Cyprus chess gains prominence through Freedom24 partnership and growing national teams

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has hosted 26 chess competitions since Freedom24 became the main partner of the Cyprus Chess Federation in 2023, while its national teams have improved their standing ahead of the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.

Major events

Before 2023, Cyprus had not played a leading role in world chess. Over the following three years, it became one of Europe’s chess hubs, according to the article.

The competitions held with Freedom24 support included Women’s World Grand Prix stages in Nicosia in 2023 and 2025, as well as the Candidates Tournament at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, which had a €1 million prize fund.

The Candidates Tournament is a key stage in determining participants in world championship matches. It brought leading players to Cyprus and gave children and teenagers an opportunity to meet prominent chess figures.

Chess academy

The Freedom24 Chess Academy opened in Limassol on March 1, 2025. Its director, International Master Artem Sadovsky, said its mission is to develop strong players capable of representing Cyprus.

Within less than a year, academy player Olga Mikhailina increased her rating from 1736 to 2250.

Cyprus Chess Federation president Criton Tornaritis said that about 2,000 people on the island are actively playing chess, most of them children, and that young players are strengthening the national team.

Olympiad teams

FIDE published the team line-ups for the Chess Olympiad on August 5. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Samarkand from September 15 to 27.

Cyprus’ men’s team is seeded 77th among 208 countries, its first ranking in the top half of Olympiad participants. The squad includes Cyprus’ first and only grandmaster, Andreas Kelires; 18-year-old national champion Rafail Antoniou; seven-time Cypriot champion Konstantinos Michaelides; 2025 Cypriot champion Alexandros Isaakidis; and 13-year-old Savvas Konstantinides.

The women’s team is ranked 125th among 192 teams. Its players include 2026 national champion Aida Păunescu, 12; 2023 Cyprus champion Victoria Sokolova; Larisa Sokolova; 2025 champion Eleni Pica; and 2026 runner-up Aikaterina Sarkisian.