23 June 2013
Mr. A. Turchak
Governor
Pskov oblast

Mr. D.Shakhov
President
Pskov Chess Federation

Dear Andrei Anatolyevich and Dmitriy Vladimirovich!

On 23rd June the 10th Pskov International Chess Festival is starting in Pskov! Your Festival has become an annual fiesta for representatives of all regions of Russia and foreign countries. The FIDE site has also published the information about this event, where more than 200 chess players will participate in five tournaments, four of them will be calculated for FIDE rating.
On behalf of the FIDE Presidential Board I would like to express our gratitude to the Administration of Pskov oblast, its Deputies Assembly, and its Chess Federation for the chess promotion and development in your region.
We all note that despite various complications, chess is continued to be taught in the region's schools, different tournaments are organised, for journalists, businessmen, representatives of all spheres of power, legislative or executive.
Youth tournaments receive special support in your region, and this 10th edition of the International Chess Festival is another evidence for this. This festival includes the Cup of Russia Youth tournament - the only tournament of its kind organised in the North-West of Russia.
Your oblast is also unique in its historic places and ancient Russian monuments. All these treasures will be opened for the participants and guests of the Festival, who will have a chance to visit the ancient cities of Izborsk, Pechora, Pushkin mountains and the city of Pskov which is celebrating its 1100th anniversary this year.
I would like to wish from the bottom of my heart to the participants and guests of the 10th International Chess Festival Pskov-2013 brilliant victories, all the success, meeting new friends and enjoying chess!

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
President