Chess federation, İşbank kick off centennial cup

ANKARA

In a celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Turkish Republic, the Turkish Chess Federation, in collaboration with private lender İşbank, has inaugurated a chess cup featuring a stellar lineup of 12 prominent chess athletes.

The tournament, which kicked off with intense first-round matches, is set to conclude with the announcement of the winner on Nov. 27 after semi-final and final showdowns.

The event held in the capital Ankara adopts an elimination system after the initial five rounds. The participating athletes include renowned names such as Mustafa Yılmaz, Vahap Şanal and Dragan Solak.

"One of our main goals is to introduce more young people and children to chess, to make them love this sport, and to train new athletes," said İşbank's deputy general manager, Suat Sözen, during the opening ceremony.

"We believe that the ethical values of chess and what it brings to its athletes are in line with the values of our republic... I am sure it will be an exciting event for the entire chess community," he added.

Gülkız Tulay, the head of the Turkish Chess Federation, echoed Sözen's enthusiasm, expressing delight in organizing the cup. "We are very excited to organize this meaningful tournament... We will continue to work tirelessly to bring Turkish chess to the point it deserves," she stated.