Asian Chess Federation (ACF) president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (left) awards medals to the winners of the Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship together with ACF General Secretary Hisham Al Taher (right). (Photo by Hossam El Baz)
Fifteen-year-old Ivan Zemlyanskii emerged undefeated to win the Asian Individual Blitz Chess Championship held 10th May 2025 at the Danat Resort Hotel in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The teen sensation, playing under the neutral FIDE flag, won over 30 top Grandmasters in a field of 111 players from 25 countries.
The tournament was organized by the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Visit chess-results.com for round-by-round results and standings.
Zemlyanskii finished alone with 8 points out of 9 rounds for clear first place. He started with five wins in succession against IM G. Harshavardhan (IND), GM Nikita Matinian (FID), IM Kirill Shubin (FID), eventual runner-up GM Sina Movahed (IRI) and GM Leon Luke Mendonca (IND). After a 6th round draw with GM M. Pranesh (IND), Zemlyanskii continued with two wins against GM Subramaniyam Bharath (IND) and IM Rudik Makarian (FID) and finished with a draw with GM Murali Karthikeyan (IND).
Fifteen-year-old Sina Movahed of Iran scored 7.5 points to finish alone in second place. IM Rudik Makarian (FID) placed third with 7 points and the better tie break over GM Karthikeyan and IM Saha Neelash of India and untitled Jiang Haochen of China.
It was a day for the youth over top Grandmasters, including renowned top seed GM Alexander Grischuk (FID) who managed only 6.5 points in the 9 round Swiss system tournament.
The victory earned Zemlyanskii $2,500 for first, $1,500 for Movahed and $1,000 for Makarian.
Asian Chess Federation (ACF) president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (left) awards medals to the winners of the Asian Individual Blitz Women’s Chess Championship together with ACF General Secretary Hisham Al Taher (right). (Photo by Hossam El Baz)
In the women’s division, WGM Alua Nurman of Kazakhstan won with 7.5 points and a better tie break over runner-up GM Valentina Gunina (FID). IM Song Yuxin of China placed third with 7 points and the better tie break over IM Rout Padmini of India and WFM Elnaz Kaliakhmet of Kazakhstan.
A field of 86 players from 20 countries participated in the blitz championship with two GMs, 15 Woman Grandmasters, 11 International Masters and 20 WIMs.
Nurman won six games in succession against compatriots WIM Ayaulym Kaldarova and WIM Assel Serikbay, WIM Sakshi Chitlange of India, Madinabonu Khalilova of Uzbekistan, GM Valentina Gunina (FID) and Bat-Erdene Mungunzul of Mongolia. Nurman drew with IM Leya Garifulina (FID). After a penultimate round loss to IM Song Yuxin of China, Nurman finished with a win over compatriot Xeniya Balabayeva.
It was a day for the youth over top Woman Grandmasters such as renowned top seed GM Katerina Lagno (FID) who managed only 6 points in the 9-round Swiss system tournament.
The victory earned Nurman $1,500 for first, $1,000 for Gunina and $500 for Song.