The 1st European Universities Chess Championship kicked off in Armenia today. The event has brought together 25 university teams from nine countries.

Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan said in his opening remarks “it’s an honor for Armenia to host the first European Universities Chess Championship.”

“We are an exceptional country to have won the Chess Olympiad three times, an exceptional country, where chess is taught in schools a s a compulsory discipline,” the Minister said.

“Chess has become part of our national pride,” he added.

“It’s an honor to be the first European capital to host the Universities Chess Championship,” the Minister stated.

Team from Poland, Russia, Portugal, France, turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Armenia are participating the championship.