Chess is a “great equalizer,” says Henry Lopez, a player from the Philippines. “It’s for everybody.”
Lopez, who uses a wheelchair because of polio, is among dozens of competitors from around the world who are participating this week at the 2nd Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities in Astana. The event is organized by FIDE, the international governing body of chess, and hosted by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, which is making a big push to introduce the game in schools across the country, as well as cultivate high performers at the elite level.
The weeklong competition, whose closing ceremony is on Saturday, features 34 teams from 29 countries. There are teams from Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. The players have visual, hearing, and physical impairments. The event is taking place at the Paralympic Training Centre, whose facilities are designed to help people with disabilities.
In an interview posted on YouTube by FIDE, Lopez said he was taking part in the second edition of the event. The first, won by Poland, was held in Belgrade, Serbia in 2023. The Philippines came third in Belgrade and will try for the top spot again in Astana.
“Chess for me now is my source of living in the Philippines,” Lopez said. “I’m a national player and we have stipend every month from the government.”
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said the contest has drawn more teams and more countries this time around, and was consistent with the organization’s goal of providing access to top level events to as many people as possible, according to a FIDE interview.
“We do believe that chess is inclusive and we have to make sure that it’s inclusive indeed,” Dvorkovich said.
Shantel Panashe Gweshe, a player from Zimbabwe, told FIDE that the Astana event had inspired her.
“When I go back to Zimbabwe, first thing, I’m going to make sure that I’m going to empower other people with disabilities to ensure inclusivity and participation,” she said.
