The 4th Pan-Armenian Chess Camp and Tournament (PACT-4) was successfully held online from September 23 to October 20, 2024. The event concluded with an official closing ceremony on Sunday, October 20, where the tournament winners were announced.

The ceremony was attended by notable guests, including AGBU Armenian Virtual College Founding President and AGBU Vice President Dr. Yervant Zorian, GM Nona Gaprindashvili (Women's World Chess Champion from 1962 to 1978), GM Smbat Lputyan (President of the Chess Academy of Armenia), and other world-class grandmasters and Armenian chess champions, along with the tournament participants.

This year's competition was preceded by a two-week chess camp featuring video lessons and masterclasses led by top Armenian chess players Anna Sargsyan (International Master), Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (Two-time Armenian Chess Champion) and Mane Adamyan (AGBU AVC Chess Online Instructor).

The tournament was held in 6 rounds for 2 age groups: under 12, and 12-18. The participants competed for the top 3 places. At the end of the closing ceremony, the winners were announced:

• U12:
  1st place: Ararat Bagdasarian, 11, USA
  2nd place: Alen Khachyan, 12, Armenia
  3rd place: Sofia Baghramyan, 8, Armenia

   

• U18:
  1st place: Shahan A. Sayeed-Movsisyan, 13, Saudi Arabia
  2nd place: David Galstian, 14, USA
  3rd place: Elina Soghomonyan, 15, Armenia

The winners and most active camp participants received certificates and prizes. 71-year-old Khachig Kassabian from Egypt also received a special PACT fan award.The event concluded with a fun interactive blitz quiz for all the online attendees.

During his opening remarks, AGBU AVC Founding President Dr. Yervant Zorian said, “We started the Pan-Armenian Chess Community four years ago during the lockdown to bring chess lovers together. We now have an online chess community of more than 1,250 people from 35 countries.”

Smbat Lputyan, GM and Founder and President of the Chess Academy of Armenia, congratulated everyone on the success of this year’s tournament. “I want to thank all the organizers, participants and everyone who made this important event happen. During the last 4 years, AGBU AVC’s input has been quite remarkable in making chess more accessible to everyone,” he said.

Nona Gaprindashvili, the first woman ever to be awarded the FIDE title of Grandmaster, shared her inspiring insights on the PACT tournaments. “This innovative approach to chess is very impressive. Chess is an intellectual game, and everything is based on intellect nowadays. With each new tournament, there is a growing number of youth interested in the game, for which I want to thank the AGBU AVC and the Armenian Chess Academy. Congratulations, everyone,” she said.

Robert Hovhannisyan, Grandmaster and one of the leading Armenian chess players, congratulated the winners and encouraged young players to work hard and practice their skills regularly in order to achieve new heights in the game of chess.  

Weeks after the closing ceremony, AGBU AVC continues to receive words of thanks and appreciation from online viewers and attendees about the tournament. The Armenian Cultural Center from India wrote, “Congratulations to AGBU AVC for once again making it possible to reunite Armenians of diaspora over the chess board.”

This year, more than 130 participants from 19 countries participated in the PACT-4 tournament. Everyone in the Pan-Armenian Chess Community had the opportunity to participate in forum discussions, watch match recordings, and masterclasses, make new friends and be part of the growing global community of chess enthusiasts at the PACT platform.

The tournament will continue to grow and promote chess education in the coming years.

Access the full recording of the closing ceremony here and watch a short recap of the 4th Pan-Armenian Chess Camp and Tournament here.