From July 12 to 22, the 48th International Chess Tournament “Ikaros” is scheduled to take place at the Agios Kirikos Sports Center, one of the most historic and beloved events in the Greek chess scene, which has been attracting players from all over the world for decades. As every year, the participation of a large number of chess players from Greece and abroad is expected, while this year’s tournament is estimated to be one of the most representative and powerful of the last period, with an increased number of international title holders.
The “Ikaros” tournament began in 1978 as an internal championship among Ikarians and gradually evolved into an institution of international scope. Since 1984, chess players from the rest of Greece have joined, while in 1991 the Ikaria Chess Club and the then Municipality of Agios Kirikos decided to give it an international character, with qualifiers in various regions of the country and a final phase every summer in Ikaria. Since then, over 16,000 games have been played, with participants from four continents and more than 40 countries.
The tournament has gained fanatical friends, amateurs and professionals, who consistently return to the island every year, combining holidays with chess action. Among them are most of the top Greek chess players. For the island of Ikaria, the event has a special significance, not only in terms of sports and culture, but also in terms of economy: for more than 20 days, hotels and tourist businesses are full, providing vital support to the local economy, at a time when tourism has not yet peaked.
The program includes, among others, the Aegean Open Championship, the Mediterranean Team Rapid, and a number of parallel tournaments, while the competitions for children also have a special place. This year’s event is under the auspices of the Municipality of Ikaria, which continues its steadfast support for the institution, and the responsibility for the smooth conduct of the competitions is assumed, as every year, by the Ikaria Chess Club “Ioannis Tzelepis”.
This is a chess celebration with international appeal, which keeps alive the island’s connection with sports, culture, and extroversion.
