New Chess Federation Centre launched
Just two years ago, the Turkish Chess Federation did not have any movable or immovable
goods. During the autonomy period Turkish chess has made important investments
and developments. The latest example is the biggest and the most modern
federation centre among all amateur sports federations in Turkey and the biggest
chess library.
The Ataturk Chess Centre – a dream come true!
The Turkish Chess Federation was established in 1991. It organized lots of national
and international tournaments successfully, and became autonomous in May, 2004.
The TCF has achieved great developments in chess during the last years with
the support of the sponsors.
The new Federation Centre has a 1,000 m² area, on the 6th floor of a
business centre, renewed and decorated by TCF, and is called the Atatürk
Chess Centre. The total cost for the establishment of the Center is €1.1
million.
Entrance to the Federation Offices
The Federation area
The Federation offices
The office of the President, Ali Nihat Yazici
Room for board meetings
The teaching and lecture area
For chess tournaments and events
Area for refreshments
The Nevzat Süer Saloon consists of a competition hall and a cafeteria,
and takes up 400 m². The Turkish Chess Federation plans to organize tournaments
and courses for all ages during the year. Also there is wireless internet in
the entire area, and all guests can use the Internet free of charge.
The Kahraman Olgac Library occupies 40 m². There will be more than 1,500
different book titles: chess history, current novels, chess magazines, magazines
both in Turkish and English, some Russian books and some in Arabic language,
left over from the Ottoman period. Anybody may use the library to learn everything
about chess, read various books and do research. There will be a librarian
responsible for helping readers. In addition the library will have all ChessBase
software installed on the latest computers.
The new centre was purchased on November 2005, at a cost of € 850,000.
An additional € 200,000 was spent for renovating the inside. This was
sponsored by Spor-Toto, National Betting Company of Turkey.
The new Federation Centre is located in the middle of the Turkish capital
of Ankara. Transportation is easy by car, bus, shared taxi and subway from
anywhere in Ankara. The Centre is just 50 meters from a Metro Station and ten
meters from a bus station. It is 200 meters to the Central Train Station, and 50 meters to
an Airport shuttle service.
The address of the new centre is Fevzi Pasa Mah. Sehit Yasar Akansel Sok.
Özgürler Is Merkezi No: 3 Kat: 6 Ulus-ANKARA. Phone: +90 312 309
75 94, +90 533 478 93 57; Fax: +90 312 310 96 20.
Why don`t you visit Atatürk Chess Centre if you are in Ankara.
The opening ceremony
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic Mehmet Ali Sahin, the Minister of Industry
and Trade Ali Coskun, the Deputy President of FIDE and the President of the Greek Chess
Federation Georgios Makropoulos, the President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation Stefan
Sergiev, the President of the Syrian Chess Federation Dr. Hani Al Bitar, the Public Relations
Director Bulent Inan as a representative of our sponsor Turkiye Is Bankasi,
the Spor Toto Director Bekir Yunus Ucar, the Deputy Director Generals of Youth and
Sports; Mehmet Ali Babacan, Sezai Bagbasi, the Director of Corporate Affairs of
Arcelik A.S Melis Sahinler and Serkan Kocyigit as a representative of Milangaz
A.S attended the opening ceremony.
Turkish folk musicians Davul and Zurna
The Minister of Industry and Trade Ali Coskun, who supported 400 Regional
Primary Schools with chess classes sponsored by Milangaz
A.S, was one of the first guests. TCF President Yazici and Ali Coskun’s ten-year-old
son Ali Murat played chess, and they drew. Minister Coskun enjoyed this match.
TCF President Ali Nihat Yazici made a speech at the opening ceremony and stressed
the importance of autonomy in Turkish Sports. “In 2000 the number of the players
was 3000," he said. "It has increased to 150,000 in this year, and
12,000 teachers have been trained and joined us as coaches just since last
summer. Chess is now available as an optional course in primary schools, and
we have reached the point where chess has become a rising star of Turkish Sports."
Deputy Prime Minister of Turkish Republic Mehmet Ali Sahin started his speech
by saying that after the Turkish Football Federation this was the first time
that a federation had purchased its own estate.
The Minister of Industry and Trade, Ali Coskun, said that chess is a sport
which is good for educating, teaching and relaxing human beings. It is a sphere
of interest for engineers and matematicians and helps them during the planning,
practising and checking processes. He also thanked everbody who had made contributions
to this new centre and it is really important that chess became a subject at
schools.
The TCF won high praises from the Deputy President of FIDE and the President of the Greek
Federation Georgios Makropoulos. “FIDE has 155 active federations," Makropoulos
said. "We were arguing about the fastest developing federation untill
2000. However, in the last six years we have stopped debating this, because
it is clearly the Turkish Chess Federation.” Makropoulos gave two reasons for
this development: first of all Ali Nihat Yazici and his management, and secondly
the politicians who support him.
The Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that he was impressed to see
Mr. Makropoulos in Ankara, considering that Makropoulos and Yazici had been
bitter rivals in the last FIDE elections. He said that this should be considered
a universal example of fair play and peace for all sports.
After the speeches the Ataturk Chess Centre was formally opened. The Deputy
President of FIDE Georgios Makropoulos and the President of the Turkish Chess Federation
Ali Nihat Yazici, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic Mehmet Ali
Sahin, and the Minister of Industry and Trade Ali Coskun (from left to right),
all cut the red tape all together.
