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Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan republic!

pokerchess1987.eth@newsletter.paragraph.com (Artem Ilyin) — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Kazan is a city with a thousand-year history and rich culture, the capital of one of the most advanced and hospitable regions of Russia – the Republic of Tatarstan.

Tatarstan has traditionally been among the leading regions of the Russian Federation and is well known outside the country. The region is rich in natural resources. Industry occupies the largest share in its economic structure, including mining, manufacturing, mechanical engineering, etc.

Synthesis of two cultures

Kazan embodies the synthesis of East and West, Islam and Christianity, history and modernity. For many centuries, representatives of different religions and more than 115 nationalities have been living here in the atmosphere of peace and harmony. The most numerous of them are Russians and Tatars. A striking example of the harmonious coexistence of religions is the Kazan Kremlin, on the territory of which the Kul-Sharif mosque and orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation stand nearby.

Sports capital of Russia

Kazan is the sports capital of Russia. The city rightly and proudly bears this title, hosting many international tournaments and being home to a number of titled clubs. Rubin Football Club, Ak Bars Hockey Club, Zenit and Dinamo Volleyball Clubs, UNICS Basketball Club, and Sintez Water Polo Club – their names are known far beyond the country.

The 27th Summer Universiade 2013 gave the city a rich legacy in the form of a wide variety of sports venues and clubs. Thanks to its developed infrastructure, Kazan has hosted major international competitions: the 16th FINA World Championships in 2015, FIFA Confederations Cup matches in 2017, FIFA World Cup RussiaTM matches in 2018. The high quality of Kazan’s hosting of titular international sporting events has been repeatedly appraised by the world sports community.

Over the past decade, Tatarstan has made a huge leap in the development of sports infrastructure. Today Kazan is a city capable of hosting the largest international competitions
Rustam Minnikhanov
Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan

Over the past decade, Tatarstan has made a huge leap forward in the development of sports infrastructure. Today’s Kazan is a city capable of hosting the largest international competitions.

Today, there are over 2,000 sports facilities in Kazan. In 2020, the largest Uram extreme park in the country with an area of 42,000 sq. m. was commissioned.

The capital of Tatarstan creates conditions for people of different ages and health levels to get involved in sports. Special attention is also paid to the formation of an inclusive culture in society and the development of adaptive sports: in 2023 the city played a host to the United Games by the Special Olympics rules for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Best place to travel

The rich historical legacy and diversity of cultural sites, masterpieces of Tatar cuisine and hospitality of local residents have already attracted more than 3.5 million tourists to Kazan. There are more than 150 accommodation facilities in the city. Kazan’s hospitality capabilities make it possible to hold major international events at a high level.

There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Tatarstan – the Kazan Kremlin, Great Bolgar, the Assumption Monastery complex on the island-town of Sviyazhsk, and Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory. In 2005, Kazan celebrated a significant date – the 1,000th anniversary of the city, and in 2022 the city of Bolgar hosted celebrations dedicated to the 1,100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria.

In 2021, Kazan was officially granted the status of the gastronomic capital of Russia. Restaurants serving Tatar national cuisine are very popular among the guests of the city. Traditional Tatar pastries, noodle soup, chak-chak, and talkysh kaleve (tatar dessert) may hardly leave anyone indifferent.

Transport accessibility of the city contributes to the boost in the tourist traffic. In 2022, Kazan International Airport handled about 4 million passengers. A new passenger terminal is being built to increase the capacity of the airport. In December 2023, the M-12 Vostok highway from Moscow to Kazan was officially opened. The travel time is only six and a half hour.

Cultural life of the city

The cultural life of the thousand-year-old capital of Tatarstan is saturated with a huge number of major world-class fora, including the Fedor Shalyapin International Opera Festival, Rudolf Nureyev Classical Ballet Festival, Kazan Autumn International Opera Festival, Sergey Rakhmaninov White Lilac Festival, Nur International Media Arts Festival, Tat Cult Fest festival of the new Tatar culture, Aksenov Fest literary festival, International Muslim Film Festival, and others. Kazan has 13 theatres, more than 30 museums, private galleries, the Salikh Saydashev State Big Concert Hall and two philharmonics.

Public spaces are being actively developed in the city. Among the most striking examples are the National Library of Tatarstan, a modern creative space with an exhibition hall, a theatre venue and a co-working space, as well as the embankment of Lake Kaban, which has received a number of architectural awards as the best landscape architecture project.

Advanced technology and education

Kazan is one of the largest economic, scientific and educational centres of the country. About 150 thousand students from 124 countries study at the universities of the city.

The 45th WorldSkills Competition held here in 2019 gave a powerful impetus to the development of skilled professions in the country. In the near future, it is planned to build a federal technology centre of the WorldSkills Russia movement in the city.

The Republic demonstrates a good example of development and solution of the problems that are of prime importance. Today Kazan is one of the most dynamically developing cities in the country
Vladimir Putin
President of the Russian Federation

The capital of Tatarstan has a rich IT infrastructure. Not far from Kazan there is an entire city of high technologies Innopolis and the university of the same name. In the centre of the capital itself, the San IT district is actively developing, which includes the Idea technology park, digital School 21, Urban and Suvar Plaza business centres, as well as the IT Park built in 2022 named after Bashir Rameev. It houses a conference hall unique by the federal standards and the largest cyber arena in terms of the number of gaming seats. The IT district should become a new hallmark of the republic as a leader in the development of information technologies in the country.

