The first Inter-Lake Championship "United Lake"/ Chess unites Pogradec, Ohrid and Struga

2026-07-21 14:17:00, Sociale CNA

The first Inter-Lake Championship "United Lake"/ Chess unites

For the first time, Pogradec welcomed the Inter-Lake Chess Championship “United Lake”, an activity that brought together athletes of all age groups from Pogradec, Ohrid and Struga. Organized on July 20, International Chess Day, the tournament was not only a sports competition, but also a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the three cities that share the same lake.

The first Inter-Lake Championship "United Lake"/ Chess unites

According to the Deputy Mayor of Pogradec Municipality, Entela Gusho, this championship aims to become an annual tradition and promote not only the sport of chess, but also the connections between inter-lake communities.

"The inter-lake chess championship, 'United Lake', is taking place for the first time in Pogradec. It takes place on July 20, on International Chess Day. Pogradec has always been known for its chess players, who have participated in various national championships. Therefore, in this context, we want this sport to be a continuation of the success of our athletes, to be as massive as possible, to have different age groups participate in this championship and to be a symbol of inter-lake cooperation between municipalities. And that is why it is called 'United Lake'. The aim is for the championship to be continuous in other years, because one of the chess mottos is 'Chess players are friends'. So, it is a sport of patience, of friendship, and this is precisely a powerful motivation for international cooperation between the three municipalities: Ohrid, Struga and Pogradec. It is a championship with all age groups, because we have very talented young people, but we also have "Former champions. So we want everyone to feel appreciated in this championship and get the deserved victory," said Gusho.

This activity was also attended by well-known chess players from Pogradec, who brought back memories of their decades in this sport.

Former champion Veli Hysenbegasi said that chess remains a discipline that requires continuous preparation, dedication, and patience, regardless of age.

"I have been with Pogradec, Elbasan, in the first team since 1965. Back then it was with points accumulation. I participated in the first team in the semi-finals, once with Labinot in 1974. Chess is a difficult game. Even age takes its toll," said Hysenbegasi.

The first Inter-Lake Championship "United Lake"/ Chess unites

The championship brought generations together, bringing together veterans and youngsters in the same competition. Among them was Kleo Ismaili, who began his chess journey at the age of six and considers this sport a way to develop logic and challenge himself.

"I've been playing chess since I was six years old. I learned from my grandfather and chess seems like a very special game to me. I've trained, I've played a lot. I was a champion last year in another game, I came out the winner. It's very beautiful, it trains the mind, I have fun and I'm satisfied," Ismaili said.

The first Inter-Lake Championship "United Lake"/ Chess unites

Participants from Struga considered the organization as an important step for cooperation between chess clubs in the region. The representative of the Struga team, Xhemi Hajredini, said that this championship should be expanded in the coming years and organized in all three cities in turn.

"This was a wonderful initiative. The chess players were delighted. I was convinced that Struga would take first place and we won, but the two teams from Pogradec and one from Ohrid were no weaker. Some very interesting games were played between the chess players and everyone was good. This inter-lake championship should be expanded a little with the surrounding municipalities and spread, once in Pogradec, and once in Struga, then in Ohrid and so on. We are thinking of introducing this sport as an elective subject in primary and secondary schools. So far we have not achieved it. In Struga we are coming today with two players from each team. There are two teams, Flamurtari and Mbretëresha e Liqeni. I think that interest after these activities will increase", said Hajredini.

The first edition of the Inter-Lake Championship “United Lake” laid the foundations of a new sporting tradition between Pogradec, Ohrid and Struga, proving that chess remains a bridge of communication between generations and peoples. The organizers aim for this activity to take place every year, becoming an important meeting point for chess players in the region and a model of cross-border cooperation through sport./CNA