Republic of Kalmykia

Chess is a required subject for all children in Kalmykia, a Buddhist region whose authoritarian president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, also happens to be the president of FIDE.

For years Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has been trying to make chess more appealing to television audiences by expediting the matches and encouraging running commentary. He even pushed successfully for mandatory drug testing for chess players – part of an effort to make chess an Olympic sport.

Kalmykia, Europe