World Schools Team Championship & Smart Moves Summit 2025: Where Chess Meets Learning!
World Schools Team Championship & Smart Moves Summit 2025: Where Chess Meets Learning!
Young talented minds, captivating topics, and important discussions: prepare to witness a thrilling display of brilliance, strategy, and determination, unfolding on American soil.
The World Schools Team Championship 2025 is set to bring together the brightest young chess talents from nearly every corner of the globe. From August 2–7, 2025, the world will witness an epic competition of minds, where school teams will determine the strongest chess players of their generation.
“In 2025, we’re taking everything to the next level. We expect a record number of teams and look forward to welcoming young chess players from every continent. We are deeply grateful to Freedom Holding Corp. for their unwavering support and commitment. I’m especially excited about the introduction of the Smart Moves Summit, which expands the impact of this championship by bringing together global thought leaders to explore how chess can transform education and empower the next generation.” said Emil Sutovsky, CEO of FIDE.
This truly global gathering, taking place in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the historic city of Alexandria, marks the first time such an event has been hosted in the city. The event tales place at Episcopal High School. The school's campus is exceptionally impressive, featuring different facilities and a modern design that fosters an ideal learning environment.
The World Schools Team Championship is governed jointly by FIDE and the International School Chess Federation. With a firm commitment to fairness, transparency, and sporting excellence, the official tournament regulations have been carefully crafted to uphold the highest standards.
More than 50 teams from different countries will contest an eight-round Swiss-format tournament. Each team is fielding four main players, one reserve and one non-playing captain. Time control is 45 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, with two games per day across four action-packed days.
The inaugural edition of the World Schools Team Championship was held in Kazakhstan in 2023, laying the groundwork for another leap forward which now integrates competitive play with an educational conference bringing together scientists and experts in the field of chess, learning and building life skills.
Young talented minds, captivating topics, and important discussions: prepare to witness a thrilling display of brilliance, strategy, and determination, unfolding on American soil.
The World Schools Team Championship 2025 is set to bring together the brightest young chess talents from nearly every corner of the globe. From August 2–7, 2025, the world will witness an epic competition of minds, where school teams will determine the strongest chess players of their generation.
“In 2025, we’re taking everything to the next level. We expect a record number of teams and look forward to welcoming young chess players from every continent. We are deeply grateful to Freedom Holding Corp. for their unwavering support and commitment. I’m especially excited about the introduction of the Smart Moves Summit, which expands the impact of this championship by bringing together global thought leaders to explore how chess can transform education and empower the next generation.” said Emil Sutovsky, CEO of FIDE.
This truly global gathering, taking place in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the historic city of Alexandria, marks the first time such an event has been hosted in the city. The event tales place at Episcopal High School. The school's campus is exceptionally impressive, featuring different facilities and a modern design that fosters an ideal learning environment.
The World Schools Team Championship is governed jointly by FIDE and the International School Chess Federation. With a firm commitment to fairness, transparency, and sporting excellence, the official tournament regulations have been carefully crafted to uphold the highest standards.
More than 50 teams from different countries will contest an eight-round Swiss-format tournament. Each team is fielding four main players, one reserve and one non-playing captain. Time control is 45 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, with two games per day across four action-packed days.
The inaugural edition of the World Schools Team Championship was held in Kazakhstan in 2023, laying the groundwork for another leap forward which now integrates competitive play with an educational conference bringing together scientists and experts in the field of chess, learning and building life skills.
Оn August 4–5, 2025, the Smart Moves Summit 2025 will take center stage, bringing together over 40 thought leaders from around the world to explore how chess is transforming education.
“The Smart Moves Summit is an important strategic step for our federation and for the future of education. It’s inspiring to see leaders from different fields come together to have an open dialogue about how chess can be more deeply integrated into school systems. We believe that chess is not only a game – it’s a powerful educational tool that fosters focus, creativity, and resilience in children around the world.” said Timur Turlov, President of the International School Chess Federation.
The event will cover a range of impactful topics, including how private sector leadership and public policy can align to create lasting educational transformations, the role of chess in youth empowerment, and strategies for improving gender equity and representation in chess. Experts will explore the integration of chess into education to support cognitive development, mental health, and classroom engagement, while also discussing sustainable non-profit models and outcomes-based program design.
An impressive lineup of confirmed speakers for the upcoming event has been announced. Among the distinguished participants is Timur Turlov, President of the International School Chess Federation. Joining him is Bill Poucher, Executive Director of the ICPC since 1988, Professor at Baylor University, ACM Fellow, and co-founder of both acm.org and the ICPC. Dr. Poucher has made significant contributions to fields including energy management, communications, vaccine research, and global enterprise systems. Also confirmed is Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Council, alongside Jerry Nash, Chair of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission. John Foley, Director of ChessPlus and Chair of the European Chess Union Education Commission, will also be present as a speaker, as will Victoria Winifred, a celebrated children's author and dedicated advocate for chess in schools. Among the many other fascinating speakers is Dr. Pep Suárez, a FIDE trainer, and psychologist.
Reflecting on the upcoming summit, Timur Turlov, President of the International School Chess Federation, remarked:
“By investing in chess education, we are laying the foundation for more inclusive, innovative, and resilient societies. The Smart Moves Summit 2025 is an important step toward aligning global expertise and vision to achieve that goal.”
Spread across 15 sessions featuring panels, workshops, speeches and round-table debates, the conference will bring a host of fresh ideas and stimulating discussions across science, education and learning.
This is your invitation to join us in Alexandria from August 2–7, 2025, for a one-of-a-kind event at the crossroads of competition, education, and collaboration.
Visit worldschoolteam2025.fide.com/summit to view more information and secure your seat. Early-bird pricing ending soon!
