Tigran Petrosian Chess House

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Tigran Petrosian Chess House, officially the Central House of Chess-player named after Tigran Petrosian, is the main chess center in Yerevan, Armenia. It opened in 1970 and was renamed in 1984 after the world chess champion Tigran Petrosian. The triangular building was designed by architect Zhanna Meshcheryakova, and Petrosian laid the first stone. The center is on Khanjyan Street in Circular Park, Kentron district, and its director is Hrachik Tavadyan. It houses the Yerevan chess school, operating since 1971, and many visitors regard it as one of the best chess centers in the world.

It hosts many events, including the Tigran Petrosian Memorial and the yearly national championship. Since 1972 it has published the weekly Shakhmatayin Hayastan (Chess in Armenia). In 1989 a statue of Petrosian, created by Ara Shiraz, was placed in front of the building. The Chess Academy of Armenia opened in 2002, and the center serves as the home of the Chess Federation of Armenia, whose leadership has included Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan. The building is listed as a historic and cultural monument of Yerevan.