A pilot computer program on chess games designed by Gary Kasparov was launched on Monday in Georgia to assist the country's youth to learn about the game.

It was announced on Monday by Georgia's deputy minister in charge of sports and youth affairs.

Zurab Azmaiparashvili told the local press that the Kasparov chess program is to be used in schools in such Georgian towns as Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Poti which have been producing some of the world's most famous chess players.

"Former world champion Gary Kasparov today held the first session of chess tutorials online in an experimental format," said the Georgian government official. "His system is introduced to 100 schools in Georgia. He personally participated in the preparation of the experimental schools for the onset of the program more than a year ago.

"The Kasparov (chess) program took three years to formulate and it contains both theoretical and practical teaching materials. Upon completion, students will have the knowledge at levels of around three and four competition-wise," the deputy minister added.

Though born in Baku of Azerbaijan, Gary Kasparov made his fame by becoming the junior champion of the former Soviet Union in Tbilisi in 1978 at the age of 13 after having scored 7 out of a possible 9 points for that championship.

Gary Kasparov has been re-visiting Tbilisi as a reminiscence of his early rise to fame.

According to the former world chess champion, a child busy learning chess through a specially-designed computer program in school has a better understanding of the world as a game of chess that requires thinking and analysing. Moreover, the game of chess teaches children to care, to take responsibility and to abide by rules which are reflected in the levels of studying.

While visiting Georgia last year, the former world champion promised to offer Georgian schoolchildren with the opportunity to use his computerized program on chess tutorials.