Champions Sergey Karjakin and Valentina Gunina Played Rapid Chess Specifically for the Participants of the Znanie.Pervye Marathon.

Champions Sergey Karjakin and Valentina Gunina Played Rapid Chess Specifically for the Participants of the Znanie.Pervye Marathon.

The World Rapid Chess and Blitz Champion Sergey Karjakin, along with the two-time Women's World Chess Champion, European Blitz Chess Champion, and five-time Russian Women's Chess Champion Valentina Gunina, shared their expertise with the participants of the "Znanie.Pervye" marathon of the Russian Society "Znanie." The marathon takes place from March 2 to March 6 during the World Youth Festival in Sirius.

During the interview, anticipating the workshop, Sergey Karjakin and Valentina Gunina shared insights into the history of the Russian chess school, the intricacies of the game, and the traditions that contribute to nurturing champions. The champions also played rapid chess and discussed their moves with the audience.

Blitz, unlike classical chess, is a very enjoyable game based on intuition. The secret to victory is to be a versatile fighter, make quick decisions, and not be afraid to take risks, explained Sergey Karjakin.

Valentina Gunina supported her colleague, stating, "To win in chess, it is important to feel confident. Success in the game depends on how confident the chess player is in their abilities. And I agree with Sergey Karjakin that blitz is a very enjoyable game, more about improvisation compared to classical chess."

When asked if chess helps in everyday life, Sergey Karjakin mentioned,

"Chess undoubtedly helps in life, primarily in calculating one's moves in various situations. Although, life is certainly more unpredictable than a chessboard."

A participant from Belarus asked how chess helps shape the skills of the younger generation, to which Valentina Gunina noted,

"Chess is very useful for children and adults. Chess make people take responsibility for their actions and contribute to the development of logic, intuition, strategic thinking, and general erudition."

Responding to a question about whether it is easier for STEM students to play chess than humanities students, Sergey Karjakin explained,

"If a person has an intellectual mindset, then, of course, it will be easier for them to master this game."

Another question addressed how children cope with defeats early in their chess careers.

Sergey Karjakin commented, "Children don't know how to lose. Therefore, parents and coaches need to prepare them not only for victories but also for inevitable defeats. It is essential to have a philosophical approach to losing."

The workshop by champions Sergey Karjakin and Valentina Gunina took place on March 4 at the "Znanie.Pervye" marathon as part of the thematic track "A world of opportunity for everyone". The meeting occurred in the "Belgorod" pavilion of the World Youth City.

On the same day, March 4, during the third day of the educational marathon "Znanie.Pervye," within the thematic track "A world of opportunity for everyone," lectures were delivered by prominent individuals, including Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Minister of Industry and Trade, Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Alexander Karelin, a three-time Olympic Games gold medalist, Hero of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Chernigovskaya, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, director of the Institute of Cognitive Studies, professor at St. Petersburg State University, and Emir Kusturica, a film director, among others.

The "Znanie" society is a general partner of the educational program of the World Youth Festival, and the educational marathon "Znanie.Pervye" is one of the main events of this program. The most striking presentations of lecturers can be seen on the 24-hour media channel Znanie.TV.

Educational marathon takes place in Sirius from March 2 to 6 and covers six sites of the World Youth City: WYF International Airport, Yamal, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Belgorod, and Moscow pavilions. The tracks of the educational marathon are consonant with the meanings of the Festival: “Responsibility for the fate of the world”, “Multinational unity”, “A world of opportunity for everyone”, “Saving the family for future generations” and “We stand together with Russia”.

Alongside the educational marathon "Znanie.Pervye," within the educational program of the World Youth Festival, the "Znanie" society organized the intellectual tournament "Znanie.Igra" with participants from different countries and the lecture series "Znanie.Kino", where viewers could watch legendary Russian films and discuss them with famous actors and directors. For the Festival participants a multimedia exhibition of the National Photo Contest Znanie.Russia will work, where they will be able to see the main achievements of Russia in the XXI century and immerse themselves in their atmosphere with the help of augmented reality technology.

The World Youth Festival shall become a platform for communication between young people from Russia and other countries. After the completion of the events on the Sirius Federal Territory, Russian Znanie Society will continue the educational line of the World Youth Festival from March 10 to 17 within the framework of the regional program WYF 2024, which will cover all federal districts of our country.