Some of the world’s greatest chess players have gathered in the Granite City as part of a conference being held at the University of Aberdeen.
The 'Chess in Schools and Communities Conference' (CISCCON) runs from Thursday, August 30 to September 1, 2007 at King's College Conference Centre.
Keynote speakers include Susan Polgar, four times Women's World Chess Champion, and Aberdonian Chess Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson – three times British Champion.
The event will also see dozens of Aberdeen's young chess stars take on their counterparts from across Scotland and from Twin Cities Stavanger, Clermont-Ferrand, Regensburg and Gomel. The two-day international junior tournament starts on Friday, August 31.
The University of Aberdeen's Rowan Group in the School of Education, Aberdeen City Council's Community Learning and Development Sector and Scottish Junior Chess worked together to bring the inaugural conference about.
"This is the first world-wide conference of its kind to be staged, and gives international exposure to Aberdeen City Council's acclaimed 'Chess in Schools' programme," said Conference Co-ordinator Dod Forrest, an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen's School of Education.
"It has been a real coup for us to attract the calibre of delegates who are attending the Conference, including representatives from Australia, United States, India, Africa and across Europe.
"The junior programme has also attracted over 50 youngsters who will receive priceless coaching over the two days from Susan Polgar, who has been instrumental in promoting chess to girls in the USA. It promises to be a true celebration of chess and the benefits it can bring to children."
The main aim of the conference is to further explore the educational and behavioural improvements seen in youngsters encouraged to play chess.
A host of academics and chess experts will present new papers over the three days.
"Research we have conducted at the University has revealed that chess-playing groups of children show improvements in reading comprehension and behaviour compared with the group which did not play chess, " added Mr Forrest.
"The big question is why this is happening. We can look at the reading skills before interaction with chess and afterwards and something improves, but we don't really know why. By having the conference we hope to shed a little light on the benefits."
As part of the event, a number of Aberdeen schools participated in 'The Art of Chess' competition organised by the Whitespace Arts project. An exhibition of chess sets designed and constructed by local pupils will be displayed in the conference centre.
Delegates and guest speakers will also attend a City Council reception on the evening of August 30 that will honour and recognise the achievement of Jonathan Rowson, who is originally from Aberdeen.