Gaziantep, the capital of European Women Chess!

Official Press Release (By ECU and TSF)

Gaziantep, the capital of European Women Chess!

5 November 2009, the President of European Chess Union Mr.Boris Kutin, and the president of Turkish Chess Federation and the Vice-President of FIDE Mr.Ali Nihat YAZICI was the guest of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality.

The reason of that top meeting was to plan a Project which will get an important position in European and World Chess.

The night of 4th November 2009, two presidents met in Gaziantep. Prof.Dr.Kıvanç Güngör (Chairman of TSF Medical Committee and member of FIDE Medical Committee) and Mr.Fatih Ekinci (member of TSF Board) met them in Gaziantep Airport. The morning of 5th November, chess delegation was accepted by the management team of Gaziantep Municipality. Bilateral meetings were held during the day and before night the decision was made in principle.

European Women Individual Chess Championships in Gaziantep, 3 years cosequently

The meetings were very successful. According to agreement by 2011 (2011, 2012, 2013) European Women Individual Chess Championship, European Women Rapid Championship, and European Women Blitz Championships will be organised in Gaziantep with a prize fund of 150.000€ each year. That price fund will be a record and ECU and TSF will try to make the events a record in Guinness Book. 2011 is clear since there is no other bid for the event. Considering high prize funds, Gaziantep will be a strong candidate for 2012 and 2013 events to get it if there is not a better proposal to ECU. Gaziantep will be absolutely the strongest candidate to get the event.

Municipality Sport Club will have a dream women team!

Not only organisations will be held in Gaziantep, but also Gaziantep Municipality Sport Club will enter to Türkiye İş Bankası Chess League with a team consists of only female players. The aim will be to win European Club Cup for women.

A very good move in the woman and children chess!

Municipality will invest on the next four years for women and children chess. The city, where chess is already very popular, a chess museum will be opened and many international activities will be organised.

The word of ‘women chess’ will mean ‘Gaziantep’ The aim of the Project to create an image for Gaziantep to be called as ‘women chess city’ or let us say the capital of European Women Chess.