A two-month chess training programme under the guidance of Russian Grandmaster Petr Kiriakov began in Dhaka on Monday, aiming to sharpen Bangladesh’s best players ahead of international competition.
The programme, sponsored by the Bangladesh Olympic Association and organised by the Bangladesh Chess Federation, will run through October and November. The training comes as part of preparations for International Masters Mohammad Fahad Rahman and Manon Reja Neer, who are set to represent Bangladesh at the FIDE World Cup Chess 2024, scheduled to take place in Goa, India, from 30 October to 27 November.
Alongside Fahad and Neer, several of the country’s top players have joined the training camp. The participants include IM Md Minhaj Uddin, IM Abu Sufian Shakil, FM Subrata Biswas, Mohammad Shaker Ullah, FM Mohammad Javed, Anata Choudhury, FM Md Sharif Hossain, FM Sheikh Nasir Ahmed, and FM Nayem Haque. Leading female players of Bangladesh are also taking part in the sessions.
The initiative marks another important step by the Bangladesh Chess Federation to strengthen the nation’s international presence in the sport. With the mentorship of an experienced coach like GM Petr Kiriakov, who has years of expertise at the highest level of chess, the federation hopes the players will gain valuable insights into advanced strategies and match preparation.
The training sessions will focus on improving positional understanding, endgame technique, and tournament mindset, key areas that can make the difference on the world stage.
As the players gear up for the FIDE World Cup, this collaboration between local talents and international expertise offers Bangladesh a timely boost in its efforts to build a stronger and more competitive chess scene.
