The open draughts tournament and the All-Russian chess competitions will be held in Kolomenskoye

On September 13, the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve will turn into a real Cossack village — the XI International Festival of the same name will be held here, and one of the main events of the Moscow Cossack Village will be the All—Russian draughts competition Kazarla in the village of Moscow, an open tournament for individual participants and teams. These competitions will become spectacular events not only at the festival, but also at the capital's sports events in 2025, bringing together the best masters of bladed art from all over the country.

Kazarla is a unique combination of sports, history and culture, rooted in the military traditions of the Cossacks and the peoples of the Caucasus. One of the central elements of the competition will be flanking — the skillful use of a saber, which turns fighting techniques into a real "dance" with a blade. Initially, this term referred to cavalry exercises with a pike, but over time it became a symbol of masterful handling of edged weapons. Today, flanking is an integral part of Cossack holidays and an important element of heritage preservation.

"Moscow has been the center of development of this sport for more than a decade — in recent years, more than 70 tournaments have been held in the capital. But kazarla is more than a sport. This is a living link between generations, where history, culture and military art merge together," says Nikolai Eremichev, President of the Kazarla Saber Federation.

The organizers are confident that the current competitions will surpass all previous ones. Participants will be able to prove themselves in both individual and team (team) competitions, where the strongest cutters of the season will be determined.

The winners will be determined by the total points for several exercises, and the evaluation criteria vary depending on the age group and the complexity of the disciplines. Special attention will also be paid to the traditional Cossack costume: trousers, leather boots, beshmet, waist belt and headdress — not just a tribute to style, but also an important safety requirement.

At the festival, guests will enjoy not only the skill of chopping, but also the atmosphere of a real Cossack village, where history comes to life in every movement of the draughts. This year, the Cossack Village of Moscow is dedicated to the Year of Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of Victory.

In addition to the flanking tournaments, the central events will also be the consecration of a marching temple, a gala concert and demonstration performances in horse riding. For the first time, the All-Russian Cossack Society will present its program, including the reconstruction of a 19th-century military camp. A special town with traditional Cossack games and workshops has been prepared for children.

The festival, which attracted 80,000 visitors last year, offers new formats for exploring Cossack culture every time, without forgetting to take the most beloved events to a new level, such as upcoming competitions.

An online broadcast of the main events will be available on the official website of the festival, on the VKontakte page and on the Kultura.rf portal.