Polar Chess Expedition Brings First FIDE-Rated Chess Tournament to Antarctica and the South Pole

Six Continents, One Chessboard at the Edge of the World

Six chess players representing all six inhabited continents are preparing to compete in the Polar Chess Expedition, a FIDE-rated rapid chess tournament staged across Antarctica and the Geographic South Pole. The event, played at rapid chess time control with every round broadcast live, opens with early rounds on the Antarctic ice before culminating at 90° South, in an attempt to be certified as the southernmost chess tournament ever played.

The Players and Their Continental Representation

Each of the six players represents a different continent and also serves their national or regional chess federation in some capacity. The field is led by Grandmaster Nigel Short of England, who in 1993 became the first Englishman in over a century to challenge for the World Chess Championship, taking on Garry Kasparov. Short currently serves as FIDE’s Director for Chess Development and lends the event both competitive weight and international recognition.

• Aung Kyaw Moe (Myanmar) — Candidate Master, representing Asia
• Damaris Abarca González (Chile) — Woman FIDE Master, representing South America
• Jesse February (South Africa) — Woman International Master, representing Africa
• Nigel Short (England) — Grandmaster, representing Europe
• Shaun Press (Papua New Guinea) — FIDE Master, representing Oceania
• Tris-Ann Richards (Saint Lucia) — Woman Candidate Master, representing North America

A Record-Breaking Endeavor

The Polar Chess Expedition is aiming to set a new world record. Potential record categories include the southernmost chess tournament ever played and the first chess event to bring players representing all six inhabited continents to the Geographic South Pole. For two of the players carrying continents to a chessboard for the first time, the record is personal as much as historic. The player representing North America described the opportunity as proof that great things can emerge from small places, while the Oceania representative noted that the biggest opponent in this event may not be across the board but rather the weather itself.

The Origin of the Expedition

The idea for the tournament took root two years ago when Aung Kyaw Moe came across an interview in which Short mentioned that he had won tournaments on every continent except Antarctica. Aung decided to embark on the project, and together with Short, they spoke to national chess federations across all six continents, turning a shared idea into a FIDE-rated event. The player from Myanmar described the journey as one that began with a simple observation and grew into an ambition to take chess to the end of the earth.

Source

This report is based on information published by FIDE — International Chess Federation.

Official source: https://www.fide.com/polar-chess-expedition-brings-the-first-fide-rated-chess-tournament-to-antarctica-and-the-south-pole/