RenewECU

Move - 3 Make European Chess Visible European chess represents 54 federations, world champions, rising stars, legendary players, and some of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Yet its digital reach remains alarmingly low for the scale and potential of European chess. Facebook: ~26K X: ~18.3K YouTube: ~21.1K Instagram: ~6K TikTok: no official presence For an organization representing millions of chess fans, these numbers are simply far too low. The problem is not a lack of content. The problem is a lack of modern storytelling and media strategy. • Players’ stories remain untold • Young talents receive little visibility • Educational and engaging content is missing • Social media struggles to attract new audiences • High-resolution professional photos from events are often missing Broadcasting must also improve. In many events, production quality still does not meet modern standards: • Inconsistent visuals • Poor sound quality • Limited viewer engagement As a result, broadcasts often reach only a few hundred viewers instead of consistently attracting thousands. In 2026, visibility is not optional. Move - 3 Make European Chess Visible We see huge value in investing in social media and broadcasting for the European Chess Union. Stronger digital visibility will help attract sponsors, grow audiences, and create better support systems and opportunities for European players. European chess needs a modern media vision: • Professional broadcasts • Dynamic social media content • Player-focused storytelling • Educational and engaging content • Short-form video strategy • Promotion of young talents and legends • Stronger engagement with fans • Better support for federations and events • Stronger sponsor visibility and marketing value • High-quality photography and visual production Better visibility means: more fans, more sponsors, more opportunities for players, and a stronger future for European chess. One move. Real change. #renewecu #chess

Under the current ECU leadership, the prize funds for both the European Individual Open and Women’s Championships did not grow, they decreased ‼️ It’s time to renew ECU. One move. Real change. #renewecu #chess

Why are many of Europe’s strongest players no longer playing the European Championships? For top professionals, the current prize funds do not justify the cost, preparation, and time required to compete. For nearly 10 years, the championship prize funds have remained unchanged. Open: €100,000. Women: reduced from €70,000 to €60,000. During the same period: • inflation significantly reduced the real value of these prizes, • travel, hotel, and preparation costs increased, • top tournaments around the world dramatically increased prize funds, prestige, and professional standards. At every European Individual Championship, ECU collects €25,000 in organizer fees. The question is simple: why are Europe’s main championships still struggling to attract the continent’s top players? What should change? MOVE 2 - BRING EUROPEAN CHESS BACK TO THE TOP • Increase prize funds for Open and Women’s championships, • build long-term sponsorship partnerships with international companies, • improve hotel, playing, and organizational conditions for players and federations, • create stronger support and visibility for both Open and Women’s chess, • invest in professional marketing and broadcasting. Europe has incredible chess talent and history, but are the resources being fully used? #RenewECU One move. Real change. #chess

400 followers on facebook. Thank you! ❤️ We have just reached 400 followers, and we want to sincerely thank every single person supporting our journey. These are real people. No bots. No paid followers. Just a growing community that wants to hear more about our program and the changes we hope to bring to European chess. For us, quality matters more than artificially inflated numbers and thousands of empty followers. Follow us: facebook.com/share/16z3GCs9… One move. Real change. #renewecu

HELP US IMPROVE EUROPEAN CHESS Have you experienced problems at ECU events? We want to hear directly from you. Your feedback will help us build a stronger and more professional future for European chess. 📩 You can contact us directly or send your comments confidentially by email: renewecu2026@gmail.com All messages will be treated with discretion and confidentiality. #Renewecu One Move. Real Change.

Our team has analyzed the current situation at European chess events and identified several key issues. We will present each problem together with a proposed solution, step by step, as part of our initiative: 10 Moves to Renew the ECU MOVE 1 - BETTER CONDITIONS FOR PLAYERS European Championships must reflect the highest standards of European chess. In recent years, too many players, coaches, and accompanying persons have experienced poor playing conditions, inadequate hotels, organizational difficulties, and concerns related to food quality and safety. At some events, standards expected from official European Championships have simply not matched the level of the competition itself. Players who travel across Europe to represent their federations deserve professional, safe, and respectful conditions. The European Chess Union must take a more active role in protecting the quality and reputation of its events. OUR SOLUTION ✔ Appointing trained and experienced ECU Technical Delegates for every major ECU event ✔ Stronger venue inspections before events ✔ Guaranteed standards in playing conditions, hotel & food quality ✔ Direct communication with players during tournaments ✔ Post-event quality reports to improve accountability and future standards Trends in chess are changing rapidly. Top-level events are growing in number and quality worldwide, and the European Championships must meet the standards set by the world’s highest-level international events. European Championships should provide conditions worthy of the players competing in them. Our goal is simple: professional organization, safe environments, and respect for every participant at every ECU event. #Renewecu One Move. Real Change.

Lukasz Turlej visited Indian Embassy. Its wonderful to meet Indian community in Poland

Another in-person meeting of our team in Warsaw 🇵🇱 @AlojzijeJ came from Croatia, @GunnarBjorns from Iceland, @KatrinDApol from the Faroe Islands, and @ninkibah from Ireland to meet here in Warsaw. Roman will join us soon as well. @lukaszturlej Together, we are preparing our next steps. One move. Real change. #renewecu #chess

Lukasz Turlej visited Baku, Azerbaijan, to attend the closing ceremony of the prestigious Baku Open. During the visit, he made the 1st ceremonial move and held several important talks, including with the Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan, Mr. Farid Gayibov, as well as the presidents of the Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Georgian Chess Federations. Thank you for the warm hospitality and excellent organization. One move. Real change. #renewecu #chess 📸 Lana Chess Photography

Great meeting and conversation about chess with Poland’s Minister of Finance and Economy, Andrzej Domański, and the strongest woman chess player in history, Judit Polgar. In recent years, Poland has successfully hosted top European and world chess events, strengthening its position on the global chess map. We discussed several exciting projects and ideas, more details coming soon. Stay tuned. One Move. Real Change. #renewecu #chess

Grateful for the growing interest in what we’re building. Real people. Real engagement. Full transparency. No shortcuts, just steady, authentic growth. More to come. Thank you for being part of the journey. One Move. Real Change. #renewecu #chess

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Lukasz Turlej and Gunnar Björnsson participated in the General Assembly of the Nordic Chess Federations in Malmö, Sweden. @lukaszturlej @GunnarBjorns Thank you to all participants for the constructive discussions, insightful feedback, and the many valuable ideas for the future. The exchange of perspectives and shared commitment to developing chess across the region are highly appreciated. We look forward to strengthening collaboration and translating these discussions into concrete initiatives in the near future. One move. Real change. #renewecu #chess

We are proud to introduce Alojzije Jankovic, candidate for Secretary General @AlojzijeJ Alojzije Jankovic is a Croatian chess grandmaster, former youth and national champion, and an international representative of Croatia with a peak rating of 2593. He combines his chess career with strong academic achievements, holding a degree in Economics from Zagreb and a Master’s in Sports Management from Split, where he received the Dean’s Award. He served 10 years as Secretary General of the Croatian Chess Federation and is currently Vice President of the European Chess Union, as well as Zonal President for multiple European countries. Alojzije is a respected author, former Editor-in-Chief of Šahovski glasnik, contributor to New In Chess, and author of The Grandmaster Mindset. For over a decade, he has been a national TV commentator and remains active as a lecturer and promoter of chess worldwide. He is married and a father of two, a candidate with proven leadership, international experience, and clear vision.