Wadim Rosenstein and his intensive plan to promote chess

Wadim Rosenstein - a man on a mission

Sagar Shah (SS): I first heard about you and met you at WR Chess 2023 in Dusseldorf. What struck me back then was the fact that you didn't want to invite too many spectators but tried to provide the best conditions for the players - creating an environment of fun and camaraderie. Can you take us back in time and tell us about your thoughts of organizing those events?

Wadim Rosenstein (WR): When I started organizing these events, my first thought was not how to make them look bigger from the outside, but how to make them feel right for the players. I wanted to create an environment where strong players could compete seriously, but also enjoy being there. Chess is a professional sport, but it is also a community. For me, the atmosphere matters: good conditions, respect for the players, enough space to think, to prepare, to speak to each other, and to enjoy the game. That is why the early WR Chess events had a more private and player-focused character. I wanted the players to feel that the event was built around them, not around noise. The result was something special: high-level chess, but also friendship, team spirit, and a feeling that people genuinely wanted to be part of it.

SS: You then went on to create World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships - an event that has remained on FIDE's calendar. How does it make you feel that an innovation that you came up with and funded has now become an important event in FIDE's calendar?

WR: It makes me proud, of course. But more than that, it confirms something I have believed for a long time: chess needs strong team formats. Chess is often seen as an individual game, but many players love the team atmosphere. It brings a different kind of emotion, responsibility, preparation, and connection. When you play for a team, you are not only playing for yourself. The fact that the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships became part of the FIDE calendar shows that there was a real need for this format. I am happy that WR Chess could help create something that is now bigger than one organizer or one event. I would add something like: Pro-am events play a key role in sports like tennis and golf because they create a bridge between professionals and sponsors. They strengthen engagement and loyalty to the sport, and turn events into valuable commercial platforms, helping generate revenue, attract partners, and support the broader ecosystem. Finally, they humanize elite players and make the sport feel more accessible, which is essential for long-term growth. For me, that is the goal: to build projects that can live, grow, and contribute to chess long-term.

Pro-am events play a key role in sports like tennis and golf because they create a bridge between professionals and sponsors. They strengthen engagement and loyalty to the sport, and turn events into valuable commercial platforms, helping generate revenue, attract partners, and support the broader ecosystem.

SS: What are some of the activities that you have done since then that you are proud of?

WR: There are several projects I am proud of.

1. The WR Chess Masters was important because it showed that we could create a strong, modern event with excellent conditions for players and a very special atmosphere.

2. The World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships are also very important to me because they brought a new energy into the professional calendar.

3. I am also proud of the WR Women’s Chess Tour. Women’s chess deserves more visibility, better conditions, and stronger commercial support. This is not just about one tournament - it is about building a platform.

4. We are also working on new formats, including bughouse, and on projects that connect chess with education, media, technology, and new audiences. For me, the main idea is simple: chess has enormous potential, but it needs modern formats, better presentation, and long-term investment.

SS: What made you decide to run for the post of FIDE President this year?

WR: I should clarify this carefully. I have not made a formal public announcement about running for FIDE President. At this moment I can answer this question only as a person who is passionate about chess and cares about the future of the chess community. What I can say is that I care deeply about the future of chess, and I believe the chess world has huge untapped potential. Over the past years, I have invested time, energy, and resources into projects that show what is possible when chess is treated seriously - not only as competition but also as education, as entertainment, and a global intellectual culture.

I should clarify this carefully. I have not made a formal public announcement about running for FIDE President.

For me, leadership in chess should be about responsibility, transparency, development, good governance and cooperation and the ability to build. It’s about building structures that last and creating real opportunities for growth. Whether through events, sponsorship, education projects, or any future role, my focus is the same: to help chess grow in a serious, professional, and sustainable way.

SS: Your X account has so many tweets that you have made about upcoming tournaments, support to initiatives and projects. Can you share them here so people have an idea of what's coming up?

