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Tight Race in Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Chess Federation president Luxman Wijesuriya welcomes Asian Chess Federation General Secretary Hisham Al Taher to the Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championship in Sri Lanka.

The Asian Junior Chess Championships 2025 is taking place in Sri Lanka from 25th June to 4th July 2025 at 5-star Citrus Resort Hotel with the participation of a record 164 players from 15 countries. Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Russia under FIDE, Singapore, Uzbekistan and host Sri Lanka are participating in the event.

FM Biswas Sourath of India and IM L M S T De Silva are tied neck and neck with 6.5 points each after eight rounds. Five players are within striking distance at 6 points each.

In the girls divisioin, WIM Oshini Gunawardhana, WCM Velmurugan Sreekarthika of Singapore and WFM Galina Mikheeva of Russia playing under FIDE flag are tied for the lead at 6.5 points. each. Three players are close behind at 6 points each.

FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar in Arabic Held 16-20 June 2025

The 190th Internet-Based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar was organized by the Asian Chess Federation under the auspices of FIDE, and held via Zoom from 16th to 20th June 2025. The lecturer was IA/IO Mahdi Abdulrahim (UAE), a FIDE Lecturer, Chairman of ACF Arbiters Commission, and the language of seminar was Arabic. The opening session was attended by:

Mr. Ivan Syrovy, Chairman of the FIDE Arbiters’ Commission

IA/IO Casto Abundo, Executive Director of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF)

IA/IO Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, Secretary of the ACF Arbiters’ Commission.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Ivan Syrovy welcomed the participants and encouraged them to take full advantage of the knowledge and experience shared by the lecturer. He wished all attendees success in the seminar and examination.

Daily lectures were conducted in evening session: 18:00–22:30 (Dubai Time, GMT+4). The seminar examination was held on 20th June 2025 and lasted for four hours.
The lecturer prepared both the seminar content and the examination materials.

Nineteen (19) arbiters from six (6) national chess federations (EGY, JOR, SUD, SYR, TUN, UAE) participated in the Seminar, and all of them participated in the examination test, held after the end of the lectures.

The following succeeded in the test and they will be awarded a norm for the title of the FIDE Arbiter, after the approval of the next FIDE Council:

FIDE Name (as on FIDE Profile) FED
10695206 Farag, Ahmed EGY
54243335 Adel Mohamed, Mohamed EGY
7609728 Salim,Ruba. SYR
10608796 Makeen, Mario EGY
10640614 Gohar, Mohamed Ahmed EGY
10640541 Abdel Rahim, Mohamed Salah EGY
54211204 ElSafty, Dina EGY
8125430 Asma Alrashaydeh JOR
54249597 Alsayed Anter, Mohamed EGY
8105375 Somya Alrwabda JOR
5518334 Souidi,Jamel TUN

Gumila Wins Antipolo City Youth Rapid Chess Tournament

Narciso Gumila Jr. won the Antipolo City Youth Chess Club Inc. Chess Tournament on June 20, 2025 at the Waltermart, L. Sumulong Memorial Circle, Antipolo City, Philippines.
Gumila tied for first places with Marikina’s Salvador “Bobby dela Paz” at 6.0 points each.
The tournament was a Rapid chess event with 15 minutes plus 3 seconds time control. The event was jointly organized by National Master Jose “Jojo” Aquino and Sonny dela Rosa.
With the higher tie break points, Gumila took the title while Dela Paz finished second.
Gumila tallied five wins and two draws against Ervil Villa (Round 3) and Jaime Criste (Round 7), respectively that earned him P5,000 in cash prize plus an elegant trophy.
The 37 year old Gumila plays for Pasig City King Pirates in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP).
Rounding up the top 10 were Jaime Criste (3rd); Sherwin Romero (4th); Ervil Villa (5th); Vladimir Lait (6th); John Randall Peralta (7th); Aron Mihail Hugo (8th) Mark Bravo (9th) and Gene Kenneth Estrellado (10th).
Meanwhile, Jian Carlo Rivera of San Mateo topped the rapid 16 and under division. He also won the blitz side event.-Marlon Bernardino-

Praggnanandhaa R wins UzChess Cup 2025 Masters

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa emerged as the winner of the UzChess Cup 2025, edging out Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov in a thrilling tiebreaker. The Indian GM took home the $20,000 first prize and extended his lead in the FIDE Circuit 2025 standings.

The second edition of the UzChess Cup took place at the “Panaram’s” Hotel in Tashkent. The total prize fund amounted to $121,500, with $80,000 allocated to the “Masters” group, $25,000 to the “Challengers,” $11,500 to the “Futures,” and $5,000 to the “Open” group.

