Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs

♟️ About Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs

Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs is a historic chess organization based in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Founded in March 1977, the association has promoted chess in northern Morocco for almost five decades. Its activities combine competitive chess, junior development, international tournaments, cultural exchange, and community programs. Moreover, the organization uses chess to strengthen Chefchaouen’s identity as both a cultural destination and an international meeting point. The association welcomes players of different ages and playing strengths. Its program includes team competitions, individual championships, international festivals, blitz tournaments, inter-school events, chess training, simultaneous exhibitions, and cultural activities. In addition, Association Alwan Fannia regularly works with public institutions, local partners, chess organizations, and visiting international players. Today, Mouad Ben El Amin Alami serves as President and leads the association’s development, partnerships, and tournament programs. Under his leadership, the organization continues to expand the international profile of chess in Chefchaouen. At the same time, it maintains the competitive traditions that made Alwan Fannia one of the historically successful chess organizations in Morocco.

🏆 Chess History and Achievements

Association Alwan Fannia built an outstanding competitive record during its early decades. Most notably, the club won six consecutive Moroccan Team Championship titles between 1978 and 1985. The association also won the Trophée du Trône twice, in 1983 and 1984. Furthermore, Mohamed Moubarak Rian won two Moroccan individual titles while representing the organization, in 1982 and 1985. Alwan Fannia also produced two International Masters, Mohamed Moubarak Rian and Kacem Rian. Therefore, the association has contributed not only to tournament organization but also to the development of strong Moroccan players. Its organizational history is equally significant. In 1981, Alwan Fannia hosted the final of the Moroccan Team Championship. Then, in 1984, it organized the national individual championship final in Chefchaouen. FIDE President Florencio Campomanes visited the city during that championship. The association later organized the final of the Trophée du Trône in 2000 and participated in international exchanges involving clubs from Morocco, Algeria, Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain.

🌍 Chefchaouen International Chess Festival

The flagship event of Association Alwan Fannia is the Chefchaouen International Chess Festival. The tournament series traces its roots to the first Chefchaouen Cup in 1983 and has developed into an established international chess festival. Over the years, the event has attracted grandmasters, international masters, club players, juniors, and guests from numerous countries. Previous winners include Hicham Hamdouchi, Laurent Fressinet, Sébastien Mazé, Erwin l’Ami, Anton Demchenko, Alexandr Fier, Sergei Tiviakov, Oleg Korneev, and other internationally recognized players. The association organized the 21st edition in 2025, when Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri appeared as a special guest and gave a large simultaneous exhibition. In 2026, the organization presents the 22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival from October 18–25. The program includes a nine-round FIDE-rated classical open, an 11-round blitz marathon, and a large simultaneous exhibition. Moreover, the festival offers 120,000 MAD in prizes and accepts up to 120 participants.

🎓 Youth Chess and Community Development

Youth development remains one of the association’s principal objectives. Alwan Fannia provides activities designed to introduce children and young players to chess while helping more experienced juniors progress toward competitive play. The organization runs training activities, inter-school competitions, tournaments, and community chess initiatives. Furthermore, its international festival creates opportunities for young Moroccan players to meet and compete alongside experienced players from other countries. The association also connects chess with the cultural identity of Chefchaouen. Its events promote the city’s heritage, hospitality, historic medina, and distinctive artistic traditions. Consequently, visiting players receive both a competitive chess experience and an introduction to one of Morocco’s most recognizable destinations.

📜 More Than Four Decades of Tournament Activity

The association maintains an extensive historical archive covering its competitive activities from the early 1980s to the present day. Its current database contains more than 170 documented tournament and team results from competitions held in Chefchaouen and other cities. These records include national championships, team competitions, Trophée du Trône events, international festivals, rapid and blitz tournaments, and appearances by Alwan Fannia players in major competitions abroad. The organization has also hosted more than ten grandmasters during its history. Therefore, its international activity extends well beyond a single annual tournament and reflects decades of connections between Moroccan chess and the wider international chess community. Nearly fifty years after its foundation, Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs continues to combine its historic competitive legacy with youth development, tournament organization, international exchange, and promotion of Chefchaouen through chess.