Chess in The Time of War - Dnipro, Ukraine

"Have you forgotten how to play chess yet?" my friend Oleksiy asked. It was a joke, but it came with an invitation: a rapid chess tournament in Dnipro city next Saturday.

Can a 70-kilometer trip to a neighboring city feel like an unusual adventure? Yes, when your country is at war against the Russian Federation.

Based on public information https://babel.ua/

Our journey north took us away from the war's front line, with its constant alarms, air raids, and military vehicles. We arrived in Dnipro to an ironic silence; a siren had sounded just an hour before. Once we confirmed the streets are safe, we headed to the tournament.

We found a strong field of players: masters, candidates, and many familiar faces from the region. The tournament was a special event dedicated to Ukraine's Independence Day, with all proceeds donated to the Ukrainian army.

Photo by Федерація шахів Дніпра, Facebook

A total of 52 players took their seats.

As required by tournament rules, parents watched their children under 16, ready to lead them to a bomb shelter if a missile attack occurred. 

Photo by Федерація шахів Дніпра, Facebook

For many, this was a much-needed break from the grim reality of daily life.

The simple acts of playing chess — defending, castling, and realizing an extra pawn in a rook endgame — felt like a breath of fresh air after months of bad news and constant danger.

Photo by Федерація шахів Дніпра, Facebook

We played seven rounds in one day.

The young players truly challenged the local masters. 

Photo by Федерація шахів Дніпра, Facebook

Pavlo Geymur, a talented young player from the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol, delivered a fantastic performance, scoring 6.5 out of 7 points with a 2400+ FIDE rating. 

Dnipro’s NM Volodymyr Zholdybin took second with 6 points.   

Photo by Федерація шахів Дніпра, Facebook

I was proud to finish in third place with 5.5 points. Hu-ur-ra!

Full tournament results here

On Ukraine's Independence Day, I want to congratulate all Ukrainians. 

In six months of this cruel war, we have lost over 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers and endured 3,500 missiles  yet we continue to fight and find moments of normalcy, even if it's just a game of chess.

Ukrainians, you are great!

With love, 
Art.