The Open Window – A Project
for more Inclusion in Chess
Welcome to the official website of the Open Window!
Our “Open Window” is a project for more inclusion in chess. Through it we aim to provide a safe platform for the exchange of information, guidelines, experiences, reports, etc. on inclusion in the chess world. The here presented content intends to promote a friendly dialogue between people with and without disabilities to exchange ideas about chess. Our goal is to inform people with disabilitites or chronic illnesses about their rights, options for compensation for disadvantages, what assistance they can have and also which chess players have made a career in chess despite health restrictions.
We work hard since day one to be able to organize an inclusive tournament in the foreseeable future. We will do our best to put into practice the content we’ve collected, compiled, and presented here over time. Thus, we will prove to the (chess) world that inclusion is a right that every single one of us benefits from.
The founders
Laura Schalkhäuser (winner of the German Chess Communicator Award 2023 and board member of the Chess Sports Association) and Tatiana Flores (international chess journalist and 2021 Women’s World Champion for People with Disabilities) share not only a deep love for chess, but also the desire for a better reality for people with disabilities in chess.
“We initiated togehter the Open Window project when we found out that we both suffer from severe disabilities. From then on there was no turning back for our drive to take action. The core of our project is a website for those affected by disabilities of chronic diseases as well as for healthy people in the chess world, such as organizers, clubs, parents, coaches, arbiters, etc. We are happy to already have the generous support of the Chess Sports Association, which enables us to start providing information, doing long overdue research on this topic, writing articles and conducting interviews. We hope to significantly contribute to strengthen inclusion in our favorite sport, because we see the urgency for it.
Our project aims to open many windows to thouroughly air the (often) rigid and dusty world of chess. We don’t wish for other chess players with disabilities or chronic illnesses not encounter the same obstacles we have. Already the thought of having this chance to make the chess world more inclusive gives us hope to improve everyone’s future.”
In addition to chess, Laura and Tatiana are also passionate about literature, films, and music. You can find out more about their work here:
Tatiana Flores
Laura Schalkhäuser
News from the Open Window
Partners & Sponsors
We would like to thank our partners and sponsors:
Contact
If you have any questions, feedback, or wish to support this project, please get in touch with us by email (kontakt@offenesfenster.eu) or via the following contact form.