China, Kazakhstan and India topped the Standard medal tally in the Asian Schools Chess Championship held 1-8 December 2024 in Bangkok organized by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Mongolia also had two golds followed by Vietnam with one gold medal. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.
Here are the gold, silver and bronze medalists in each age group.
Abu Dhabi, Dec. 12 (WAM) — Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Asian Amateur Chess Championship will kick off Sunday 15th December, with the participation of a record 33 countries.
The tournament will be held at Danat Al Ain Hotel from 14 to 23 December, and is organized by the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club, in cooperation with the UAE Chess Federation, and supervised by the Asian Chess Federation, and includes 8 tournaments, four for the standard chess, and two for each of the rapid and blitz chess.
These details were revealed during a press conference held 12 December at the Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel, in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan, President of the Asian Chess Federation and President of Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club, His Excellency Arif Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Hisham Al Taher, Managing Director and CEO of the club and General Secretary of the Asian Chess Federation, and Mahdi Abdul Rahim, Executive Director of the UAE Chess Federation and Chief Arbiter of the Asian Amateur.
Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahyan stressed that the tournament is a unique opportunity to enhance the position of chess as a tool to promote creative thinking and build bridges of communication between various Asian cultures in a competitive atmosphere full of passion and ambition.
He also praised the efforts made by the Ministry of Sports, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and all partners in the public and private sectors, which contribute to sports development.
Arif Al Awani said that the presence of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council reflects its keenness to support sports in general and individual games in particular, as chess is more than just a game, as it is a means to develop mental skills and promote positive values such as strategic thinking, patience and planning.
Mahdi Abdul Rahim pointed to the importance of the tournament in enhancing the competitiveness of UAE players through contact with various participants from Asian countries, praising the efforts of the Asian Chess Federation in spreading the game and organizing tournaments.
Hisham El Taher announced a record participation in the tournament from 33 countries representing Asia, the Australian subcontinent and the South Pacific, the highest number since the tournament began in 2010.
He revealed that prize money worth AED 100,000 has been allocated, in addition to daily draws and prizes for the public through the club’s digital platforms.
He explained that in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the club’s establishment, the Al Ain Super Grand Electronic Chess Championship will be organized, with prizes of up to USD 65,000.
The Iranian Youth Chess Championships for age categories Under 8 to Under 18 concluded with resounding success in Tehran, Iran. Attracting 405 of the nation’s most talented young chess players, the event took place at Iran Mall, the largest shopping mall in the world, which served as a fitting venue for this prestigious competition. Featuring both rapid and blitz (photo above) tournaments, the championship highlighted the exceptional skills and strategic brilliance of Iran’s rising chess stars.
Rapid Category Winners
Boys:
Under 8: Kiyasha Mahbubi, Under 10: Mohammad Ali Kalivand, Under 12: Ayhan Rahbar, Under 14: Behzad Salimiyan, Under 16: Abolfazl Khanipour, Under 18: Abolfazl Moghiseh
Girls:
Under 8: Benita Garoussi, Under 10: Salma Hemmatian Mahdizadeh, Under 12: Sana Shadanpour, Under 14: Melika Mohammadi, Under 16: Sahel Masoumi, Under 18: Sahar Masoumi
Blitz Category Winners
Boys:
Under 8: Mohammad Taha Afrouz, Under 10: Seyed Kian Ghoreishi Amiri, Under 12: Mohammad Mahdi Abbasi, Under 14: Barad Yeganegi, Under 16: Iman Hassanpour Moghaddam, Under 18: Abolfazl Moghiseh
Girls:
Under 8: Narges Rokh Javan, Under 10: Salma Hemmatian Mahdizadeh, Under 12: Bahar Mirzakhani, Under 14: Melika Mohammadi, Under 16: Sahel Masoumi, Under 18: Sahar Masoumi
This youth event provided a world-class platform for aspiring players to showcase their talents in an environment characterized by excellence and inspiration, embodying the distinctive and transformative spirit of the Iran Mall experience.
Iran Mall: The Largest Shopping Mall in the World
Iran Mall, situated in northwest Tehran, is an architectural masterpiece and a cultural marvel, renowned as the largest shopping mall in the world by total gross leasable area (GLA). Covering nearly 21 million square feet (1.95 million square meters), it is a multi-functional complex that transcends its role as a shopping center to serve as a hub for commerce, culture, and recreation.
