On March 4, FIDE President took part in the final city competitions "White Rook", which took place in Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War at Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow. It has become a traditional venue for the tournament that is held for the 4th time. The final was opened by FIDE head Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Rector of Russian State Social University (RSSU) Natalia Pochinok.On this day, competitions were held in three categories: Moscow's championship among school teams -- "White Rook", a city tournament among mixed teams (schoolchildren and veteran) -- "The unbreakable connection between generations "Pawn and Queen" and the City Chess Veterans and their family members Festival dedicated to the 73rd anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
At the opening ceremony, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, First Vice-President of the MCF Nikita Kim, Rector of the RSSU Natalia Pochinok, head of Centre for Patriotic Education and School Sports of the Moscow Department of Education Andrei Shashkov and head of the Regional Public Organization of Chess Players Veterans and Invalids of Moscow Vadim Belov addressed the participants of the event with welcome speeches.
