1. CHESS Royal game (also) for the smallest ones

2. Worldwide chess It is estimated that over 1 billion people in the world play chess. European chess is covering around 80% of all chess activities in the world (according to official statistics of FIDE, world chess federation).

3. European Chess Union (ECU) ECU is the umbrella organisation of 55 chess federations from whole Europe. ECU Management Board is led by the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili from Georgia.

4. European Chess Union (ECU) ECU is annually organising more than a dozen official tournaments for all European players but also for separate categories like women, seniors and kids. Youth and school European championships are festive and large events with thousands of kids.

5. Some European Chess Personalities of nowadays Present World Champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway) Former World Champions Anatoly Karpov and Garri Kasparov (Russia) Former women World champion Judit Polgár (Hungary)

6. Chess is fascinating kids, since they are in this intelectual world treated seriously and they are evaluated just upon their playing, independently from their age.

7. It is quite simple … Kids can start playing chess at the age of 4-5 years. Early beginning can contribute to the bigger and sooner success of the kid

8. „Chess is helping kids in developing different skills and abilities, that are very important for the daily life: “ Logical thinking Ability to make right decisions Education for selfdiscipline Problem solving under time contraint Responsibility for own decisions A. Karpov

9. ...increases INTELLECTUAL capacity of kids CREATIVITY Kids have to imagine different actions in different order before they happen. We teach them to imagine future moves without moving pieces. CHESS

10. ...increases CONCENTRATION and improves PERSISTANCE Kids are led to master focused thinking, to be able to plan and to understand context. Kids learn first think then act. CHESS

11. ...helps kids better focus the ATTENTION on a certain issue. Has a positive influence on kids with hyperactivity syndroms and attention related problems.... REMOVES AGRESIVITY and teaches kids to be responsible for acting....Strengthens INTUITION of kids CHESS

12. ...teaches TO CONSIDER different possibilities and to choose the best one....develops ABSTRACT THINKING of kids....teaches TO PLAN – setting objectives and defining specific steps to achieve them. CHESS

13. Ability to concentrate longer has a positive influence on school results BETTER RESULTS not only in MATHEMATICS (by 17-20%), also in LANGUAGE. Chess improves READING of kids, that is worth of mentioning. Better results are also in tests related to CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING.

14. ECU contributes to European development Chess in School commission and specialised seminars Chess4Europe knowledge management platform ECU strategies in line with Europe2020

15. European Parliament EP declarationresent of 15 March 2012 on the introduction of the CIS programme in the educational systems of the EU. Some small chess projects financed. Need for strategic support of chess as an educational tool. Pilot cross-European chess project needed. Separate budget line for chess.

17. Martin Huba European Chess Union Treasurer martin.huba@ibsslovakia.sk http://www.europechess.org/ CONTACT US

18. Thanks for your attention