Nestled beside the serene Chitgar Lake and framed by the majestic Alborz Mountains, the Iran Mall seamlessly blends modernity with tradition. Its design celebrates Persian artistry, featuring spaces such as the traditional bazaar inspired by Tabriz’s historic market, the opulent Mirror Hall, and the expansive library.
The mall offers diverse attractions, including luxury retail stores, a hypermarket, an indoor amusement park, an ice-skating rink, and a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema. For cultural enthusiasts, it houses an art gallery, landscaped rooftop gardens, and numerous exhibition spaces, making it a vibrant destination for visitors.
China was overall winner (based on standard chess).
India was second runner-up in standard chess.
Kazakhstan, China and Iran topped the Asian Schools Blitz Chess Championship on 10th December 2024 in Bangkok. The event was organized by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Visit chess-results.com for blitz round by round results and standings.
Kazakhstan won five gold medals to top the Asian Schools Rapid Chess Championship on 9th December 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand followed by China and India. The 7-round event was organized by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.
Arnel Mahawan Jr. emerged as the champion in the Merry Chessmas! Jingle Belle Kiddies (14U) Rapid Chess Tournament December 8, 2024, at the Pavilion Mall, Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City, Philippines.
The 14-year-old Mahawan, who plays for the San Sebastian College – Recoletos Manila under the guidance of coach National Master Homer Cunanan in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), pocketed the P5,000 purse and the trophy for ruling the tournament with over 70 participants.
He had a near-perfect campaign after tallying 6.5 points in the seven-round Swiss system competition.
The San Rafael, Bulacan native Mahawan defeated Willard Elijah Baylon, ACM Adrian Alarcon, Marco Piolo Sanido, Karl Ashton Fratkin, AFM Caleb Loukas Picache-David, AFM Lorenzo Portugal in the first and sixth rounds, respectively. He snapped his six-match winning streak when he had a draw with John Randall Peralta in the seventh and final round.
Sumer Justine Oncita, a Grade 8 student of University of Santo Tomas (UST) under the wings of coaches GM candidate Ronald Dableo and GM Darwin Laylo went on placing second overall with 6.5 points.
The pride of Pasig City, Oncita ended up in second place losing to Mahawan in the bucholz tie break points.
The 10-year-old Peralta, a Grade 4 student of St. John’s Wort Montessori under the tutelage of coaches Froilan Bolico and Jojo Aquino Jr., settled for third place with six points, the same output of fourth placer Josh Borsigue.
Meanwhile, International Baptist College will host a tatluhan blitz chess team tournament on December 15, 2024 at the same venue.
Tournament director Alejandro “Doods” Segales said that the tatluhan blitz chess team champion will earn P15,000 plus trophy. For inquiry, call or text mobile number: 09338664924 for complete details.-Marlon Bernardino
China, Kazakhstan and India topped the Standard medal tally in the Asian Schools Chess Championship held 1-8 December 2024 in Bangkok organized by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Mongolia also had two golds followed by Vietnam with one gold medal. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.
The Asian Schools Rapid Chess Championship will be held tomorrow 9th Dec. followed by Asian Schools Blitz Chess Championship on 10th December. Here are the gold, silver and bronze medalists in each age group.
The race for medals tightens after the penultimate round of the Asian Schools Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. China and Kazakhstan have the most number of players in the lead after 8 rounds. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings. The event is hosted by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Above is the Indian team with All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang (back row, third from left). Here are the leaders in each age group:
Arbiters and officials in the Asian Schools Chess Championship.
Oceania has sent the highest-ever 19 participants to this year’s 18th edition of Asian Schools Chess Championship taking place in Bangkok, Thailand – strongly contributing to the event’s own record of 555 participants across 31 countries in the region. This year’s event is hosted by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation.
In above photo are Guam national junior chess team at the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.
Guam national junior chess team has fielded 12 competitors in almost every age category – and is led by the National Schools Chess Championship winner CM Tran Tuan An, playing in his last eligible tournament in the U17 category.