The Masters tournament was fiercely contested, with all players showing exceptional fighting spirit—none of them finished the event undefeated. Praggnanandhaa and Abdusattorov started strong, tying for the lead after Round 4 with 3/4. However, in the next round, the Indian GM lost to Parham Maghsoodloo, while the Uzbek star defeated Chithambaram Aravindh and pulled ahead. Praggnanandhaa then suffered another loss in the following round, seemingly falling out of title contention.

Despite a loss to his compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev in Round 6, Abdusattorov entered the final ninth round as the sole leader on 5.5/8, half a point ahead of Sindarov and a full point ahead of Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi.

In the decisive final-round game—and arguably the game of the tournament—Praggnanandhaa rose to the occasion and outplayed the leader with the black pieces in a Sicilian Defense to catch up. Meanwhile, Sindarov drew with Maghsoodloo, and Erigaisi, despite holding a significant advantage at some point, only managed a draw against Aravindh. As a result, Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov, and Sindarov all finished with 5.5/9.

To determine the champion, a tiebreaker in the form of a double round-robin with fast time control was played. In a dramatic twist, all three players finished with 2/4—forcing another tie. A second tiebreaker, this time a single round-robin, followed. Praggnanandhaa scored 1.5 points to clinch the title. Sindarov, who defeated Abdusattorov but lost to the eventual winner, finished second.

Final standings — UzChess Cup Masters

1 Praggnanandhaa, R 2767 IND 5½
2 Sindarov, Javokhir 2767 UZB 5½
3 Abdusattorov, Nodirbek 2710 UZB 5½
4 Erigaisi, Arjun 2782 IND 5
5 Maghsoodloo, Parham 2691 IRI 4½
6 Rapport, Richard 2714 HUN 4½
7 Yakubboev, Nodirbek 2659 UZB 4½
8 Vokhidov, Shamsiddin 2644 UZB 4
9 Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2757 FID 3½
10 Aravindh, Chithambaram 2749 IND 2½

In the other sections, GM Nikolas Theodorou (pictured above, right) of Greece won the Challengers event, GM Saparmyrat Atabayev of Turkmenistan came out on top in the Futures tournament, while local player Bekhruz Umarov triumphed in the Open competition.

Final standings: Challengers, Futures, Open

Photos: UzChess and ChessBase India

From Praggnanandhaa R wins UzChess Cup 2025 Masters – International Chess Federation

3×3 (Tatluhan) Rapid Chess Tournament Set July 6th in Philippines

The 3×3 (Tatluhan) Rapid Chess Tournament 2050 and below average rating is slated this Sunday, July 6, 2025 at the Robinsons Galleria, Edsa Corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines.

Laurence Wilfred “Larry” Dumadag and Einnar Marc “Bino” Reyes are organizing the event in cooperation with Alex Dinoy and Alfredo Chay. A total cash purse worth P100,000 plus trophy and medals will be given away to winners.
“That’s the goal, to produce future champions and Grandmasters,” said  Dumadag, team owner of PCAP’s Cagayan Chess Kings.
The champion team will earn P30,000 .
The second placer will get P20,000 , third placer will receive P10,000, fourth placer will bring home P5,000 while the fifth placer will pocket P4,000.
Sixth to 8th placers will bring home P3,000 each.
Special awards will receive P3,000 each for the Top College, Top High School, Top Ladies, Top 2000 and Top 1900.
The 14 years old and below champion will receive P4,000 plus trophy while the 2nd to 5th placers will get P2,000, P1,000, P600 and P400 plus medals.
6th to 10th placers will earn medals while the top under 10 and top under 12 will pocket P300 each plus medals.
Call or text 09957825441 or 09051991728 for complete details.-Marlon Bernardino

Elwin Retanal Wins Saudi Rapid Chess Tournament

National Master Elwin Retanal topped the 2nd Only Move International FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament held 27-28 June 2025 at the Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.
Retanal, the 1997 Philippine Junior chess champion, who hails from Minglanilla, Cebu finished the 7-round Swiss competition with a perfect 7.0 points.
He swept past Yousuf Omar Gharib, Balamurugan Rithita, and Arena International Master Nasser Asain in his first three matches.


Retanal then dismantled Jordanian Master Ghayth Ababneh before subduing Mohammed Alaqeel Abdulaziz, who is a member of Saudi Chess Federation (SCF) team in the World Chess Olympiad, in the fifth round.
Maintaining his momentum, Retanal dealt Grandmaster Abdelrahman Hesham and FIDE Master Hatem Eldesoky, both from Egypt, to complete a clean sweep that earned him 6,000 Saudi Riyal in cash prize.
Grandmaster Mohamed Haddouche of Algeria came second with 6.5 points, followed by Egypt’s Ismail Ammar, Jordan’s Ababneh Ghayth and Pakistan’s Arena International Master Hamid Hassan with 6.0 points each.-Marlon Bernardino

IM Budhidharma and Femil top Asian Juniors and Girls Blitz Championships

IM Nayaka Budhidharma of Indonesia and Chelladurai Femil of India topped the Asian Juniors and Girls blitz championship, respectively.

