20th July has been determined to be International Chess Day by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), and is meant to recognize the importance of the sport that has been played for centuries. Upon FIDE introducing a photo submission opportunity open to the entire world for this year's International Chess Day, Maldivian chess players have submitted pictures that showcases Maldives' rich culture and history.

There were two environments showcased by Maldivian chess players while dressed in traditional Maldivian clothing during a game of chess. One of them is the coast line where it shows the beauty of Maldives with its blue lagoons, and the other is inspired from centuries ago, where Maldivian kings would play chess at the historic building where chess matches took place.

The decision to show Maldivian chess in the pictures had a purpose behind them. Even though most countries view the sport as "Shatranj", Maldives calls it "Raazuvaa". The foundation of Maldivian chess and names greatly differ to international standards. It is a symbol of the importance placed upon chess for centuries among Maldivians, even before chess became an international sport.

Chess is often described as a sport of wisdom, with research somewhat backing this as well. Research shows there is a slight connection between chess skill and fluid intelligence, memory and information processing. Even though it has been seen that skilled players have good recall and heightened problem solving skills, researchers highlighted that playing chess does not make someone smarter. Instead, chess helps in developing attention to detail and thinking in particular patterns.

FIDE's Chess in Education (CiE) Commission works to implement chess in schools for this reason. Instead of producing Grandmaster chess players, the purpose is to instill deep thinking, attention to detail and problem solving skills among children. Not only is chess seen competitively across the world, it is also an important resource in learning. Maldives is also working with the aim to make use of chess in that manner.

In recent years, the Maldivian chess industry has seen significant progress. Maldives has a number of professional and FIDE rated chess players, with the country being 156 in the international federation ranking.

The progress is seen especially among Maldives' female players. After assessing the efforts in increasing women's participation by federation's, Maldives has seen significant progress in FIDE's Gender Equality in Chess Index 2026 report. Maldives has gone up 50 ranks among 119 federations and currently sits at the 13th rank. This is one of the biggest climbs in the entire report. There are many reasons behind this achievement, which includes equal prize money in the Open and Women's tournaments held by the Maldives Chess Association and the renewed efforts in training the new generation of players.

The progress can be clearly seen by the new levels the players are reaching. Maldives' first Women FIDE Master title was claimed by Nuha Rilwan. Along with that, Aminath Sara Haleem, Aishath Eva Hassan and Nihaya Ahmed claimed the title of Women Candidate Master. This is the beginning of a new generation of female chess players in Maldives, who are working to take the sport to greater heights and brighten the future of chess in Maldives.

Maldivian players have been representing the country on the international stage. As of yet, Maldivian players have competed in Sri Lanka's Commonwealth Chess tournament and the Asia Youth Championship held in China this year.

Along with that, many competitions have been held in Male' as well. The Open and Women's Championship, Individual and Group Rapid tournaments, Club Chess tournament and STO Boduriyaa Championship are just some of them.

The International Chess Federation or FIDE is the main agency that oversees matters related to chess at an international level. The federation arranges ratings and world championship tournaments, along with promoting chess in the education industry and efforts in establishing equality within the field of sports. The yearly International Chess Day which is celebrated on 20th July is meant to celebrate chess as an important resource in education, inclusion and fostering connections between various cultures.

When looking at Maldives, this year's activity regarding chess is linked to Maldives' history, and was a golden opportunity to show that it is a popular sport with a bright future.