Nizhny Novgorod hosted an international chess festival.

      In Nizhny Novgorod, a two-day chess festival "Opening Cup 2026" was held, dedicated to the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. On May 15, an open Tournament of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia took place at the People's Unity House, featuring participants from various nationalities historically residing in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Additionally, on this day, an international online tournament of Nizhny Novgorod's twin cities was held, with teams from Abkhazia (Sukhumi) and Uzbekistan (Bukhara) participating. On May 16, the final of the "Opening Cup 2026" took place at the Sovcombank Arena stadium, gathering around 600 schoolchildren and about 2,000 spectators. The festival also included an educational marathon with lectures and master classes from leading chess experts in Russia. The main guest was one of the most titled female chess players in the world, grandmaster and two-time world blitz champion Valentina Gunina, who also held a simultaneous exhibition for Nizhny Novgorod chess enthusiasts on 10 boards. The festival was supported by the regional Ministry of Sports, the administration of Nizhny Novgorod, the Public Chamber of Nizhny Novgorod, and the Russian Military Historical Society (RVIO). "I was pleased to welcome the chess players at the stadium and thank the directors of general education schools that actively promote chess sports. I always say that training should not only focus on physical fitness but also on the mind. Chess is an excellent assistant in this! Thank you to the chess club 'Opening' for popularizing chess among schoolchildren and students. Congratulations to all participants and winners of the competitions! Nizhny Novgorod is rightly the 'Chess Capital of Russia' these days," said Dmitry Kabailo, the Minister of Sports of the Nizhny Novgorod region. "Nizhny Novgorod is ironically called the 'capital of everything,' but we have not yet been the chess capital, so we are correcting this misunderstanding. In recent years, our region has been implementing a regional program for the development of school chess, developed by us at the ANO 'Opening' and supported by the government of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the administration of Nizhny Novgorod, and this synergy has already yielded visible results—chess in Nizhny Novgorod is now one of the trendiest sports. The number of schoolchildren engaged in chess in Nizhny Novgorod schools has more than doubled in two years! This year, our Nizhny Novgorod chess festival reached a new level, gaining international status and dedicated to the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia—chess unites, it is a universal language understood all over the world," emphasized Roman Permyakov, co-founder of the chess club "Opening" and deputy chairman of the Public Chamber of Nizhny Novgorod. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.