International Chess Day, July 20

[Hans Jung]

So I heard that 5 million chess games were played. Is that official?

[Erik Malmsten]

There were over 350 events in 109 countries. Includes playing online on the fide website. Events had to have titled arbiters so didn't include casual events like Toronto Chess in the Park, Mel Lastman's Square, The Well mall, or City Hall. How many games are played on chess.com every day?

[Fred McKim]

It's my understanding that all games on chess.com and lichess.org during the 24 hour period counted. I organized a Blitz tournament on lichess with 22 players, but didn't have to register it. On the other hand I held a Rapid tournament, OTB with 14 players that I had to register with FIDE, I think one of 3 in Canada. With ALL OF THE online games counting, it kind of made the OTB event participation seem less important.

[Bob Gillanders]

It's my understanding that all games on chess.com and lichess.org during the 24 hour period counted. I organized a Blitz tournament on lichess with 22 players, but didn't have to register it. On the other hand I held a Rapid tournament, OTB with 14 players that I had to register with FIDE, I think one of 3 in Canada. With ALL OF THE online games counting, it kind of made the OTB event participation seem less important.

Canada had 5 OTB events registered for World Record attempt.
Langley Twp, Charlottetown, Kitchener, Waterloo (QC), Vancouver.
I registered the Kitchener entry for TD Matt Lewis. We got confirmation next day for 107 games (45 players).

The irony is most of the participants rarely rate their events with FIDE.

Globally there were 826 OTB events, online, I have no idea.

Still waiting for some announcement, how many games in total?

[Erik Malmsten]

Canada had 5 OTB events registered for World Record attempt.
Langley Twp, Charlottetown, Kitchener, Waterloo (QC), Vancouver.
I registered the Kitchener entry for TD Matt Lewis. We got confirmation next day for 107 games (45 players).

The irony is most of the participants rarely rate their events with FIDE.

Globally there were 826 OTB events, online, I have no idea.

Still waiting for some announcement, how many games in total?

Too bad the two Hart House tournaments weren't included, or Round 1 of Maplewood.

I read that over 7 million games were played!

[Stephen Wright]

https://www.fide.com/news/3127

[Bob Gillanders]

https://www.fide.com/news/3127

Thanks for the link Stephen, but those guys need some math lessons.

Total games = 7,284,970 mostly online, just 75,132 in person games (just over 10%)

Oops!! wrong, that should read just over 1%.

[Fred McKim]

Unfortunately the mixing of online games with OTB registered tournaments trivialized the efforts any OTB organizers went through to put on an event. It would seem the purpose of including the online platforms was to secure the record, while the inclusion of OTB events was to allow for some photo opportunities.

[Fred McKim]

Too bad the two Hart House tournaments weren't included, or Round 1 of Maplewood.

I read that over 7 million games were played!

Eric.

That was a conscious decision of the organizers of those events, not to take part. I think congratulations should go out to those who did take the time and effort to put on an event for this special day.

Fred

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/new-guinness-chess-world-record

[Olga Mushtaler]

Food for thought: FIDE Facebook posted pictures from the posh FIDE party in Paris = just 85 likes. While normally other posts get hundreds of likes.