Opened a chess club in Yaroslavl and visited a chess capital (Part 2)
On July 25 and 26 Sergey Karjakin took a personal part in opening a chess club in the United Russia public support office in Yaroslavl and visited chess events during the Governor’s cup in Danilov
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
The next morning Mikhail Evraev and Sergey Karjakin alongside with other honorable guests went to Danilov to visit the traditional Governor’s cup. This is the only town in Russia with a chess board on its coat of arms!
This ancient town was founded by prince Daniil of Moscow, the son of Alexander Nevsky and the father of Ivan Kalita. The monument dedicated to Daniil Alexandrovich who is the patron of the city stands right in the city center.
The chess board on the coat of arms is related to Peter the Great. The legend says that the emperor was on an inspection to Arkhangelsk and stopped a Danilovskoe village. Here he visited the horse farm and was satisfied with what he saw while the local wooden cathedral looked shabby and half ruined. This resulted into the tsar’s anger towards the local authorities. To regain their positions right after the visit local merchants started to build a new cathedral and offered silver chess to the emperor who liked this game. The chess pieces were placed in a silver box made by local artisans.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
Not only Peter the Great was among the chess amateurs. The present governor of the region Mikhail Evraev, a player of the first category, decided to make Danilov the chess center of Yaroslaviya and further on the major chess city of the whole country. The city opened a winter garden with chess sculptures while the entrance to the city will be marked by a chess monument. There are chess pieces even on pedestrian alleys. The city head Elena Iovleva also supports chess. The former head, who has now become the Russian senator Elena Kosikhina, also liked the game.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
Certainly, Sergey Karjakin and his team couldn’t miss such a wonderful chess place. Besides the local authorities are planning to build Sergey Karjakin’s chess palace.
Before the opening ceremony the guests of the festival visited the winter garden where they were welcomed by a live performance of the city anthem. After this a great chess procession started to move along the streets of the town. Several thousand people presided by Mikhail Evraev and Sergey Karjakin with a band of drummers ahead of them moved in the streets decorated with chess pieces. According to the governor’s order each of 19 districts of the town provided its own chess delegation.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
The procession ended at the main town square where thousands of local people were welcomed by the governor Mikhail Evraev, Sergey Karjakin who represented the Crimea as a senator, senators from the Yaroslavl Region Natalia Kosikhina and Alexander Rusakov, the city head Elena Iovleva and the chief manager of “Sergey Karjakin’s chess clubs” project Albert Minnullin.
“The final competition comprises 180 players, the tournament unites primary school students, teachers and amateurs. More than 70 thousand people go in for this sport. The region made a step forward in chess. Our guys win national tournaments and I am sure that here, in Danilov, we will also see future champions”, – said Mikhail Evraev.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
“The region promotes important chess initiatives and other federal subjects has a lot to learn from the Yaroslavl Region. I am sure that after some time the regional team will become one of the leaders in the national competitions. Thanks for such an attention towards chess!” – thanked Sergey Karjakin.
“Chess in Russia is a part of our national culture and the love for chess here is deeply rooted. This Danilov chess festival is absolutely unique in our country and the organization level is getting higher every year. The chess master traditions move from generation to generation. The interest towards this game is growing bigger especially among children and juniors while creating a positive atmosphere for their complete development is a priority in the policy of the region”, – mentioned Natalia Kosikhina.
Photo by the MRCF press office.
“I am very much fascinated by the opening ceremony of the most creative chess festival. A new standard of chess education which was born on the Yaroslavl land, is bringing results. I hope that games played by Danilov chess players will help to teach AI”, – said Alexander Rusakov.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
After the opening ceremony honorable guests had a chance to see an exhibition of exclusive chess sets organized by a well-known player from Rybinsk (the Yaroslavl Region) Yury Grachev. Not everyone knows that he is not only a rating officer of the MRCF, a top-level arbiter and an organizer, but also a passionate collector who decide to show a part of his chess treasuries to public. Of course everyone stopped to see the exhibits and made many memorable photos.
Photo by Danilov administration press office.
The event ended with another chess simultaneous game performed by Sergey Karjakin on 16 boards. The first moves on all the boards were made by Mikhail Evraev. It is worth mentioning that one of the participants was Oleg Stepanov, the father of Elena Stepanova who is not only the rector of the Yaroslavl technical university but also a chess CM.
One of the participants of the simultaneous chess game was so fascinated by the game that she offered the world champion his portrait that she had just drawn herself.