ChessTech2020
Chess and Technology Online Conference
5-6 December 2020
ChessTech 2020 is the first international conference covering the online and digital aspects of chess. See the latest advances in chess technology. Meet the pioneers of the new wave of chess software and systems. Get to know the developers of the next generation of chess apps. Stay tuned for new research on cheating and its various impacts on chess. After seven annual conferences with a focus on education, the London Chess conference moves online and shifts its focus to technology, while still maintaining the education connection.
Conference Programme
Conference Producer
Chess as a Driver of Technology
Opening talk with Conference Director John Foley,
President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich and
President of the European Chess Federation (ECU) Zurab Azmaiparashvili
The game has been transformed in the Covid era – over the board chess has given way to online chess. Although we are planning on the return of over the board chess, there have been many issues arising from the rapid deployment of digital chess. Chess creates challenges for technological innovations including for broadcasting / fan experience, chess equipment, online/hybrid competitions, anti-cheating and fair-play more broadly.
John Foley has been Director of the London Chess Conference since 2013. A former financial decision analyst, he has a background in Philosophy, Operational Research and Cognitive Psychology. He was London u-16 champion and Oxford University chess champion. He is the Managing Director of ChessPlus Limited and Secretary of the Education Commission of the European Chess Union.
Arkady Dvorkovich President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). He is a top economist and also President of the Skolkovo Foundation – the Russian hub for innovation.
Zurab Azmaiparashvili President of the European Chess Federation (ECU) and a vice-president of international chess federation FIDE.
Stefan Löffler was the Founding Director of the London Chess Conference in 2013 and is its Programme Director since 2014. He is editor of the ChessTech Newsletter and co-ordinator of the Erasmus+ funded 8by8 project. He is an International Master, a science and chess journalist with more than 30 years of experience in chess journalism. ChessTech being his most recent project.
David Kramaley CEO and Co-founder of Chessable. He has a background in computer science and games, and have been involved in the social games industry for about 6 to 7 years. David created games that reached millions of players around the world. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology of Education (BPS) from Bristol University and a PGCert in Applied Psychology from the University of Liverpool.
David Cordover founded Tornelo.com in Australia in 2008 and has been deeply involved in online and hybrid chess events and Ensuring Fair Play since Covid-19 changed OTB chess forever. He owns a chess-specific retail store, a scholastic chess coaching business employing over 100 coaches and a series of chess tournaments with around 10,000 entries each year. He is a former Australian Junior Champion.
Hans Pees joined DGT in 2009 and became CEO and company owner in 2015. Driven by his passion for chess, under his leadership, DGT creates and designs high quality innovative chess products and services that are made with respect for the world of chess and that are always intended to enhance and spread the game. This vision can be felt throughout the company and defines the DGT brand.
Janos Pallagi is a Co-Founder of LearningChess, the platform for learning and teaching chess. Janos holds an MBA in Information Technology. He is the Managing Director at i-Mobil Solutions Ltd. and the Chairman at Inter Crown Europe Corp.
Ranae Bartlett is a former Board President of a US school system that provided ChessKid accounts for every elementary student in the district, recognizing the academic benefits of chess. She is currently the Director of Education at ChessKid.com, working with school systems training teachers and chess coaches on how to get the most out of ChessKid.com during virtual school, face-to-face classes, and after-school chess club practices. Ranae also administers a new grant program offering free gold ChessKid accounts to students attending public schools that started in the US in 2020 and will expand internationally in 2021.
Raghuraman S. is the co-founder of chesslang.com, a platform for chess coaches to effectively train their students and manage the academy. He is a Computer Engineer and holds an MBA in finance.
Vince Negri is a credited contributor to the Stockfish chess engine and has worked in the technology sector for 25 years, after an academic background in computational mathematics. He specialises in systems and user experience design, and has a particular interest on the interface between games and adult learning.
Joan Buch Prades is the founder of SzuperChess, a recently launched startup that has developed an innovative anti-cheating system for online chess tournaments. He combined his passion for chess and business to try to solve the biggest problem within the chess world. He is a chemical engineer, entrepreneur and professional chess player since he was 6 years old.
Sasha Starr is a businessman, an investor, musician, philosopher, producer, inventor and the creator of democratic chess. The Founder and the President of CHESS STARS INC. Home of the revolutionary chess contest – a new online event where there is no cheating and everyone have a chance to win cash. entertaining and at the same time a great educational tool, endorsed by legendary Garry Kasparov and GM Wesley So.
The conference is suitable for anyone involved in playing, teaching or studying chess online. Find out the latest products and services. Transform your experience. A special feature of our conferences is the ability to network with others. You won’t just be watching but you will also be connecting.