V4 Educational Chess Summit


grant support received by the project from the Visegrad Fund

Date: 14th and 15th October 2023

Project description:

The main goal of our project is to share knowledge, resources, and best practices and encourage regional cooperation for the promotion and successful implementation of chess in education programs in V4 countries. To achieve this, we must fully understand the current state of such programs in each country, gather successful initiatives, and create a forum for discussing both the main obstacles to the introduction of chess in schools as well as strategies and tools to alleviate them. The partners, as leaders of the mission of chess education in their respective countries, are uniquely situated to initiate such a discussion, considering they are in possession of both the knowledge and network to identify the main issues.

As a first step, we would conduct a thorough research about chess education programs in the region, involving major stakeholders like federations and educational organizations. The research will provide us crucial data about the most important issues and success factors for different initiatives. At the V4 Educational Chess Summit, participants (invited experts and audience) will discuss these issues as well as the latest innovations, chess education models, and national best practices.

List of partners:


Project coordinator: Ági Füleky, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.














Date: 23rd February 2023

The first online meeting of the 4 partners took place in February. The Judit Polgar Chess Foundation presented the project and outlined the implementation process. The first part of the project is to create a detailed research and analysis of the current state of chess in education in the V4 countries. We will focus on 2 main parts: Gather quantitative data about chess education programs in each country (e.g. number of preschools/schools/academies offering such programs, number of certified teachers, etc.) by creating and sending out a survey to stakeholders and conducting desk research, and research and analyze the characteristics of these programs (teaching methods, tools, funding, challenges according to stakeholders, etc.).

Date: 5th May 2023

The questions of the survey for kindergartens, schools, chess clubs, chess academies and leisure centres have been assembled, reviewed by all partners, and sent out to stakeholders in all four Visegrad countries. The deadline for submitting the questionnaires is the end of May.




15th July 2023

Detailed research and analysis by JPCF and partners on the current state of chess in education in the V4 countries

In the detailed survey of the V4 countries, a total of 2405 institutions and organisations responded to the questions, of which 1375 said they had some form of chess education. Respondents included kindergartens, schools and chess clubs/academies.

Key conclusions: Chess education and development have numerous positive effects on individuals and society, enhancing cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, and social interactions. To make chess more motivating and challenging for children, opportunities such as online partner schools, promoting values, easier access to chess, school chess programs, afternoon workshops, and chess clubs and tournaments can be explored. Financial resources are needed for widespread adoption, including training teachers, purchasing equipment, and supporting competitions. Challenges include a lack of coaches, qualified teachers, and funds. A cohesive team, comprehensive educational materials, and prioritizing online chess are essential for success.

Read the full report or the summary.