♟️ About Greek Chess Federation

Greek Chess Federation (Ελληνική Σκακιστική Ομοσπονδία – ΕΣΟ) is the national governing body for chess in Greece. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Athens, it represents Greek chess within FIDE and the European Chess Union. The federation oversees national competition, player registration, ratings, transfers, arbiters, national teams, school chess, development programs, and affiliated chess clubs throughout Greece.

The federation manages a broad annual competition program. Its activities include the Greek Individual and Women’s Championships, the National Team Championship, youth and junior championships, school championships, rapid and blitz events, and official qualification competitions. Moreover, ΕΣΟ works with regional associations and local clubs to stage national events across the country. It also supports Greek players and national teams in Olympiads, European championships, world championships, and other international competitions.

Stathis Efstathopoulos is the current President of the Greek Chess Federation. Member clubs re-elected him in December 2024 with 108 votes, representing 70.59% of valid ballots. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou currently serves as General Secretary and is also Secretary General of the European Chess Union. During 2026, the federation has focused strongly on school chess, youth development, national championships, international representation, and major events hosted in Greece.

📜 History and National Structure

The Greek Chess Federation was founded in 1948 in Athens. Its statutes identify it as the highest national organization for Greek chess clubs, while its official emblem also carries the federation’s 1948 founding year.

Over the decades, ΕΣΟ has developed a nationwide structure of clubs, regional associations, committees, arbiters, trainers, and competition officials. Therefore, its role extends well beyond organizing championships. It also maintains regulations for registrations, transfers, ratings, team competitions, national squads, disciplinary matters, and tournament standards.

Greek chess has a substantial international tradition. Greece hosted the Chess Olympiad in Thessaloniki in 1984 and 1988, while numerous FIDE and European competitions have since taken place across the country.

🏆 National Championships and Competitive Chess

The federation organizes or supervises Greece’s principal national championships. In 2026, its calendar included the Greek Individual Championship, Greek Women’s Championship, National Team Championship, national youth competitions, school championships, and national rapid and blitz championships.

The 53rd Greek National Team Championship – A’ National Division took place in Patras from July 4–10, 2026. Later, the federation organized the national Open Rapid and Blitz Championships in Athens.

In addition, ΕΣΟ maintains Greece’s national player and club database. It publishes competition regulations, manages national ratings, and coordinates official events with regional chess organizations.

The federation also sends national teams and individual representatives to major international competitions. In September 2026, Greece’s national teams traveled to Samarkand for the 46th Chess Olympiad.

🎓 School Chess and Youth Development

School chess has become one of the federation’s strongest development programs. In May 2022, the Greek Ministry of Education approved chess within the country’s Skills Labs educational framework.

The federation subsequently developed separate educational programs for kindergarten, primary school, and junior high school. These programs received approval from the Institute of Educational Policy. Consequently, chess can now be used within a structured educational setting in Greek schools.

The scale of the program was especially visible in 2026. The Greek National Student Chess Championships in Thessaloniki attracted approximately 1,600 students from 74 schools, together with more than 3,000 parents and accompanying visitors. The individual championship alone drew 1,223 players.

Furthermore, the federation continues to organize national youth championships from U8 through U16 and national U20 competitions. These events provide a pathway from school and club chess into national and international competition.

🌍 International Events in Greece

Greece remains an important host country for major European and international chess events. Its resort destinations, especially Crete and Rhodes, have repeatedly hosted championship events for different age groups and formats.

During August and September 2026, Hersonissos hosted the European Senior Team Chess Championship, with 32 teams and around 150 players competing in 50+ and 65+ categories.

Another major event will follow later this year. The European Youth Chess Championships 2026 are scheduled for November 2–13 at the Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort in Hersonissos, Crete. Twelve separate championships will be held across Open and Girls U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18 categories.

The event continues Greece’s long involvement in European youth chess. Moreover, it reinforces Crete’s position as a regular destination for large international chess championships.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

Stathis Efstathopoulos leads the federation as President. He is also Professor of Medical Physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and serves as Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation.

The current federation board lists Christos Tozaros, Stathis Theofylaktidis, and Stelios Lagogiannis as Vice Presidents. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou serves as General Secretary, while Sotiris Christodoulou is Treasurer and responsible for digital governance.

For general organizer enquiries, federation administration and official correspondence, the Athens federation office remains the most practical contact point.

