The Minister of Culture and Sport of Georgia Mikheil Giorgadze officially presented the 43rd Chess Olympiad – Batumi 2018 - on April 17 in the “Biltmore” hotel’s congress-hall in Tbilisi.

Many honorary guests attended the ceremony, including the Olympiad’s goodwill ambassador, a former World Chess Champion and the current World Rapid Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Zurab Pataradze, European Chess Union President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Georgian Chess Federation President Giorgi Giorgadze, representatives of the governmental structures and diplomatic corps accredited in Georgia, famous chess players and Georgian veteran sportsmen. Olympic champions and people distinguished in cultural and business fields were among the guests.

Nona Gaprindashvili

Former Women`s World Champions Nona Gaprindashvili and Maia Chiburdanidze were nominated as 43rd Chess Olympiad’s goodwill ambassadors. The Batumi Chess Olympiad video was shown at the presentation. After the official part of the event all guests were invited to play chess and attend a photo exhibition specially created for this ceremony.

Georgios Makropoulos

FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Sport and Culture, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, the ECU President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, the GCF President Giorgi Giorgadze and the two previous ministers of sport for their great work and support of chess in Georgia, for the organization of the FIDE World Cup 2017, which was held on a very high level and for the preparation to upcoming World Chess Olympiad. “I want to thank the Minister of Sport and Culture Mikheil Giorgadze, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Zurab Pataradze for their support and I`m confident we are going to see here one of the best World Chess Olympiads. More than 180 nations, including players, trainers, arbiters, who are going to visit your country, will have a chance to know more about Georgia, to experience great hospitality of Georgian people.”

The 43rd Chess Olympiad will be held in Batumi from September 23 till October 6 2018. Batumi won the right to host the Olympiad at the FIDE General Assembly held in Tromso, Norway in 2014, where the city got 93 votes, while its opponent Durban (South Africa) got 58 votes.



FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos with the Minister of Sport and Culture Mikheil Giorgadze and the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Zurab Pataradze.



Viswanathan Anand, Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Giorgi Giorgadze after the official presentation of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad. The European Chess Union president and the legendary chess player and the former World Chess Champion made a symbolic move on the gigantic chessboard.

Zurab Pataradze

Nona Gaprindashvili and Viswanathan Anand


Viswanathan Anand


Giorgi Giorgadze


Zurab Azmaiparashvili