News – Page 34 – Asian Chess

Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club Wins UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship

The Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club (ACMG1) team of Russian Grandmasters Vladislav Artemiev and Volodar Murzin topped undefeated the UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship held over the weekend of 15th and 16th March 2025 at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in Dubai, UAE. In photo are, from left, ACMG CEO Hisham Al Taher, GM Volodar Murzin, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and GM Vladislav Artemiev.

The Al Ain team won seven matches and drew two in nine rounds to tally 16 match points. Artemiev, 27, had a perfect score of 9 out of 9 while Murzin, 19, the reigning World Rapid Chess Champion, won 7 and lost 2 games. ACMG1 team won the top prize of 12,000 dirhams out of a total of 40,000 dirhams in cash prizes sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre.

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

The second place Shams team receive their prize. From left are Hisham Al Taher, GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco.

The Shams team of GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco finished second place with 15 match points for second prize of 8,000 dirhams. Iordachescu registered a 7-2-1 win-draw-loss slate while El Adnani won 5, drew 2 and lost 2 games.

The third place Sharjah team received their prize. From left are Hisham Al Taher, GM Bassem Amin of Egypt, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and GM Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE.

The Sharjah team of GM Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE and GM Bassem Amiin of Egypt followed in third place with 14 match points for 6,000 dirhams. Salem scored 6 wins and 3 losses while Amin scored 7 wins, one draw and one loss. The Sharjah team prevailed in the tie break over Al Ain Chess and Mind Games ACMG2 and Signature Club Master with similar 14 match points apiece.

ACMG2 was composed of GMs Danil Dubov (second from right) of Russia and Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (second from left). Dubov, known for his sacrificial style, won 7 games but lost to Salem and Artemiev. At left is Tournament Director IA Abdulrahim Mahdi.

Playing for Signature Club Master were GM Farrukh Amonatov of Tajikistan and GM Asghar Golizadeh of Iran.

Rounding up the top ten teams were We Chess, Sharjah Coaches, Al Ain ACMG3, EKCC1 and Signature Club Nexus at 13 match points each. Fourth to tenth places received AED2,500, AED2,000, AED1,700, AED1,300, AED1,100, AED1,000 and AED900, respectively.

A record 116 teams composed of players from 33 countries participated in the Swiss system tournament with Rapid time control of ten minutes plus two second increments per move. Prizes were sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre. A large number of fans were present from 9:30pm to midnight to watch the exciting rapid chess games.

Teams were composed of two players each. Fourteen top ranked Grandmasters and ten International Masters saw action.

Special awards were given. Gold medal for most number of teams went to Chess Lab Academy as Participating Chess Club/Academy, silver to Chess Signature Academy, and bronze to Master Move Academy.

Ajman Twins won Best Family Team, Tatar Ladies won Best Women’s Team, UAE Ladies won best Emirati Women’s Team, AlQasimia University 1 won Best Emirati Men’s Team, Night Riders won Best Boys’ Team Under 14, The Twins won Best Girls’ Team Under 14 and DCPD won Best Special Needs Team.

UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam graced the closing ceremonies to award prizes together with Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club CEO Hisham Al Taher.

IA Abdulrahim Mahdi (UAE) was Tournament Director. Majed Al Abduli (UAE) was Chief Arbier with a team of 8 arbiters while Mohamed Abdull was Technical Director.

Photos by Rayjan Solano

WFM Ruelle “Tawing” Canino Wins Philippine Age Group Chess Championships

WFM Ruelle “Tawing” Canino won the premier Under-18 Open standard division of the National Age Group Chess Championships held 15th March 2025 at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas, Philippines.

The 16-year-old Cagayan de Oro-born racked up 6 wins and 2 draws to finish on top after 8 rounds with 7.0 points. With her win, she earned a slot in the 2025 Asian Youth Chess Championship to be held on November 20 to 30 in Bangkok, Thailand.

It was another feat for Canino, one of the top players of the multi-titled FEU chess team who topped the national women’s championship over older, more experienced masters and then beat three Women Grandmasters in helping seal the national team a historic Group II gold medal in last year’s Budapest Olympiad. Canino was UAAP juniors MVP.

