♟️ About Mir Shakhmat Chess Academy

Mir Shakhmat Chess Academy, officially branded as МИР ШАХМАТ / World of Chess, is a major chess training and tournament centre based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Founded in 2014, the academy works with children, juniors, adults, and competitive players ranging from complete beginners to national and international-level competitors. The academy was founded by Grandmaster Anton Filippov, one of Kazakhstan’s most experienced players and coaches. Over more than a decade, Mir Shakhmat has developed a structured training system combining regular lessons, individual preparation, tournament practice, rating development, and work toward national and international titles. Today, the academy reports more than 1,000 students and graduates and highlights a strong record of success at Kazakhstan, Asian, and world-level youth competitions. Its students regularly compete in national championships, international opens, youth championships, and FIDE events.

🌍 FIDE Academy

Mir Shakhmat received official FIDE Academy status in 2020, strengthening its role as a professional chess education centre in Kazakhstan. The academy uses this status to support advanced training, FIDE-rated competition, coach development, and stronger international pathways for ambitious players. Its programmes cover several stages of development. Young beginners can start with introductory training, while experienced students progress through official sports categories and eventually into advanced groups for Candidate Masters, titled players, and other serious competitors. The academy also organizes FIDE-rated tournaments at its own venue, allowing students and visiting players to gain international rating experience without leaving Almaty.

👤 GM Anton Filippov

GM Anton Filippov is the founder and director of Mir Shakhmat Chess Academy and a central figure in its training system. He is an International Grandmaster, Senior FIDE Trainer, and an Honored Coach of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Filippov has extensive experience both as a competitive player and as a coach. His playing career includes participation in Chess Olympiads and World Cups, while his coaching work has focused increasingly on the development of Kazakhstan’s strongest young players. At Mir Shakhmat, Filippov personally works with advanced groups and professional-level students. He is also involved in national coach education and has served as a lecturer in Kazakhstan Chess Federation training programmes for coaches across the country.

🎓 Training & Player Development

Mir Shakhmat offers a structured progression system designed for different ages and playing strengths. Programmes include preschool chess, beginner groups, preparation for sports categories, advanced tournament groups, professional training, individual lessons, and online coaching. Beginners focus on rules, tactical patterns, calculation, and fundamental strategic ideas. As students improve, training expands into opening preparation, positional understanding, endgames, game analysis, tournament psychology, and practical decision-making. Stronger players receive more individualized preparation. The academy’s professional groups are intended for players already competing at a high level and working toward stronger ratings, national titles, or FIDE titles.

🏆 Tournament Programme

Tournament activity is one of the strongest parts of Mir Shakhmat’s programme. The academy organizes frequent classical, rapid, blitz, qualification, and FIDE-rated tournaments throughout the year. Regular weekend rapid events attract players of many ages and strengths, from young academy students to experienced adult competitors. The academy also runs qualification tournaments where participants can meet the requirements for Kazakhstan sports categories such as 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st category, as well as Candidate Master level. Larger events can attract substantial fields. During 2026, Mir Shakhmat organized events with dozens of participants and significant prize funds, alongside classical FIDE-rated tournaments and city championship qualification stages. The academy has also hosted stages and semifinals of Almaty youth championships, making its venue an important part of the city’s competitive chess infrastructure.

🌟 Student Achievements

Mir Shakhmat has developed a strong group of junior players who have achieved results at national, Asian, and world level. Among the academy’s highlighted students is WIM Yelnaz Kaliakhmet, who became a world youth blitz champion and has represented Kazakhstan at major international competitions. Other successful students include Aldiyar Zharas, Ayaru Altynbek, Milana Filippova, and several other leading juniors. In 2026, Mir Shakhmat students continued to collect medals at major youth competitions. Milana Filippova won a world youth title, while Aldiyar Zharas and Ayaru Altynbek also reached the podium at world-level events. Students of the academy also compete successfully in the Kazakhstan Youth Cup, Asian Youth Championships, international open tournaments, and national team competitions. These results reflect the academy’s emphasis on combining systematic training with frequent high-level competition.

♟️ Chess Community in Almaty

Mir Shakhmat is not limited to elite junior training. The academy also operates as an active chess community for players of different ages and levels. Its regular rapid and blitz tournaments are open to a broad group of players, including amateurs and adults who are not academy students. This gives the venue an important role in Almaty’s wider chess scene and provides frequent opportunities for rated and competitive play. The academy also organizes special events, student tournaments, charity competitions, seminars, and training activities. Adult players can join dedicated groups or individual programmes, while online lessons make the academy’s coaching available beyond Almaty. By combining professional player development with accessible tournament activity, Mir Shakhmat has become both a training institution and an important competition venue within Kazakhstan chess.