70-Year-Old Wins Two Gold Medals for Israel at the World Deaf Chess Championship
Chess is a game that has never gone out of style. The history of chess goes back 1,500 with roots in India. The game evolved into its current form in Spain by around 1,500 CE.
Today, the popularity of chess is growing amongst people of all ages and tournaments are played around the world. This is certainly the case for Grandmaster Yehuda Greenfeld, a 70-year-old who won two gold medals for Israel at the World Deaf Chess Championship that was held in May 2026, reported Ynet.
Greenfeld won two gold medals in two different categories, rapid chess, and blitz chess. He is one of the most respected chess players in the deaf community and has had an international career with these wins showing that experience and perseverance mean more than age. His win has earned him a spot at the 2027 Deaflympics in Austria
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World Deaf Championship
The International Committee of Deaf Chess (ICCD) began organizing deaf championship tournaments in 1949, according to the organization’s website. The ICCD World Championships are held every four years. In 2026 it was held in Almería, Spain from May 6 to May 15.
Greenfeld competed against hundreds of chess players from 43 countries (some withdrew from the competition), reported Jpost. Before the tournament, he expressed hope that the Israeli delegation’s presence in Spain could help relations between the two countries.
Israel’s Delegation
Alongside Greenfeld’s remarkable achievement, Israeli player Yevgeny Shevtsiuk won the bronze medal in the 55-and-over category. But it wasn’t just about the medals.
The members of the Israeli delegation told Ynet that the achievements carried significant meaning because of the tense climate facing Israelis around the world and the levels of hostility in Spain.
“Every time I represent Israel in the world, I carry with me not only a flag, but also a mission,” Greenfeld said after his wins. “Winning two gold medals is a moment of immense pride for me and for the State of Israel.”
