The 24th edition of the World IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association) Individual Chess Championship commenced today at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. The event, which will conclude on July 31, has brought together 97 participants representing 18 federations across the globe and makes it one of the most inclusive and diverse championships to be held in Goa to date.
Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Goa; the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Goa; the Goa Chess Association for Persons with Disabilities (GCAPD); and the Chess Federation for Physically Disabled (CFPD) are the joint-organisers under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation (AICF) with support of FIDE, Asian Chess Federation and the Sports Authority of India.
Participating federations include Angola, Armenia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, FIDE, France, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam — a testimony to the event’s truly global reach.
The first round witnessed smooth victories by top-seeded players, setting a confident tone for the rest of the tournament. Leading the pack is International Master (IM) Molenda Marcin from Poland, followed closely by IM Gurbanov Andrei from Israel, who also serves as the President of IPCA.
Top seed IM Molenda Marcin along with IM Andrei Gurbanov, FM Sargissyan Sargus, FM Soltanov Sorik, IM Obodchuk Andrei, FM Lipillin Llia, Giazan Domagoz, FM Valenta Vit Vaclav, Gedgafor Chamal, WIM Leszner Liliana, Ayapov Alimzhan , IM Campos Eugenio and Takharova Evgeniya were some of the notable winners.
The opening day not only showcased the extraordinary talent and determination of the participating players but also underscored the power of sports in fostering inclusion, dignity, and global unity. Two rounds will be played tomorrow as the battle of the chess players with disabilities enters an interesting phase.
Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant inaugurated the Championship 2025 in the presence of Social Welfare Minister, Subhash Phal Dessai, legendary Hockey player and Arjun Awardee, Ashok Dhyanchand, Curchorem MLA, Nilesh Cabral, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Guruprasad Pawaskar among others.
