World Chess & WorldQuant Take Over Davos—One Move at a Time

Forget the polite handshakes and corporate jargon—Davos just got a whole lot more strategic. World Chess and WorldQuant teamed up with Goals House to bring the world’s top thinkers, doers, and disruptors to the board, proving that chess isn’t just a game—it’s a masterclass in decision-making.

A Meeting of Minds (And Bishops)

Grandmasters? Check. Billionaire investors? Check. A supermodel? Absolutely. The lineup included chess legend Vladimir Kramnik, Spanish Champion Daniel Yuffa, supermodel and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova, WorldQuant’s CEO Igor Tulchinsky, and Locals.org founder Timon Afinsky. Together, they turned a simple board into a battleground of ideas, proving that strategy wins in more than just business.

Fireside Chats & Power Moves

Under the Create What You Wish Existed banner (because, let’s be honest, isn’t that the whole point of Davos?), Vodianova and Afinsky hosted a conversation that flipped the script on traditional leadership. Tulchinsky shared how chess shaped his approach to investing, and the room—full of entrepreneurs, creatives, and world-shapers—hung onto every word.

Why Chess? Why Now?

“This is more than just playing a game in Davos,” said World Chess CEO Ilya Merenzon. “It’s about showing that the same skills that win championships—foresight, precision, adaptability—are what it takes to lead in today’s world.”

Vodianova summed it up perfectly: “Winning was fun, but the real victory was seeing how chess connects people and ideas.”

So, did chess just become the official sport of Davos? Not yet. But give it a few more moves.