International Chess Day

Around the world, many people on this day simply recall how the knight moves or how the queen differs from the king. In Armenia, chess is more than just a sport.

It is practically a national religion, with a history spanning centuries and a whole army of champions and grandmasters.

Chess has been played here since Soviet times; Tigran Petrosian inspired national joy, and Levon Aronian is so popular he has even been compared to Beckham.

About 15 years ago, chess was also introduced into the school curriculum.