Notice

Announcement of the FACI 2026 Youth Special Development Program

10-08-2026
T_Yamada

The Japan Chess Federation, with the full cooperation of the ‘FACI (Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives)’ educational program provided by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, will implement a special development program aimed at selected young players in Japan.

This program will implement a comprehensive development curriculum combining online training sessions with a five-day in-person intensive course to be held during the summer holidays.

Through continuous and practical coaching, the program aims to improve competitive ability whilst providing an environment where top young players can inspire and challenge one another, thereby fostering the next generation of players who will lead the future of chess in Japan.

About FACI

FACI (Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives) is an educational project implemented by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KazChess) in partnership with the Japan Chess Federation, International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF), with the support of Freedom Holding Corp. Its aim is to nurture young players across Asia and to promote and develop the game of chess; Japan has been selected to participate in the 2026 program.

Lecture Overview

Eligibility: Players must meet all of the following conditions

  • Be a full member of the Japan Chess Federation (as at 1 July 2026) and hold Japanese chess nationality
  • Have been born on or after 2008
  • Hold a FIDE rating

Selection: Participants for the Advanced and Development Groups were selected on the basis of their FIDE ratings and tournament results.

Note: Invitation emails have already been sent to the selected participants.

 

Advanced Group

Lecturer: IM Amanov Zhanibek

 

Format:

★ 5-day intensive in-person course

Dates: 24 August (Mon) – 28 August (Fri) 2026, 10:00–16:00

Venue: Chess Centre UENO

 

★Online course via Zoom

Starting on Friday, 7 August 2026, held twice a week.

 

Contents:

Chess Strategy and Endgame

 

1.Preventive thinking and quiet moves

Goal: Improve decision-making in quiet, balanced positions by developing preventive thinking and positional awareness.

Topics:

1.1 Thinking algorithm

1.2 What to do when there is nothing to do

1.3 Preventive thinking and preventive moves

1.4 Quiet moves: Finding useful non-tactical moves to improve your position

1.5 Practical Exercises

 

  1. Rook Endgames

Goal: Build a solid foundation in the most important rook endgames and learn practical winning and drawing techniques.

Topics:

2.1 Essential rook endgame positions

2.2 Winning techniques

2.3 Drawing methods

2.4 Practical exercises

 

Development Group

Lecturer: WFM Son Asya

 

★Online course via Zoom

Starting on Friday, 7 August 2026, held twice a week.

 

Contents:

Middlegame Topics

  1. Building a Plan
  2. How to evaluate a position and create an effective plan.
  3. Piece Activity & Coordination
  4. Improving the placement and cooperation of your pieces.
  5. The Art of Prophylaxis
  6. Understanding and preventing your opponent’s ideas.
  7. Dynamic vs. Static Advantages
  8. Recognizing temporary and long-term advantages and choosing the right strategy.
  9. Pawn Structures
  10. Weaknesses, strong squares, pawn breaks, and long-term planning.
  11. Good Pieces vs. Bad Pieces
  12. Improving your worst piece and exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses.
  13. Space Advantage & Positional Play
  14. How to use extra space and restrict your opponent’s counterplay.
  15. Calculation & Decision Making Under Pressure
  16. Candidate moves, critical moments, and practical thinking during the game.
  17. Transition from Middlegame to Endgame
  18. Knowing when to simplify and which endgames to aim for.
  19. Analysis of Practical Games
  20. Learning strategic ideas from classical games and students’ own games.

 

Endgame Topics

  1. King Activity
  2. Fundamental Pawn Endings
  3. Passed Pawns
  4. Mastering Standard Endgame Positions
  5. Essential Rook Endgames
  6. Minor Piece Endgames
  7. Transition into Favorable Endgames
  8. Practical Endgame Technique
  9. Endgame Calculation & Planning
  10. Practical Tournament Endgames

 

Looking ahead

Through this program, we aim to provide Japanese youth players with ongoing opportunities to receive coaching at an international standard, and to foster the development of players who will go on to excel on the world stage.