Press Release
From 2-7 August 2025, Cyprus’s school team, representing The Grammar School, Limassol, competed at the FIDE World Schools Team Chess Championship, hosted at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Among 55 teams from around the globe, Cyprus started ranked 34th and rose to the challenge with determination and inspired play.
The journey began on 11 May 2025, when the Limassol team claimed first place at the Pancypriot Schools Team Championship, earning the right to represent the island on the world stage.
The line-up: Daniil Daniil, Alexandros Thrasyvoulou, Christodoulos Daniil, Ioannis Alichanides, and Nicos Misirlis, approached every round with commitment and a clear game plan.
From the outset, the team made a bold choice: to rotate players instead of strictly following Elo ranking, ensuring everyone had the chance to play.
Alexandros Thrasyvoulou was placed on board two as a “rock” against the toughest opponents, giving Christodoulos Daniil and Ioannis Alichanides opportunities to score crucial points. Both were in the top 15 of their boards until round six.
Facing rivals with Elo ratings 100-380 points higher, the Cypriot players proved that numbers on paper do not define real strength. By round six, the team was still holding a top-20 position, an impressive leap from their starting rank.
Final record: 2 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses, placing 30th overall (tied on points with 26th place).
WFM Marianna Stefanidi: “As captain, my goal was clear, at least 4/8 points against the strongest teams possible. We didn’t just meet that goal, we exceeded it. Midway through the tournament, we all realised… we really do have strength!”
Just like in Aktau two years ago, FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), supported by Freedom Holding Corp., exceeded expectations. Organisers brought to life everything educational chess promotes: empathy, teamwork, creative thinking, and cultural exchange. The tournament was not only about chess but also opened new horizons for the players, including discovering the local culture and visiting the main landmarks of the region. These trips made the journey even richer and more memorable, showing that the children were not confined to the campus but could experience the wider world around them.
Voices of the team
- Daniil Daniil: “I met so many new people with common interests. I wish I could have saved that last draw, it would have meant a team win.”
- Alexandros Thrasyvoulou: “I liked the playing hall and the independence, without parents we were more self-reliant.”
- Christodoulos Daniil: “We were a true team. We lived together and played more than just chess.”
- Ioannis Alichanides: “An unforgettable experience, we met players from all over the world.”
- Nicos Misirlis (first official international trip): “I enjoyed making friends with other participants and living together as a team.”
A strategic vision for the future of education
In parallel with the tournament, the Smart Moves Summit 2025 offered an ambitious program of keynote speeches, expert panels, workshops and collaborative sessions exploring the transformational role of chess in education.
During the opening session, Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. and ISCF president emphasized a bold and urgent vision: “It’s no longer enough for children to learn to read and write. They must learn how to think. How to anticipate. How to make decisions. And chess is the ideal tool to cultivate that mindset.”
Under the theme “Mastering the Long Game,” the Summit addressed essential issues such as integrating chess into school curricula, training teachers to guide strategic thinking, the role of technology in modern pedagogy and developing soft skills such as empathy, responsibility, and resilience.
More information: https://ischoolchess.com/news
About International School Chess Federation (ISCF)
The International School Chess Federation (ISCF) is a newly established global organization affiliated with the International Chess Federation (FIDE), dedicated to promoting chess among schoolchildren worldwide. Its mission is to unite national school chess associations and support the integration of chess into school curricula across continents, with initial focus on Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
About Freedom Holding Corp.
Freedom Holding Corp. is a global financial and investment services group, specializing in capital markets, asset management and brokerage services. The company drives innovation and creates meaningful connections across sectors and communities.
About Freedom24
Freedom24 is a European stockbroker connecting EU clients with major international stock exchanges. Operating its own proprietary technology, it offers investors access to a wide array of stocks, ETFs, corporate and government bonds, and US stock options across American, European and Asian markets.
Freedom24 operates under the MiFID II regulatory framework, which ensures the highest level of investor protection. The broker is licensed by CySEC and certified in all EU member states. Freedom24 is the European subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp., an international financial group operating across the US, Europe and Central Asia, listed on the NASDAQ exchange
