BBC programme on why Armenia is a double chess Olympiad champion

Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess News & Trivia (c) 2010

GM Levon Aronian - One of Armenia's 'chess stars'

Hello Everyone,

How has Armenia developed such strong chess that they have managed to win the Chess Olympiad for the last two years? A special BBC programme sets out to find out just that.

Is there something in the water? Gabriel Gatehouse goes to Armenia to find out. He finds out that they have their own chess school and kids practice speed chess all the time. And, yes, Levon Aronian is very popular in Armenia - more than Justin Timberlake! There are kids practicing for seven hours a day!

Chess is an investment in creativity and innovation. That's the belief in Armenia. Wow.

Armenia has beaten Russia, China and the US. Chess at the Olympiad. The 39th Chess Olympiad begins in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia in a few days.

You can hear the programme here.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com