Ignatius Leong
International Arbiter since 1979. Chief Arbiter of numerous world-level competitions including Olympiads 2004 & 2008 and World Cup 2013. Among the first batch of International Organisers awarded in 1995. Organised several world-level events including World Youth 1990 & 2008, World Schools 2008 & 2015 and World Youth Olympiad 2007.
FIDE Senior Trainer title awarded in 2004. He founded the ASEAN Chess Academy in 2003 and it was the first ever FIDE-endorsed Chess Academy. He was instrumental in establishing the seminar & title award system for the FIDE Trainers Commission.
As FIDE Vice-President & General Secretary from 2002 to 2014, he contributed dozens of proposals and reforms in numerous matters notably. the re-structure of FIDE commissions, the addition of women players for the women’s Olympiads, the mandatory inclusion of at least one woman in all commissions and the FIDE Presidential Board, the registration of FIDE IDs before entering an international competitions, the “cleaning up” of duplicate names in the rating lists, etc ..
Global Cities Chess Summit
The idea of organising a gigantic size event for teams was first conceived during the Covid pandemic in 2021. Just as Chennai came to the rescue of the Chess Olympiad, the concept of the Global Cities Chess Summit came to mind. An event in which almost everyone has the opportunity to compete for cash prizes at almost an equal footing regardless of his rating.
As any city may register with any number of teams for the various rating categories, the “sky’s the limit” for the Summit. The event has the potential to grow bigger every year – culminating into a chess festival with several thousands of players.
To be held annually, already 5 potential venues have been identified.
Global Cities Chess Summit 