She defeated Juncin Estrella (round 1), NM Michael Jan Stephen Inigo (round 2), Yuri Lei Paraguya (round 3), NM Phil Martin Casiguran (round 4) and FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca (round 5) and Lemmuel Jay Adena (round 6).

She split the points with Stephen Zane Quinto (round 7) and NM Karlycris Clarito Jr. (round 8).

Other division winners were WFM April Joy Claros (girls 18) WNM Kaye Lalaine Regidor (girls U16), Nm Mark Gabriel Usman (open U16), Soffia Joy Mamangun (girls U14), Christian Tolosa (open U14), Khana Kathrine Ventolero (girls U12), Steve Zacky Bolico (open U12), Faith Louise Dorupa (girls U10), and Danry Seth Romualdez (open U10).

The rapid and blitz titles of this four-day event were sponsored by CoinEx and backed by host Mayor Ben Patron and Congressman Mark Lester Patron, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP.-Marlon Bernardino-

Al Ain and Shams Team Lead UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship

The Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club team and the Shams Team registered perfect scores to lead the UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship after five rounds on Saturday 15^th March at the Dubai Chess Club in Dubai, UAE. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.

The Al Ain team ACMG-2 is composed of Vladislav Artemiev, 27, who earned his GM title at the age of 16, and Volodar Murzin, 19, the reigning World Rapid Chess Champion, having won the event in New York last year.

In photo above, Artemiev (right) beat local bet GM Salem A.R. Saleh while Murzin beat GM Bassem Amin of Egypt in the 5th round against the Sharjah team.

The Shams team is composed of GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco. In photo, Iordachecu (left) beat Kush Devnani (IND) of the Chess Wizards in the fifth round.

Tied with 4 match points each are teams of ACMG-2, We Chess, ACMG-3, Sharjah, Al Sayyah Masters, Signature Club Master, Master Moves Champions, EKCC-1 and Knight Riders.

A record 116 teams composed of players from 33 countries are seeing action over the weekend of 15-16 March. The tournament is a 9-round Swiss System with Rapid time control of ten minutes plus two second increments per move. Prizes are sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre.

Teams are composed of two players. Fourteen top ranked Grandmasters and ten International Masters are seeing action.

Top seeds are the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club (ACMG-1) team of Artemiev and Murzin, the ACMG-2 team of GM Danil Dubov of Russia and GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (average rating of 2678) in ACMG2. Russians GM Vladislav Artemiev and GM Volodar Murzin are in second seed ACMG1 (average 2669).

Emirati GM A.R. Saleh Salem and GM Bassem Amin of Egypt are in third seed Sharjah team (ave. 2618).

Top seed GM Danil Dubov (right) at the opening. Looking on are, from left, Dr. Nasrin Arsh Director of sponsor Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and Chief Arbiter Abdulrahim Mahdi.

Opening speech by Abdulrahim Mahdi:

Dear guests, I am pleased to welcome you to the opening of the Federation Cup for Institutions and Communities Chess Championship, organized by the UAE Chess Federation as part of the Year of Community 2025, the national initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, may God protect him, under the slogan “Hand in Hand” to promote unity and social cohesion.

This championship brings together 114 teams, with each player representing an institution or community, reflecting the diversity and cohesion of our society. It is not just a competition; it is a platform to promote cooperation and fair competition, and to showcase talent within the country.

The championship also falls within the framework of the National Sports Strategy 2031, which aims to increase the practice of sports within the community.

We would like to thank the Dubai Chess Club for hosting the tournament, as well as the official sponsor, National Paints, the sub-sponsor, Sidrat Al Salwa Beauty Center, and all the participating institutions and communities.

We wish you success and enjoy the competition.

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.

Mahdi Abdulrahim
Tournament Director

GM Daniel Quizon Wins DG’s Cup 2025 Invitational chess tournament

GM Daniel Quizon won the DG’s Cup 2025 Invitational chess tournament on March 14, 2025 at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Auditorium, Pasay City, Philipines.