FM Alekhine Nouri of the Philippines tied with Budhidharma at 6.5 points each. The Indonesian had the better tie break for gold as Nouri settled for silver. Rakhmatullaev of Uzbekistan followed with 6 points and the higher tie break score for the bronze medal.

In the girls division, Chelladurai Femil of India finished alone with 6.5 points for the gold medal. Oksana Goriachkina, playing under the FIDE flag, won bronze with 6 points. Local bet EFM K.M. Dahamdi Sanudula of Sri Lanka won bronze with 5.5 points and the highest tie break score.

 

Alekhine Nouri, Galina Mikheeva Win Asian Juniors and Girls Rapid Championships

Sri Lanka Chess Federation president Luxman Wijesuriya makes the ceremonial moves opening the Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships going on 25 June to 4 July 2025 in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka.

FM Alekhine Nouri (photo above) of the Philippines topped the Asian Junior Rapid Chess Championship with 6.5 points out of 7 rounds. FM Mahendru Jaiveer of India and Jerish John Velarde of the Philippines tied with 6 points each for silver and bronze, respectively.

In the girls division, WFM Galina Mikheeva, playing under the FIDE flag, won the gold medal with 6.5 points. WIM Zhao Yunqing of China and WIM G. Tejaswini of India tied with 6 points each for the silver and bronze, respectively.

Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and full final standings.

Asenso Ozamis Open chess tournament Set July 12 and 13

The Asenso Ozamis Open chess tournament gets underway on July 12 and 13, 2025 at the City Gymnasium in Ozamis City, Philippines.
A total of P505,000 in cash prizes is up for grabs in three divisions of this National Chess Federation of the Philippines sanctioned tournament.
The champion in the Open division will earn P50,000, while the winner in the high school and elementary division will get P30,000 each.
“For the fifth consecutive time, big-time chess returns to Mindanao, thanks to Asenso Ozamiz City and the Asenso Misamis Occidental Team,” said NCFP Board of Director AGM Rey Urbiztondo.
“Join us to play alongside the best in Philippine chess at the Rapid tournament and simul, and witness the thrilling Battle of Champions! Don’t miss the exciting third rematch between the Mindanao and Visayas selections, as well as the epic showdown of Northern Mindanao versus The Rest of Mindanao!” he added.
‘With total prizes amounting to P505,000, this event promises excitement for everyone. Enjoy the competition with our chess-playing leaders: Mayor Atty. Sam Fuentes, Governor Henry S. Oaminal, and Congressmen Indy and Ando Oaminal.
The event will feature an impressive lineup of chess stars, including active Grandmasters and those on the path to becoming Grandmasters. Look forward to seeing GM Eugene Torre, GM Jayson Gonzales, GM Joey Antonio, GM Darwin Laylo, GM Daniel Quizon, and aspiring GMs Michael Concio, Christian Arca, Rolando Nolte, along with veterans like IM Ronald Bancod from Manila and IM Kim Yap from Cebu. This is a rare opportunity, available only in Asenso Ozamiz City!” added Urbiztondo.
This chess event is part of the celebration of the 77th Charter Anniversary of Ozamiz City and The Feast of Nuestra Sra. Dela Concepcion Y Del Triunfo De Migpangi.
Asia’s First Grandmaster Eugene Torre and NCFP CEO/Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales are invited to do the ceremonial moves along with Gov. Henry Oaminal, Mayor Atty. Sam Fuentes and Congressman Indy and Ando Oaminal.
Thirteen-time Philippine Open Champion GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., GM Daniel Quizon and GM Darwin Laylo are among the top favorites in this  2-day weekend tournament.
Also expected to participate are IMs Michael Concio, Rolando Nolte, Ronald Bancod, Kim Yap , IM elect Christian Gian Karlo Arca, FM Vince Alaan and FM Ellan Asuela.-Marlon Bernardino –

Asian Chess Club Champions League Awards Ceremonies

Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug Ruslan Nikolayevich Kukharuk (third from left) awards trophies and medals to the top three teams. At right is Chief Arbiter Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh of Iran.

The awards ceremonies for the Asian Club Chess Champions League were held 25th June 2025 in Khanti Mansiysk, Russia. The top rated teams expectedly made the podium finish but individually, GM Gupta Sankalp of the Airports Authority of India won the highest gold medal on board 1.

Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings. Follow games on Lichess.

You can follow the tournament in the official community of the Ugra Chess Academy on the social network ‘VKontakte’ (https://vk.com/chessugra). The tournament was commented on by international grandmaster Sergey Shipov.