Serdar Bayramov of Turkmenistan playing versus Guam National Schools Chess Champion CM Tran Tuan An.
Other Guam team members include the National Schools Chess Championship winners Travis Wang (U7), Leo Lopatyuk (U9), Esther Combs (G9), Xian Chi Tran (G11) and Sarah Padrique (G17), as well as 2nd-place medalists Daniel Combs (U11), Noah Combs (U17), Noelle Camacho (G13), Michael Angelo Mendoza (U15), and Natalie Camacho (G15). Aryan Dewan rounds out the team in the U13 category.
New Zealand Chess Federation is represented by 4 young talents, including the 2024 NZ Girls Champion WCM Luna Xu and expanding its presence from last year’s Asian Schools Chess Champion in Uzbekistan, where NZ had three players.
2023 and 2024 New Zealand age group champion Richard Liu (left) in action against Ramazan Tulegen of Kazakhstan.
WCM Xu (G11) is joined in Bangkok by the 2024 New Zealand age group champions Anne Guo (G9), Vera Xu (G7), and Richard Liu (U11).
New Zealand national junior chess team at the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand: Richard Liu (U11), WCM Luna Xu (G11), Anne Guo (G9), Vera Xu (G7).
Completing the Oceania contingent at this year’s Championship is the junior chess team sent by the Australian Chess Federation – comprised of the two Batyrbekov brothers: Kaisar (U9) and Aidan (U7).
2024 VIC State age category 2nd runner up Batyrbekov Kaisar of Australia (left) vs Guam’s Schools Chess Championship age category winner Leo Lopatyuk.
Having won the qualifying zonal tournament, Kaisar and Aidan Batyrbekov had led their school team to a 2nd runner up finish in the 2024 Victorian State Junior Primary Finals. Both have also finished as the 2ndv and 1st runners up, respectively, in the age group finals.
Team Australia at the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand: Aidan Batyrbekov (U7) and Kaisar Batyrbekov (U9).
National Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. (above center) regained his form coming from the loser brackets and edged National Master Jeremy Marticio 2-1 in the Single Knockout Armageddon Tournament (SiKAT) held December 6, 2024 at the Pavilion Mall, Greenfield District in Mandaluyong City, Philippines.
Bernardino, a certified United States chess master, lost to Marticio in the first game and was relegated to the loser’s bracket.
But Bernardino, 47, a veteran sportswriter and radio commentator bounced back from the grave beating Juan Patallo, Roger Abisan, Candidate Master Genghis Imperial and National Master Romeo Alcodia, to move into the Finals. Marticio had to beat all opponents including Imperial and Alcodia.
In the finals, Bernardino had to beat Marticio (above right) twice.
Bernardino playing black with 5 minutes drew with Marticio who had white and 6 minutes in their King’s Indian skirmish.
In Armageddon format, a player with the black pieces needs a draw to secure the win.
Then Bernardino with white and 6 minutes defeated Marticio with black and 5 minutes in their second game tie breaker of the Catalan Opening.
“‘I am very happy with the results. I am extremely satisfied with the outcome,” said the Quezon City and Mandaluyong City bet Bernardino, who just arrived in Manila December 2nd from a 15 days European sojourn.
Bernardino was the coach and delegation head of the PH chess team who won 2 golds and 1 bronze medal in the 32nd FIDE World Senior Chess Championship held Nov. 16-29, 2024 in Porto Santo Island, Portugal.
Among those who are supporting his chess campaign here and abroad are ALC Group of Companies Chairman and CEO D. Edgard Cabangon , Mayor Luis “Jon Jon” Ferrer IV, International Billiard and Snooker Champion Marlon Manalo, National Chess Federation of the Philippines Chairman/ President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. , CEO/Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales and Mr. Jessie Villasin.
It shall be recalled that Bernardino achieved another remarkable victory by winning first place in the 3rd Laos International Chess Open 2024 held September 1 to 6 at the 2nd floor Parkson@ Naga Mall in Vientiane, Laos.
He is set to compete in the Penang International Open Chess Championship to be held on December 23 to 27, 2024 in George Town, Penang, Malaysia upon the invitation of Penang Chess Association President Atty. See Swee Sie.
