companies employ skilled chess players, and funding from wealthy sponsors is also accessible. 

There are dedicated chess academies that attract students from around the world and offer a structured development path.

In the Philippines, chess players encounter significant financial difficulties. Coaching and traveling to international, norm-eligible tournaments are costly and often beyond the economic reach of many talented players.

There is an ongoing lack of a long-term development plan and stable financial backing from national sports organizations or private companies to help players become global stars.

In the UAAP, financial support and TV contracts only cover basketball and volleyball, and no business tycoon has stepped up to promote chess development.

As a result, many of our top players – including GMs Wesley So, Rogelio Barcenilla, Joseph Sanchez, Bong Villamayor and Julio Sadorra – are abroad, where better infrastructure, financial opportunities and support systems are available.

We can do better. It starts when our education leaders recognize that chess develops young minds and boosts critical thinking, and then begin incorporating it into the school system.

Our obsession with basketball and volleyball must be tempered by the realization that we can actually achieve world-class status in chess faster than these sports.

Our universities must take this FIDE initiative seriously, participate in the international survey and create chess programs more effectively.

There are so many young Filipinos aspiring to become the next Eugene Torre or Wesley So.

The question is: can the PSC, DepEd, CHED and higher education institutions ever work together to support these aspiring chess players?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Let us make the Year of Chess in Education count.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]