FIDE President Dvorkovich Visits Record-Breaking Andorra Chess Open on International Chess Day

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich visited the 42nd Andorra International Open Chess Tournament on Monday, his first trip to the country, which concluded on Sunday.

The Moscow-born FIDE leader, who once served as deputy prime minister under Dmitry Medvedev, economic advisor to Vladimir Putin and director of the 2018 World Cup organization, attended rounds at the Hotel Panorama in Escaldes-Engordany. The event attracted a record 211 players from 33 federations. Dvorkovich met with Culture and Sports Minister Mònica Bonell, made a ceremonial first move to open one of the games and handed out raffle prizes.

"This is my first time in Andorra, and I'm delighted to celebrate International Chess Day with our Andorran friends," he said. Previous invitations, including one last year, had not led to a visit until now.

Dvorkovich commended the tournament's global appeal and Andorra's robust chess culture despite its size. "Being a small country does not mean a small chess tradition—quite the opposite," he remarked, citing government-backed school programs as an example for other small nations.

With FIDE elections set for September—he is running for re-election—Dvorkovich highlighted growth in competition schedules, formats, prize money and women's opportunities. He also stressed chess's role in social programs for refugees, disadvantaged groups, prisons, people with disabilities and children with autism.

The visit prompted discussions on potential FIDE-Andorra collaborations, including chess events in museums or libraries. "We could do something along those lines next year or in a couple of years," he suggested.

The tournament began on Friday—when Bonell made the honorary first move—and ended on July 21 after six days. It featured a 90-minute time control plus 30-second increments per move through move 40, then 30 additional minutes. The €12,000 prize fund covered the top 12 finishers, plus awards for the top three women, veterans, ELO categories, best Andorran and youth under 18, 14, 12 and 10.

Leading players included Miguel Santos, Aleksandr Shimanov, Alan Pichot, Tomás Sosa and Pepe Cuenca. On Sunday, Argentine youth international Francisco Fiorito took the Andorra 2026 Grand Prix rapid title at the Sala Concòrdia in Andorra la Vella's Congress Centre. A blitz event followed on July 22 at 10pm at the Hotel Panorama, linked to Escaldes-Engordany's summer festival.