The Dasmariñas City, Cavite top player Quizon defeated Grandmaster Rogelio “Joey’ Antonio Jr. in the final to bag the P20,000 cash prize and rule the 12-man field, hosted by PEZA Director General Tereso “Theo” Panga, organized by Bayanihan Chess Club in close cooperation with EPZA/PEZA Retired Employees Association.

It is also supported by JC Premier Marikina, DBS Custom Brokerage, EC Caldejon Construction & Development Corp., Celso Husmillo Builders, Inc, Malaja Construction & Service, Rocafe, TeaBlock, C-Style Prints and Per Solutions Engineering Services and Consultancy.

Quizon rode on a blistering start as he hurdled his first three opponents – National Master Al-Basher Buto (2-0), International Master Ricardo de Guzman (2-0), and Antonio (2-0) to move within a win of a finals berth from the winners’ side.

Antonio bounced back from that loss with a 2-1 win over de Guzman, thus keeping his hopes for the coveted crown.

There, Quizon beat Antonio (1-1) in their rematch in the finals.

Actually, Antonio won 1st game in the finals but yielded in the 2nd game.

Quizon enjoying a twice to beat advantage in the finals in this Armageddon double elimination tournament, (Armageddon format, 10 minutes for white and 9 minutes for black).

The runner-up Antonio earned P10,000 while the third placer de Guzman pocketed P5,000.

The fourth to 12th placer who got P3,000 each are Buto, IMs Ricardo de Guzman, Angelo Young, Chito Danilo Garma, Barlo Nadera, Jose Efren Bagamasbad and Petronio “Rony” Roca, FM Adrian Ros Pacis and NMs Carlo Lorena and Edmundo Gatus.

Earlier, PEZA Director General Tereso “Theo” Panga and Antonio made the ceremonial moves kicking off the one-day tournament also graced by PEZA deputy Director General Policy and Planing Joy Alguso, Ambassador Leo Tito Ausan Jr. and Elvira Roca.

Chief Arbiter was NA/NM Almario Marlon Quiroz Bernardino Jr. assisted by NM Romeo Alcodia, Rod Sulit, Noel Jay Estacio and Brian Angelo Young.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) celebrates its 30th anniversary last February 28, 2025.-Marlon Bernardino

UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship 2025

A record 110 teams composed of players from 33 countries shall see action in the UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship scheduled this weekend,15-16 March 2025 at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in Dubai, UAE.

The tournament will be a 9-round Swiss System with Rapid time control of ten minutes plus two second increments per move. Teams are composed of two players. Twelve top ranked Grandmasters and nine International Masters are seeing action.

Top seeds are the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club with GM Danil Dubov of Russia and GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (average rating of 2678) in ACMG2. Russians GM Vladislav Artemiev and GM Volodar Murzin are in second seed ACMG1 (average 2669).

Emirati GM A.R. Saleh Salem and GM Bassem Amin of Egypt are in third seed Sharjah team (ave. 2618).

Other top teams are GM Arkadij Naidtsch of Bulgaria and GM Igor Miladinovic of Serbia in team We Chess (ave. 2554); GM Farrukh Amonatov of Tajikistan and GM Asghar Golizadeh of Iran (ave 2492) in the team Signature Club Master; GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco in Shams Team (VE 2457); im Giorgi Sibashvili of Georgia and IM Basheer Al Qudaimi of Yemen of ACMG3 (ave. 2398).

Visit chess-results.com for full list of participants.

At stake are Cup and medals and a total of 40,000 dirhams in cash prizes with top prize of AED12,000 for first place, AED8,000 for second place, AED6,000 for third place. Fourth to tenth places shall receive AED2,500, AED2,000, AED1,700, AED1,300, AED1,100, aed1,000 and AED900, respectively.

Prizes are sponsored by Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre and National Paint.

Other special awards at stake are best Participating Chess Club/Academy, best Family Team, best Women’s Team, best Emirati Women’s team, best Emirati Men’s Team, best Boys’ Team Under-14, best Girls’ Team Under-14, best Special Needs Team.