♟️ About European Chess Union

European Chess Union (ECU) is the continental chess organization for Europe. Founded in Graz, Austria, on August 30, 1985, it is an independent association headquartered in Hünenberg See, Switzerland. ECU represents 54 national chess federations and holds the exclusive right to organize the official European Chess Championships. Its work covers elite competition, youth and senior chess, club events, education, arbiters, trainers, development, women’s chess, and institutional relations across the continent.

ECU organizes more than 20 major championships and events each year. Its portfolio includes the European Individual Championship, European Women’s Championship, European Team Championship, European Club Cups, European Youth Championships, European Senior Championships, European Rapid and Blitz Championships, school events, amateur competitions, and youth team tournaments. Moreover, ECU licenses and supports arbiters and trainers, develops chess-education programs, and works with national federations on tournament standards and long-term development.

GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili is the current President of the European Chess Union. He was re-elected in July 2026 for the 2026–2030 term. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou serves as Secretary General and is the principal administrative contact for the organization. During 2026, ECU introduced a new rulebook, staged record-breaking championships, elected a new administration, secured major development funding, and launched the new European Chess Superleague.

📜 History and Development

The European Chess Union was founded during the 1985 FIDE Congress in Graz. Representatives from 29 countries attended the founding meeting. The initiative aimed to create a unified European structure within international chess while bringing together federations from both Western and Eastern Europe.

In the years that followed, ECU steadily expanded its tournament program and institutional role. After the political changes of the early 1990s, many more European federations joined the organization.

The ECU later gained greater financial and administrative independence. Today, it represents 54 national federation members and serves a chess community that ECU estimates at more than eight million players and enthusiasts.

In 2025, ECU celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gala in Batumi, Georgia. The organization also published a historical volume dedicated to Europe’s chess legacy and honored individuals and federations that contributed to its development.

🏆 European Championships

ECU manages the official championship structure for European chess. Its events cover individual, team, club, youth, junior, senior, amateur, school, rapid, blitz, and specialized formats.

The European Individual Chess Championship 2026 in Katowice set a new participation record. The event attracted 501 players from 43 European federations and offered a €100,000 prize fund.

Meanwhile, the European Senior Championship in Italy attracted nearly 250 players from 34 federations. The European Senior Team Championship later took place in Hersonissos, Crete.

Several major ECU competitions remain scheduled for the final months of 2026. The European Open and Women’s Chess Club Cups will take place in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, from October 16–24. In addition, the European Youth Chess Championships are scheduled for November 2–13 in Hersonissos, Crete.

The year will conclude with the European Rapid, Blitz and Fischer Random Championships in Portimão, Portugal, from December 4–9.

🎓 Youth, Education and Development

Youth chess forms a major part of ECU’s annual program. The organization manages championships for age categories from U8 through U18, youth team competitions, junior U20 events, school chess, and European Union youth championships.

In 2026, ECU also restored the European Junior U20 Championship, which took place in Cetinje, Montenegro. The event strengthened the competitive pathway between youth chess and senior international competition.

Education is another major priority. ECU operates training and education programs for teachers, trainers, and federation officials. Its initiatives include the ECU Training Hub and structured Chess in Education projects.

Furthermore, the organization supports national federations through development programs, seminars, regulatory guidance, and specialist commissions. These commissions cover areas such as education, trainers, women’s chess, arbiters, events, social chess, and Olympic affairs.

🌍 2026 Development and European Chess Superleague

The year 2026 marked a significant expansion of ECU’s commercial and development activity.

In August, ECU signed two agreements with Super Foundation totaling €800,000. Of this amount, €500,000 supports the new European Chess Superleague, while €300,000 is dedicated to ECU development projects.

The European Chess Superleague will debut in Bucharest from February 2–10, 2027. Eight elite club teams will compete in a round-robin format, with a guaranteed €300,000 prize fund.

Additionally, the 2026 ECU Board created a new Olympic Affairs Commission. Its work focuses on closer alignment with the Olympic movement, cooperation with National Olympic Committees, and future European Games opportunities.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

The ECU General Assembly and elections took place in Bucharest on July 18, 2026, with 53 federations participating.

Zurab Azmaiparashvili’s ticket won the election with 35 votes. Lukasz Turlej’s ticket received 11 votes, while Bachar Kouatly’s received seven.

The new 2026–2030 administration includes Vlad Ardeleanu as Deputy President, Ingrid Lauterbach and Lasse Østebø Løvik as Vice Presidents, Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou as Secretary General, and Prabitha Urwyler as Treasurer.

Additional elected Vice Presidents are Sarkhan Gashimov, Jean-Michel Rapaire, and Roman Muzik. The new Board formally began its work in August 2026.