WR: There are several projects coming.

1. One of the most exciting is the USA vs Uzbekistan match. I believe this can become a very powerful event because it brings together two important chess cultures: the United States, with its strong professional chess scene, and Uzbekistan, which has become one of the most impressive rising forces in world chess.

2. We are also developing the WR Women’s Chess Tour, with the goal of giving women’s chess more visibility, better structure, and stronger global attention.

3. Another important project is the WR Bughouse Championship, which we are launching together with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. Bughouse is fast, creative, emotional, and team-based. It shows a different side of chess - more dynamic, more accessible, and very exciting for younger audiences.

Beyond individual events, I am interested in projects connected to chess in education, new digital formats, better storytelling around chess, and stronger commercial models for the game.

SS: The world is really excited about the USA vs Uzbekistan match. How did you decide to do it? And what can the world expect from it?

WR: The idea came from looking at where the energy in chess is right now. The USA is one of the strongest chess countries in the world, with top players, strong infrastructure, and huge media potential. Uzbekistan, at the same time, represents one of the most exciting stories in modern chess. Their rise has been incredible, especially with their young generation of players. So the match is not only about two teams. It is about two chess stories meeting each other.

The world can expect serious competition, strong personalities, national pride, and a format that can attract both chess fans and a broader audience. I believe chess needs more events like this - events that are easy to understand, emotionally engaging, and commercially attractive.

SS: How do you see your relationship with chess and what is your vision in the coming days?

WR: Chess has been part of my life since childhood. I do not see it only as a business opportunity or as a sport that I support from the outside. Chess shaped the way I think. It teaches you to calculate, to take responsibility, to understand consequences, and to respect your opponent. These are principles that also matter in business and in life. My vision is to help chess become more accessible, more professional, and more attractive to new audiences - without losing its depth. Chess should be respected, but it should also be enjoyed. It should be part of education. It should have better conditions for players. It should be presented in a modern way. And it should give opportunities to people regardless of where they come from.

SS: Naturally, so many events require so much funding and money - where do you get your funds from?

WR: My chess projects are funded through my own business resources, through WR Group, and in some cases together with partners connected to specific events. I have been building businesses internationally for many years, and chess is one of the areas where I choose to invest because I believe in its long-term value. At the same time, I think it is important that chess projects are built responsibly. Funding should be transparent, structured properly, and used to create real value - for players, federations, organizers, and fans. For me, money is not the vision. Money is a tool. The vision is to build something that can develop chess in a serious and sustainable way.

SS: What are some of the things you would like to improve in the world of chess?

WR: There are several areas. First, player conditions. Professional players need better events, better organization, and more respect for the work they do. Second, commercial development. Chess has a huge audience, but it is still not commercialized at the level it could be. We need to improve marketing by devising better formats, better storytelling, stronger sponsorship models, and more professional presentation. Third, education. I strongly believe chess should be part of the school system. It teaches children how to think, how to make decisions, and how to take responsibility for those decisions. Fourth, women’s chess and youth development. These areas need more visibility, better funding, and long-term platforms. And finally, governance and transparency. Chess needs structures that people can trust. If we want the game to grow globally, then credibility and professionalism are essential.

Chess has a huge audience, but it is still not commercialized at the level it could be. We need to improve marketing by devising better formats, better storytelling, stronger sponsorship models, and more professional presentation.

SS: Do you have any final words for our readers or something that you would like to share.

WR: I believe chess is entering a very important period. The game has never had more global attention, more online reach, or more potential to connect people. But potential is not enough. It needs structure, investment, responsibility, and vision. For me, chess is not only about the board. It is about education, culture, competition, technology, and human connection. That is why I will continue to support projects that bring new energy into chess and help the game grow globally.

Events planned by Wadim Rosenstein in the next few months:

These are the dates and the events that Wadim has planned in the next 4 months. We wish him the best in successfully executing all of them.