Kazan keeps growing. Restoration of significant cultural and historical sites, construction of new interchanges and metro lines and stations, infrastructural transformations and implementation of the concept of developing the urban public spaces provided the city with an attractive appearance of a flourishing metropolis, which is definitely noted by both Kazan citizens and guests of the city.

pokerchess1987.eth@newsletter.paragraph.com (Artem Ilyin) — Tue, 21 May 2024 10:12:38 GMT

The history of chess in Montenegro can be traced back to the late 19th century, when it first started gaining popularity. It was often played in cafes and clubs by intellectuals and members of the upper class. The Montenegrin Chess Federation (Šahovski savez Crne Gore) was officially established in 1948, marking a significant step in the development of organized chess in the country. This facilitated the hosting of local tournaments and helped cultivate an environment where aspiring players could grow. Montenegro debuted in international chess events when it participated in the Chess Olympiad in Varna, Bulgaria in 1962 as part of the Yugoslav team. When the breakup of Yugoslavia began in the early 1990s, Montenegro continued to compete under the flag of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Following the independence referendum in 2006, the Montenegrin Chess Federation applied for separate membership with FIDE, the international governing body of chess, which was granted in 2007. Since then, Montenegro has been participating independently in various international chess events. One of the most prominent chess figures from Montenegro is Grandmaster Dragan Kosic, who has represented the country in numerous international competitions since the early 21st century. His victories have grandly contributed to promoting Montenegrin chess on the global stage. Today, chess continues to thrive in Montenegro with clubs spread across the country and numerous national championships being held annually. Young talents are continually emerging, promising a bright future for chess in the nation.

pokerchess1987.eth@newsletter.paragraph.com (Artem Ilyin) — Sun, 19 May 2024 22:09:02 GMT

Garry Kasparov, born on April 13, 1963, is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players in history. Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, he started playing chess at a young age and quickly rose through the international ranks. A prodigious talent, Kasparov became the youngest ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 at the age of 22, a title he held until 1993. During his reign, he was known for his aggressive style and deep understanding of the game's complexities. Kasparov's most famous matches were perhaps his series against Anatoly Karpov, another world champion. These matches were noted for their high level of play and intense rivalry. In August 1999, Kasparov achieved the highest Elo rating in chess history at that time, reaching a peak rating of 2851. He remained at the top of the world rankings for over 20 years, from 1986 until his retirement in 2005. In addition to his playing career, Kasparov made significant contributions to computer chess. He played several matches against advanced computer programs, most famously against IBM's Deep Blue in 1997. Since retiring from professional chess, Kasparov has become involved in politics and writing, but his influence on the game of chess remains profound. His innovative strategies and bold playing style have left a lasting legacy for future generations of chess enthusiasts.

pokerchess1987.eth@newsletter.paragraph.com (Artem Ilyin) — Sat, 18 May 2024 21:01:47 GMT

Magnus Carlsen, born on November 30, 1990, in Tonsberg, Norway, is a world-renowned chess grandmaster widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He became a grandmaster at the age of 13, making him one of the youngest to achieve this status. Carlsen's play style combines deep calculation with intuitive understanding, allowing him to excel in both tactical and strategic aspects of the game. His versatile skill set has seen him dominate various formats of chess, from classical to rapid and blitz. His remarkable career includes winning the World Chess Championship in 2013, where he defeated Viswanathan Anand. As of my last update in September 2021, Carlsen remains the reigning World Chess Champion, having successfully defended his title multiple times. Carlsen's contributions extend beyond the chessboard; he has worked tirelessly to popularize the game globally. His competitive spirit and unique playing style have inspired a new generation of chess enthusiasts worldwide. Note that due to my last update being in September 2021, some recent events or accomplishments may not be covered in this summary.

Chess is fun!

pokerchess1987.eth@newsletter.paragraph.com (Artem Ilyin) — Sun, 12 May 2024 06:07:14 GMT

Chess is a strategic two-player board game, recognized as one of the oldest and most intellectually challenging games in the world. It simulates warfare on an 8x8 checkerboard with each player starting with sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The objective of the game is to put your opponent's king under direct attack, or "checkmate", from which there is no legal move to remove it. The game can also end in a draw under certain circumstances, such as stalemate, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule, or mutual agreement. Each piece has its unique movement: - The King can move one square in any direction. - The Queen can move any number of squares along a rank, file, or diagonal. - The Rook can move any number of squares along a rank or file. - The Bishop can move any number of squares diagonally. - The Knight moves to any square not on the same rank, file, or diagonal as its current position (in an "L" shape). - Pawns move forward one square but capture diagonally. They also have special moves like en passant and promotion. Chess requires strategic planning, tactical analysis, and pattern recognition skills. It's known for its rich history and has been widely studied, leading to the development of many playing styles, strategies, and opening variations. Through websites, online platforms, clubs, tournaments, and even AI advancements like chess engines, chess continues to be a popular pastime, competitive sport, and tool for cognitive development.