PANAJI
The 24th edition of the World IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association) Individual Chess Championship commenced on Tuesday at the prestigious International Centre Goa, Dona Paula.
The international event is being held from July 21 to 31, 2025, and has brought together 97 participants representing 18 federations across the globe, making it one of the most inclusive and diverse championships to date.
The event is jointly organised by the 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) under the national aegis of the All India Chess Federation (AICF). The championship also enjoys the valuable support of FIDE, the 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.
Tommorow 2 rounds will be played as the battle of the titans of Chess players with disabilities enters an interesting phase.
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.