Games are scheduled from 9:30pm on Saturday and Sunday with closing ceremony at midnight.

Celebration of family, friends, and colleagues at Indonesia Chess Museum

By Peter Long

There are few chess museums in various countries – Iceland, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, Türkiye and now in Indonesia. Museum Catur Indonesia (Indonesia Chess Museum) was soft launched on 26th February 2025. Who are the people who made it happen? Peter Long, who was present at this event, shares everything about it with information and attractive photos. It is located together with Cafe Tutur at the Headquarters of the Utut Adianto Chess School (SCUA) in Bekasi, Indonesia, a FIDE Tier 1 Academy also founded by Eka Putra Wirya.

The soft launch of the Indonesia Chess Museum (ICM) on 26th February 2025 was indeed a celebration of family, friends, and colleagues of Eka Putra Wirja.

ICM is of course located together with Cafe Tutur at the Headquarters of the Utut Adianto Chess School (SCUA) in Bekasi, a FIDE Tier 1 Academy also founded by Eka.

Who is Eka Putra Wirja?

To start with, one of the worst kept secrets of the Indonesian chess success of the last three decades, as he is recognized together with Senator GM Utut Adianto, Indonesia’s greatest ever player, as either the first or second of the two main pillars of a trio that includes FST Kristianus Liem.

In a long ranging interview conducted with the official opening of ICM, we learned Eka’s story, and indeed how this might be the final piece of a strategic vision which begun in 1990.

Remarkably, with family together with hundreds of friends and chess colleagues present, a special Catholic Mass was held to both inaugurate and bless the ICM and Cafe Tutur premises.

Tributes then followed, from a member of SCUA management, this writer considered an old friend, a media representative, followed by the keynote address by Eka, after which came the speech and official opening by GM Adianto, also the President of the All Indonesian Chess Federation (PERCASI), and who had rushed back from official government work in China.

Media and guests then were taken through a guided tour before adjourning to lunch, and entertainment by a live band helmed by a former junior chess champion where many, including Eka joined the performances, while concurrently two clock simultaneous exhibitions took place with some of the best Indonesian young talent took on the two GM winners of the recently concluded Indonesia GM & IM Tournaments.

Eka was in his youth a promising young talent but the responsibilities of being the oldest son in a business family demanded he gave up his chess ambition, at least that of becoming a grandmaster. And yet, when visiting the FIDE World Championship Match in Singapore last year, he was still strong enough to beat former world women chess champion GM Xie Jun in a simultaneous exhibition.

Instead, Eka decided to continue to support chess in Indonesia as both an official and as a patron, starting with leading the Indonesian team to the Manila Olympiad in 1990.

He hooked up with a player he recognized as having exceptional talent, and convinced him to quit his job to take up chess full-time, and did exactly the same to a journalist who covered and wrote about chess with the same passion he had.

Yes, the soon to become the three pillars of Indonesian chess was beginning to take shape.

Adianto of course went on to be the poster boy of Indonesian chess, a top twenty grandmaster, who even when not playing for over ten years and in his 50s could still fill in on board one for a weaken Indonesian team at the Baku Olympiad and make an unbeaten 5/6 score.

Liem on the other hand took the operating managing role at SCUA, initially started as Enerpac Chess School.

It is without exaggeration that Eka and his two friends love chess and Indonesia more than anything, and that they were instrumental for every Indonesian success in the last ten years, every World and Asian Cadet, Schools, Youth, and Junior champion, for every grandmaster, international master, women grandmaster and international women grandmaster.

Eka is even prouder that the success of SCUA together with the many events organized and sponsorship of national players and teams to international competitions has lifted many chess players out of abject poverty and to middle and even upper middle class lives and this is the simple explanation for the hundred from the chess community who came to the ICM soft opening.

With ICM, something that no other Asian country has yet to see, Indonesian chess now has a showcase of both the history and achievements of their champions, and to serve as an inspiration to those to come after.

But it also recognizes the contributions of individuals and corporations who have given so much to Indonesian chess, and offers a compelling reason for sponsors to come onboard.

