Shafaq News- Baghdad
Chess remains underplayed in Iraq despite efforts to promotethe game among young players, with social games like dominoes still dominatingpublic spaces.
The Iraqi Chess Federation has been working to expand thesport by organizing local tournaments and increasing internationalparticipation, while universities across the country host student competitions. Uruk University in Baghdad recently held a “Mind Challenge” event, emphasizingsportsmanship and adherence to International Chess Federation rules.
Dhameer Jabbar Mousa, a member of the Iraqi ChessFederation, told Shafaq News that social media helped introduce chess to widersegments of society. He stated that the federation has seen strongparticipation in training programs and competitions, with around 10,000 playersacross different age groups, in addition to referees and coaches.
Chess requires specific qualities, including patience,mental clarity, and a strong understanding of the rules. It is a strategic gamethat cannot be easily compared to others, Mousa noted.
On key challenges facing the sport, he pointed to the lackof dedicated infrastructure and training facilities, limited geographiccoverage of federation centers, and insufficient funding. According to Mousa,“the federation’s budget, provided by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, coversonly about three months of activities, making it difficult to sustainprograms.”
He also highlighted the importance of media coverage insupporting the development of the game, stressing that attention should matchthe level of competitions and events.
Coach Salman Haider attributed chess’ limited popularity tocultural preferences, noting that Iraqi cafes tend to favor interactive andsocial games like dominoes, while chess requires silence and concentration. Additionally, many people perceive chess as complex or reserved for highlyintelligent individuals, which further limits its appeal.
Last October, Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region,hosted the Asian Senior Chess Championship, bringing together 44 players from14 countries, including Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and India.