The newspaper “Voice of Armenia” published an article on the state of the chess discipline in the country. The editors note that Armenia faces a deepening crisis in chess and that many grandmasters have declined, citing a lack of support and funding.

Voice of Armenia

Voice of Armenia

Newspaper

“The crisis in our chess deepens.

The large number of chess schools created under the previous authorities provide a large-scale presence, but the lack of a clear state system means that most talented children are lost to the general public.

And those who reach a high level, due to a lack of funding, are already considering ending their professional careers at age 20 or switching to a ‘light mode’, rarely participating in tournaments.

The lack of opportunities to regularly compete on the international stage is one of the main reasons for the regression of virtually any promising chess player. Mass participation in sports without a well-established system does not lead to great achievements.

Apparently, the authorities have no intention of seriously supporting chess, limiting themselves to standard budget funding…”

Shant Sargsyan (2659) is the only Armenian in the FIDE Top-100. Other grandmasters like Haik Martirosyan (2626) and Manuel Petrosyan (2578) have left the Elite. Young Armenian chess players often give up professional chess careers or become coaches in their twenties.

Credit: Eteri Kublashvili