For the first time in four years, Kramatorsk is preparing to host national competitions. From March 22 to April 2, the Donetsk Regional Chess Club named after Momot (The A.V.Momot Chess Club) will be hosting the Ukrainian Chess Championship – classical, rapid and blitz – among boys and girls under 18.
“We’ve been struggling for a long time to host an All-Ukrainian championship, and finally we succeeded,” – Alexander Martinkov, Executive Director of the A.V.Momot Chess Club said. – “Since the beginning of the armed conflict in Donbass, we’ve been participating in tenders for the right to hold championships, but did not win them because of security issues. This time we managed to prove the officials of the Ukrainian Chess Federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports that we will be able to hold such competitions in Kramatorsk in secure and dignified conditions.” – the Anti-crisis Media Center reports.
Approximately 70 players will take part in the Championship from all the regions of Ukraine. According to the head of the club, they will do the best to ensure that children and adults who accompany them are convinced that it is quite safe to be with them.
Prefinal competitions of Gymnasiums of Ukraine will be held in the A.V.Momot Chess Club right after the championship of Ukraine; such as competitions in school chess, organized by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The A.V.Momot Chess Club brought up a lot of champions. Today, a new generation of young talents honourably represents Kramatorsk and Donetsk region on the All-Ukrainian and international arena.
The recruitment of children starts from 5-6 years; the initial training groups are engaged in Sports Schools for Young People and Children, which is located in the clubhouse. Each year the school provides training for up to 300 children. Eight experienced coach-instructors work with them.
Promising players are selected in advanced sports training groups and prepare for important competitions under individual programs. Only for the last two years the trainees of the A.V.Momot Chess Club won 24 medals on the all-Ukrainian arena, 10 of them are gold. They represent Ukraine equally well in international championships.
In 2015, Sofia Kozachenko became the champion of Ukraine in blitz among girls under 14 years old. In 2016, Elena Martinkova showed the best result in the Ukrainian championship in rapid chess under 20 years old and became the winner of the European Team Chess Championship among girls under 18 years old. In 2017, Semen Mitusov earned the title of champion of Ukraine under 12 years old in classic and rapid chess.
