First Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners announced

The first-ever Continental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners will take place in May 2025, marking a significant milestone in the effort to bring chess into correctional institutions worldwide. As part of the Chess for Freedom initiative, this expansion provides incarcerated individuals with new opportunities for intellectual engagement, rehabilitation, and reintegration into society.

The event will feature separate championships for four continents:

Africa – May 13, 2025

Americas – May 16, 2025

Europe – May 20, 2025

Asia – May 23, 2025

Tournament Format & Eligibility

Each championship is a team event, open to correctional institutions within their respective continents. Each country may register up to three teams:

• One team from a male correctional facility

• One team from a female correctional facility

• One team from a juvenile correctional facility (under 20 years old)

Additional teams may be invited from countries that organize national championships among prisoners.

Each team will consist of four players, with an unlimited number of substitutes. All participants must be incarcerated individuals, and anonymity will be maintained in accordance with legal regulations.

The tournaments will be played on Chess.com, using a 10-minute + 5-second increment time control. The format – Round Robin or Swiss System – will depend on the number of participating teams. The top two teams in each continental event will advance to the Championship Match (which will be held on the second day) to determine the continental winner.

Registration & Key Dates

Registration Deadline: May 1, 2025

Registration Link: Click HERE to register

Technical Meeting: Week of May 5, 2025 (via Zoom)

Correctional institutions must complete the online registration form and confirm their team’s participation via email to Mikhail Korenman (mikhail.korenman@ccsheriff.org).

Since its launch in 2021, the Chess for Freedom initiative has introduced chess to correctional institutions around the world, demonstrating its value as a tool for education, personal development, and social reintegration. The introduction of continental-level championships represents a step forward in expanding access to the game, allowing teams from different regions to compete on a larger stage.

For full tournament details, please refer to the official event guidelines.

Regulations for Continental Online Championships for Prisoners (PDF)