We were honored to host the Women's Chess Marathon in Nepal as part of a global initiative led by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess (WOM), empowering women and girls through chess. It was conducted throughout the world including South Africa, Zambia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Australia, Portugal, and Italy, all contributing to visibility and opportunity for female chess players.

Queen’s Gambit at the Himalayan Chess Academy welcomed over 100 unrated women and girls, providing a friendly environment to play fast chess, learn, and build meaningful connections. We are incredibly proud to have created a platform that empowers women in Nepal to engage with the sport and showcase their talent.

Himalayan Chess Academy (HCA) hosted Nepal’s first Freestyle Chess Championship from March 9–14, 2025, alongside the Himalayan Blitz Cup, as part of its first-anniversary celebrations. Freestyle chess, founded by Bobby Fischer and popularised by Magnus Carlsen, uses one of 960 starting positions per game, creating a dynamic and creative experience.

The week-long event attracted 50 enthusiastic participants across multiple sections, including boys and girls in U8–U16 categories and rating-based groups, ensuring players of all ages and skill levels could compete.

The inaugural Freestyle Chess Championship marks a milestone for Nepali chess and reflects HCA’s commitment to creating opportunities for young players to think creatively and enjoy the game.

The KMAG Chess Championship 2025 concluded after an exciting 15-day run, bringing together 64 players of all ages and genders in one of the year’s most inclusive chess events. The tournament used a football-style format with 16 groups of four players, followed by an intense knockout stage, ranging from 15-minute rapid rounds to 60-minute classical games in the finals.

Powered by modern technologies including OBS livestreaming, ID Chess digital board capture, and Swiss Manager pairing software, results were posted globally on chess-results.com. The event was made possible with support from sponsors like Hotel Monalisha, Tecto Store, Team 11, Mypay, Mountain Vista Retreat, NepDeko, Arawan Media & Tech, Khelpati, and more.

Organized by GEMS School Dhapakhel in collaboration with Himalayan Chess Academy, the championship brought together 50 talented young chess players in the Under-14 and Under-18 categories for two days of intense competition.

Conducted under the latest laws of chess with Swiss pairing and 15 min + 10 sec increment time controls, the tournament featured seven thrilling rounds. Wins were worth 3 points, draws 1 point, and byes 3 points. Tie-breaks were calculated using opponents’ scores, head-to-head results, and total wins.

Winners and medalists were announced across categories, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze awarded based on performance. Top three schools in each category were also recognized. The event was supervised by Chief Arbiter FA Dipesh Giri, ensuring fair play and smooth execution.

The championship celebrated chess, learning, and camaraderie. Himalayan Chess Academy proudly provided technical support to make the event a success.