From our CIE Coalition Partners at ChessPlus and their First Rank Newsletter:
The annual London Chess Conference is the most important chess gathering in the world as far as chess education is concerned. It usually run in conjunction with the London Chess Classic, held each December by CSC (Chess in Schools and Communities) which was not possible this year due to Covid. Nevertheless, with some support from the European Chess Union and FIDE, the conference continues and international experts from the world of chess, technology and education will again meet for a weekend to discuss the latest software, systems, research, projects and the most interesting practical experiences in classroom teaching. There is a focus on playing chess online, teaching chess online and using sophisticated digital self-learning systems. We bring together the world’s leading experts in chess and technology.
When we chose the theme of chess and technology last December we could not have predicted how relevant it would be within just a few months. The organisers are inviting industry leaders, pioneers and start-ups alike. They are expecting over 400 attendees, mostly chess decision-makers, technologists and influencers. The weekend coincides with the FIDE Congress at which representatives from each of the world’s federations will be online focused on the key strategies and policies determining the future of chess. The conference could not be more relevant. Both events will be carried on the FIDE YouTube channel.
ChessTech2020 strives to replicate the experience of the real event in London. We will have different formats – presentations, interviews, workshops, round tables and demonstrations. There will be many important speakers at the event. Arkady Dvorkovic – President of FIDE – heads the list of speakers. He will talk about how chess has always been a driver of technology especially in computer science and artificial intelligence. There will be speakers from the main playing platforms including Chess.com, Lichess and Tornelo. There are at least three sessions on various aspects of cheating and anti-cheating. The popularity of streaming will be featured. There will also be some training sessions on how to teach chess online to schools or provide coaching to more advanced students. Some of these sessions will be reserved to those who purchase the Professional ticket.
The event comprises several parallel streams in Zoom. There will always be something interesting to watch at any point during the weekend. Topics to be covered:
Playing Platforms
Anti-Cheating
Chess Streaming
Chess Databases
Tournament Trackers
Tournament Administration
Classroom Software
Online Training Academies
Training Utilities
Study Systems
Chess Engines
User Experience
The conference is organised by ChessPlus in conjunction with ChessTech.