Welcome to the Chess tournament of this year’s inter-agency Games! Chess was one of the five original disciplines selected for the inaugural Games at Champéry, Switzerland, in 1971 and has proudly maintained this status among some 20 sports that are today in competition. Chess is not only a universal sport but one that caters to all ages and genders. We have participants returning year after year, until well beyond retirement, so that friendships are developed and maintained throughout the UN system and beyond.
My name is Derrick Deane (ex-Unesco & WHO) and I believe I am the dinosaur of the Games, having played in the very first Games. I have been the Chess Coordinator on numerous occasions and again this year. My role is to construct a competitive and enjoyable tournament that accommodates all qualified participants
For questions and enquiries, feel free to reach out to me:
IAG Registration and Participation
You will have registered through your agency focal point, with an invitation to determine your accommodation, either as part of the package deal with the Lyttos Beach hotel or independently, and to pay the corresponding fee. You are personally responsible for paying this fee, along with accommodation if booked separately, and travel costs.
The major hurdle that many applicants face, depending on nationality, is to obtain the necessary visa(s) for travel to Greece. You must personally initiate an application to the relevant Greek Consulate as soon as your online registration has been validated by your focal point. Upon request, the IAG Secretariat can provide a personalized visa letter to support the application (see para. 7.1 of the Invitation Letter)
Do not forget to enter your arrival and departure dates and times in the IAG on-line Pre-Registration form, even if outside the 6-10 May bracket, so as to assist with the planning of the airport shuttles and other transportation.
The Tournament
The tournament will be held in a conference room of the Lyttos Beach hotel
The teams will be formed according to the number of participants, the agency or thematic alignment, and the best balance of forces that can be managed. We will try to repeat last year’s configuration of 6 teams of 5 players each, which allows for 5 rounds of play with all teams playing each other. Should the numbers vary, we adjust accordingly, e.g. 6 teams of 4 players each or of 6 players each.
All teams in recent years have been multi-agency, e.g. ECE-ITC, but the basic rule is that staff from the same agency must play together on the same team. The final composition of the teams will be determined at the captains’ meeting on the Wednesday.
The tournament will be concentrated on Thursday and Friday, with 3 rounds of 2 hours each on Thursday and 2 rounds on Friday, roughly from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday is kept free so that participants can enjoy some leisure time or tourism.
The 3rd and last round on Friday is reserved for the voluntary Blitz tournament, a popular addition to the competition and for which a cup is awarded to the winner.
Rules Framework
The competition is held in accordance with the General Rules of the Games and the international chess provisions. A Director of Play is provided by the local chess association to conduct the tournament.
It is essential to appreciate that the regular chess tournament is a team competition and that a player with minimal chess skills will handicap the overall team results. By registering for the Games and the chess competition, participants have therefore confirmed that they meet the standard of play called for in IAG Chess Rule No. 3. Participants who do not meet this standard may be placed in reserve or even denied participation. The Blitz competition is open to all.