Day Two of Smart Moves Summit 2025:
Social Impact, Media Innovation, and Sustainable Growth in Chess Education
A dynamic day of dialogue, innovation, and inspiration unfolded as thought leaders from around the world gathered to explore the transformative power of chess in education and youth development.
The event opened with a TED Talk-style conference featuring Jenny Ingber, Rochelle Ballantyne, Kwadwo Acheampong, Robert Katende, and other distinguished speakers. The session highlighted how chess education is driving intellectual and social development among low-income youth, offering powerful tools for critical thinking, resilience, and opportunity.
“Young people are often overlooked and underestimated. Chess slows things down. It teaches them to breathe, to trust the next move, even if they are not sure what it is and that is why it works. That is why it matters.” – said Jenny Ingber, President and CEO of Chess in the Schools.
A high-profile panel discussion followed, bringing together Viktor Bologan, Ilya Merenzon, Jon Kristian Haarr, Lidiya Perovskaya, and other contributors to the chess community. The conversation focused on how strategic sponsorships and marketing initiatives can accelerate the growth of school chess programs while delivering tangible value to corporate and community partners.
“Performance that was shown by our contestants in the competition environment was completely clear. And that's precisely something that I strongly believe is shared between play of intellectual competitions and chess.” – discussed Lidiya Perovskaya, Head of Communications for the ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest).
“Сhess is not going away. We should get in while we can,” – remarked Jon Kristian Haarr, the Vice President of the Norwegian Chess Federation.
In a compelling dialogue moderated by Elliott Neff, experts including Michal Kanarkiewicz, Daniel Weissbarth, Jacob Kristensen, and Priyadharshan Kannappan explored the intersection of pedagogy, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurship in scholastic chess. The discussion emphasized the importance of adaptable learning models and scalable solutions to foster lifelong cognitive skills.
A forward-thinking roundtable moderated by Zachary Saine brought together speakers such as Svitlana Demchenko, Anna-Maja Kazarian, and Akeem Brown. Together, they examined how social media and streaming platforms are reshaping chess engagement globally. Three expert-led masterclasses were conducted to advance professional understanding and practice.
The day concluded with a powerful wrap-up session, reflecting on the key insights gained around integrating chess into school curricula, leveraging technology, building sustainable partnerships, and demonstrating measurable educational impact. Participants addressed the urgent opportunities and challenges ahead, setting the stage for long-term, scalable action to elevate chess as a core educational tool.
With two days of deep insights, real-world case studies, and collaborative energy now complete, the Smart Moves Summit 2025 concludes with a shared commitment to advance chess as a powerful educational tool!
The event opened with a TED Talk-style conference featuring Jenny Ingber, Rochelle Ballantyne, Kwadwo Acheampong, Robert Katende, and other distinguished speakers. The session highlighted how chess education is driving intellectual and social development among low-income youth, offering powerful tools for critical thinking, resilience, and opportunity.
“Young people are often overlooked and underestimated. Chess slows things down. It teaches them to breathe, to trust the next move, even if they are not sure what it is and that is why it works. That is why it matters.” – said Jenny Ingber, President and CEO of Chess in the Schools.
A high-profile panel discussion followed, bringing together Viktor Bologan, Ilya Merenzon, Jon Kristian Haarr, Lidiya Perovskaya, and other contributors to the chess community. The conversation focused on how strategic sponsorships and marketing initiatives can accelerate the growth of school chess programs while delivering tangible value to corporate and community partners.
“Performance that was shown by our contestants in the competition environment was completely clear. And that's precisely something that I strongly believe is shared between play of intellectual competitions and chess.” – discussed Lidiya Perovskaya, Head of Communications for the ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest).
“Сhess is not going away. We should get in while we can,” – remarked Jon Kristian Haarr, the Vice President of the Norwegian Chess Federation.
In a compelling dialogue moderated by Elliott Neff, experts including Michal Kanarkiewicz, Daniel Weissbarth, Jacob Kristensen, and Priyadharshan Kannappan explored the intersection of pedagogy, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurship in scholastic chess. The discussion emphasized the importance of adaptable learning models and scalable solutions to foster lifelong cognitive skills.
A forward-thinking roundtable moderated by Zachary Saine brought together speakers such as Svitlana Demchenko, Anna-Maja Kazarian, and Akeem Brown. Together, they examined how social media and streaming platforms are reshaping chess engagement globally. Three expert-led masterclasses were conducted to advance professional understanding and practice.
The day concluded with a powerful wrap-up session, reflecting on the key insights gained around integrating chess into school curricula, leveraging technology, building sustainable partnerships, and demonstrating measurable educational impact. Participants addressed the urgent opportunities and challenges ahead, setting the stage for long-term, scalable action to elevate chess as a core educational tool.
With two days of deep insights, real-world case studies, and collaborative energy now complete, the Smart Moves Summit 2025 concludes with a shared commitment to advance chess as a powerful educational tool!
