The International Scientific Conference "Theory and Practice of Chess Education" opened in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia this week, running October 1-2 alongside the 2026 World Schools Chess Championship. Europe.
The gathering brought together education experts to hash out how chess fits into classrooms worldwide. The focus: finding new teaching methods and building concrete plans for integrating chess into schools across different countries and educational systems.
Lilit Mkrtchyan from Armenian State Pedagogical University and Andrey Vodianov, COO of the International School Chess Federation, led the opening remarks. Both stressed the moment's importance for chess education globally.
This conference matters because schools are increasingly turning to chess as a tool for teaching strategy, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Getting educators and federation leaders in one room to share what actually works in practice beats isolated experiments. The discussions here will shape how chess programs develop over the next few years.
Armenia's choice to host both the schools championship and this conference signals the country's commitment to chess education. The dual event creates a natural laboratory: educators watch young players compete while debating the best ways to teach the game at scale.