Secrets of a Champion Maker. Live with Arshak Petrosian - Coach of Armenia's Threefold Chess Olympiad Winners

KCF Academy is welcoming a very special guest. On April 19th, we open the doors to an evening with one of chess's greatest minds - Arshak Petrosian, live with us for an exclusive masterclass.

Arshak Petrosian is one of the most respected figures in the history of chess. He rose from talented young player to one of the greatest coaches the chess world has ever seen.

His playing career spoke for itself. USSR Master of Sport in 1969, Armenian SSR Champion in 1974 and 1976, IM in 1978, and GM in 1984. He defeated world-class opponents, including Alexey Shirov and Alexander Morozevich, claimed bronze at the 1992 Chess Olympiad, and gold at the 1999 European Team Championship.

But it was coaching where Petrosian left his greatest mark. Taking charge of the Armenian national team in the mid-1990s, he led them to three Chess Olympiad gold medals (2006, 2008, 2012) and the 2011 World Team Championship title. FIDE recognised his extraordinary contribution by awarding him the Mikhail Botvinnik Prize as the world's best coach twice, in 2008 and 2011.

What set him apart was his one-of-a-kind approach to coaching. PhD in philosophy, Petrosian taught his players not just how to win, but how to think, bringing depth and clarity to coaching that went far beyond just technique.

It is an incredible chance to see live the coach, thinker, and architect of a golden era in chess, Arshak Petrosian, at KCF Academy.

Mark your calendar: 17:00 CET, April 19, 2026.