Kirkuk to host Iraq Chess Olympiad from June 11-15

KIRKUK, Iraq — Kirkuk will host the Iraq Chess Olympiad from June 11 to 15, the Iraq Chess Federation said, in coordination with its Kirkuk branch and under the patronage of Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Saman Eho Mohammed. Teams from different Iraqi cities will take part in the tournament. Each city will be represented by one team, while the host city may enter two teams. The competition will be played with four main players and two substitutes on each team, and the results will count toward the International Chess Federation rankings. Sami al-Bayati, head of the Kirkuk Chess Branch, said the city has completed its technical and administrative preparations for the event. The federation set June 9 as the deadline to confirm participation, and the technical meeting will be held at noon on June 11.