And finally, it positions chess in education, clearly not only articulating the benefits of chess to their young, but in collaboration with SCUA, also a means for implementation of schools and talent development programs.

With ICM, Eka has perhaps put in the last piece of the jigsaw that has long been his vision for chess in Indonesia, together with old and like-minded friends Adianto and Liem.

Photos: FM FT IA Peter Long

From Celebration of family, friends, and colleagues at Indonesia Chess Museum – World Chess Federation

Johnny Wellem Andam Carzano Tops Iligan Chess Tournament

Johnny Wellem Andam Carzano of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental topped the Team Kargador 2025 Rapid Chess Tournament held March 8, 2025 at the Barangay Timbaga Gymnasium in Canaway, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines.

The 36-year-old Carzano, a chess teacher at NJSB Chess Academy scored 6.0 points behind five wins and two draws to pocket the P3,000 cash prize.
Carzano, a former varsity player at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City thanked his mentor Atty. Peter Chin Dur, Engr. Billy Joe Ereno and the NJSB Chess Academy family for supporting his chess campaign.

FIDE Master Victor LLuch, Mardonio Fuentes, Julius Ablin and Aries Delos Santos finished the tournament with similar 5.5 points; while Felixberto Jaro and Roberto Castillo have identical 5.0 points.
Paul Benedict Arapoc of Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental won the top Secondary award.
It shall be recalled that Carzano also won the Mayor Bertoldo “Dodong” Murallon Jr. active open chess championship held at the Municipal Mess Hall Tuno, Don Victoriano Misamis Occidental last February 3, 2025.
He also won the Gambit Masters Chess Tournament 2025 at the Arabia’s Residence, Carmen Annex in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental last January 25, 2025, the 10th Carlo and Wendy Chess Tournament held at Barangay Nabilid in Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte last January 17, 2025 and the Pasalamat Festival 2025 Mayor Sammy Co Rapid Chess Tournament held at Plaza Luz Covered Court City Hall Complex in Pagadian City last January 11 to 12,2025.-Marlon Bernardino-

IIEE Team Singapore Wins 3rd D’Engineers Cup Chess Tournament

Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE) team Singapore bested 11 teams from different engineering associations of the Philippines winning against the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Electronic Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP), IIEE Southern Laguna and IIEE Metro South with all identical 4-1 match points.
The 1-day rapid chess team tournament held March 8, 2025 at the Koten Enterprises Inc. Corporate office in F.B. Harrison Street, Pasay City, Philippines.
The 5-man team of IIEE Singapore was composed of Joseph Lawrence Rivera, John Andrew Garcia, Andrew San Antonio Jr., top board 3 AIM Mark Oliver Ingcad and top board 5 Jason Medina. Team Captain/Manager of IIEE Singapore was Engr. Julius Ampo.
IIEE Metro South (MSC), IIEE Southern Laguna (SLC) and IIEE Quezon (QC) were tied with identical 3-1 win-loss but IIEE won the tie break by virtue of its win against IIEE QC in the first round.

Top board 1 was won Eric Mordido of MSC, top board 2 by Mikhail Laoagan of SLC and top board 4 by Rommel Lucion of IIEE QC.

Loagan, Mordido, Freddie Talaboc of Geodetic Engineer of the Philippines and AFM Don Henry Naperi of Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers had perfect scores on their boards hence a sudden death match was set to settle the top honors.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers bannered by IM Bagamasbad won the top APO (Accredited Professional Organization) as its members accumulated a total score of 9 points.

Other teams that participated in the event were IIEE Metro Central, IIEE Metro East and Society of Aerospace Engineers of the Philippines (SAEP).

IIEE Singapore won P7,000 while IIEE Metro Sout P3,000 and the top boards for P1,000 each.

Other honours given during the event were top guest for CEO Jeff Bugayong, online In-season and Regular Champion IIEE Quezon winning a total of P7,000 and 2 paintings from Life ‘N Arts, runner up IIEE Saudi and IIEE Metro Central winning P1,500 each.

