Simultaneous competitions from Cluj to Galaţi, in a weekend that covered the map of the country On the weekend of May 9-10, 2026, 915 children participated in chess competitions organized simultaneously in nine cities in Romania — Cluj-Napoca, Ploiesti, Bucharest, Suceava, Iaşi, Brăila, Câmpina, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Galaţi. The Chess in School program covered a good part of the country’s map in two days, from north to south and from east to west.
Cluj-Napoca: 300 children in the Central ParkYou might also be interested: The «Cluj 300» competition, held outdoors in the Central Park, brought together students from the preparatory class to the 12th grade. The event was organized by the Chess in School team in partnership with the Cluj County School Inspectorate and Cluj-Napoca City Hall.Mayor Emil Boc was present at the competition:«Cluj, the capital of Romanian chess for a day — 300 children participated in the chess competition in the Central Park today. The «Cluj 300″ competition brought together hundreds of students, from preparatory classes to the twelfth grade, in an outdoor chess competition. It was a joy to be present with these children full of determination and optimism. I support all types of investments in sports, education and culture. I congratulate all the participants, I thank those who came from the country and, in particular, I thank the organizers.»
— Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-NapocaAlong with Cluj-Napoca, competitions were held on the same weekend in Ploiesti, Bucharest, Suceava, Iasi, Brăila, Câmpina, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Galati — cities from all regions of the country, where chess has already entered the school rhythm of the partner schools.Vlad Ungureanu, President of the School Chess Program:The Chess in School program works like a real network. This weekend we had nine cities, 915 children, two days — simultaneously, coordinated, all over the country. This is the pace we have reached after four years of construction.»Călin Almăşan, organizational coordinator Cluj-Napoca:«The competition in Cluj confirmed what we see every year: the interest is very high, the children come, the teachers get involved. What we are building is not an event — it is an infrastructure. The 365 competitions planned in 2026 are the result of four years in which we understood how this network works.»About the Chess in School ProgramLaunched on September 1, 2021, the Chess in School Program is the most extensive complementary chess program addressed to students in Romania. Active in 37 counties, the program has registered constant growth: from 48 events in 2022 to over 280 in 2025, with 130,000 children involved during the past year. In 2026, the program plans 365 events — one event for every day of the year. The number of children involved in 2026 will be known at the end of the year. In these years, the program has distributed 72,500 textbooks and 17,000 chess sets and involves over 2,500 teachers and instructors.Press contact:Chess in School Program www.sahinscoala.org
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