Chess contributes to the development of children’s intelligence and cognitive abilities. American female grandmaster Irina Krush gave a positive assessment of Kazakhstan’s initiative to introduce chess as an obligatory activity in the school curriculum. In a recent exclusive interview with Jibek Joly TV Channel, she shared her thoughts on the development of Kazakhstan’s chess school, noting that the success of prominent Kazakh chess players on the global stage motivates the younger generation and encourages many young players to develop professional skills in this sport. Krush also emphasized the importance of support, primarily the financial one, for today’s chess players, and according to her, Kazakhstan has done a lot in this regard. The country not only provides high-level training for qualified specialists but also supports players at international matches. All of this puts Kazakhstan at the forefront of the global chess scene.
“Kazakhstan, I mean, 20 years ago was not really under map for women’s chess. So, this is definitely a recent development. I mean now, when you go to the World Chess Olympiad, you look at the line of teams, and you are like, Kazakhstan is one of the favorites to win here, because you got Zhansaya, Bibisara and Dinara, and they are definitely leading in the women’s chess. So, I think it is very important that you get some sort of incentives to play chess. And, I know that the women players in Kazakhstan have some kind of financial support from the state, and it makes a big difference,” Krush said.