Other dignitaries who graced the affair were Asia’s First GM Eugene Torre, PRBEE Chairman Francis Mapile, PSME Foundation President Roger Reyes, PTC Country Registrar Romulo Agatep, Leo Tito Ausan Jr., PTC President Federico Monsada, IIEE Golden Sports chairman Menandro Lim, IIEE National President Alberto Herrera Jr. NM Marlon Bernardino, NM Romeo Alcodia and 2021 IIEE National President organized the tournament.

FIDE delegation visits Uzbekistan to inspect preparations for 46th Chess Olympiad

In early March, a FIDE delegation led by President Arkady Dvorkovich visited Uzbekistan as part of preparations for the 46th Chess Olympiad, which the country will host in 2026 in Silk Road International Exhibition Center, Samarkand.

Upon arriving in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, on March 6, the FIDE delegation participated in a session of the organizational committee for the Olympiad, held at the Ministry of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In his opening speech, Minister of Sports Adkham Ikramov expressed gratitude for the trust FIDE had placed in Uzbekistan and assured that the 46th Chess Olympiad would be organized at the highest level.

Alisher Sadullayev, 1st Vice-President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, echoed this sentiment, stating that the country is well-prepared to host such a prestigious competition.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich commended the organizers’ efforts and thanked Uzbekistan for its unwavering support of chess.

“We are grateful to the Minister of Sports and all our colleagues for their contributions and input to the organizational process. We discussed all aspects of the preparations for the 46th Chess Olympiad and the FIDE Congress. Everyone is involved, everyone knows their responsibilities, and we are confident that, as a united team—FIDE and Uzbekistan’s authorities—we will achieve the best possible result. This is especially true with the support of top-level officials, including the President of Uzbekistan, the government, the President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, and the Minister of Sports,” said Arkady Dvorkovich.

The session continued with local authorities reporting on progress in logistics, accommodation, software development based on FIDE’s recommendations, and the implementation of a simplified visa process for participants and guests.

Uzbekistan has rapidly risen in the chess world, with five players currently ranked among the world’s top 100, underscoring the country’s growing prominence in the sport. The nation won the 2022 Chess Olympiad and recently secured bronze at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest. In recent years, Uzbekistan has hosted several major chess events, including Pool B of the 2022 Women’s Candidates Tournament in Khiva and the 2023 World Rapid and Blitz Championship.

In 2025, Uzbekistan will host the FIDE Grand Swiss, the largest Swiss-system tournament of the year, serving as a test event for the 2026 Olympiad.

Pranav and Shukhman win 2025 World Junior Championship in Montenegro

The 2025 World Junior Chess Championship concluded in Petrovac, Montenegro. Over the last thirteen days, almost two hundred and sixty boys and girls from sixty-seven countries competed for the prestigious titles.

Indian Grandmaster and second seed Pranav Venkatesh (pictured below, right) emerged as the winner in the open section. He delivered an impressive 9/11 score, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament with a rating performance of 2721, fully deserving the title.

Slovenian IM Matic Lavrencic and Norwegian GM Amar Elham tied for second place, both finishing with 8.5/11. Lavrencic claimed silver due to a superior Buchholz score (a secondary tiebreaker).

Final standings Open

In the girls’ section, Anna Shukhman (FIDE) triumphed with a 9/11 score. Remarkably, she finished the tournament with a strong 5/5 streak in the last five rounds.

Second place went to Ayan Allahverdiyeva of Azerbaijan, who scored 8/11, while third place belonged to top seed Lu Miaoyi of China.

Final standings Girls

The Chess Union of Montenegro is proud to have hosted this prestigious FIDE event, especially as it is the first of its kind to be held in the country. Montenegro Chess Union President Jovan Milovic thanked all the players, the organizational committee, and everyone involved in making this chess spectacle a success.

Prizes for the winners in the girls’ section were awarded by Ms. Nadja Lakovic, a member of the Parliament of Montenegro, while Jovan Milovic, President of the Montenegro Chess Federation, presented the awards to the open section winners.

Photos: Mitar Djukanovic

Official website: https://worldjunior2025.sahcg.me/

From Pranav and Shukhman win 2025 World Junior Championship in Montenegro – World Chess Federation