The Department of Sport and Youth Affairs of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, under the auspices of the Hayartun Center and in collaboration with the Georgian Chess federation, organized the world champion Tigran Petrosyan Cup chess tournament. A tournament was launched from May 20 to 21 in the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall, after Valeri Badalyan, Head of the Department of Youth, a teacher at Tigran Petrosian Chess Club Giorgi Baghaturov and other fellow workers had carried out thorough preparatory work. Young chess lovers of different age represented different schools of Tbilisi, Tbilisi National Youth Palace, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and the Hayartun Center. 18 players had applied to participate in the competition.

Zurab Mikadze, Vice-Chairman of Georgian Chess Federation, welcomed the participants, he paid tribute to the memory of Tbilisi born world champion Tigran Petrosyan and mentioned that a competition in his honor had been held in Georgia, but no cup competitions had been organized. Vice-Chairman appreciated the initiative taken by the Hayartun Center to conduct the Tigran Petrosyan Cup competition.

Two-time world champion in chess composition David Janoev and Levon Chidilyan, Coordinator of the Hayartun Center, wished the best of luck to the participants.

The competition participants were drawn into four groups. Semifinalists were revealed after the first day of competition. Mariam Kachkachishvili, who studies in the eighth form at school No 87 in Tbilisi, and Armen Vardanyan, the first-year student of the Law Faculty at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, advanced to the semifinals.

On the 21^st of May, the second day of competition, the students of Chess School of Tbilisi Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, Anna Machavariani and others competed in the semifinals. Mariam Kachkaschishvili played against Armen Vardanyan in the final game. Armen Vardanyan won the Hayartun Cup named after Tigran Petrosyan in an interesting and persistent struggle.

The participants and winners solemnly received the medals, while the champion received presents and the Hayartun Cup named after Tigran Petrosyan.

At participants’ demand it was decided to traditionalize the contest and change its format; the management of Georgian Chess federation expressed its readiness to cooperate.