World Cadet Chess Championship 2025: Kazakhstan triumphs with three golds and overall team victory
From September 19 to 30, 2025, Almaty became the epicenter of world chess, hosting the World Cadet Chess Championship (U8–U12) at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace. The event brought together 842 young players from 88 countries, including 229 representatives from all 20 regions of Kazakhstan. The competition was held over 11 rounds under the Swiss system with classical time control: 90 minutes per game plus a 30-second increment per move. Kazakhstan’s young stars—8-year-olds Alisha Bisalieva (Girls U8) and Adinur Adilbek (Open U8), along with 12-year-old Danis Kuandykuly (Open U12)—claimed gold medals, while the national team topped the overall standings for the second year in a row. China and the USA shared second and third, each earning one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. China edged out the USA in total points scored by medalists—26½ to 25½. The tournament became a true celebration of chess, with young players showcasing skill, character, and strategic talent. Kazakhstan not only hosted a world-class event but also proved the strength of its chess school. “We managed to host one of the largest chess tournaments at the highest level, bringing together a record number of participants and giving Almaty the atmosphere of a true festival. It is especially symbolic that right here, on home soil, our young chess players achieved historic success. Alisha, Adinur, and Danis became world champions, and Kazakhstan showed the world that we have the strongest chess school and already a new generation of leaders who can become big stars tomorrow,” said Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich attended the closing ceremony and took part in the prize-giving. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to the participants, organizers, and supporters: “Thank you to the players, media team, and organizers for everything you’ve done over these past days! Your professionalism, energy, emotions, and smiles made this event truly special. Thank you for your passion for the game, your determination to win, and your ability to enjoy the moment. I am confident that these days will remain a lifelong memory for all of us. A special word of gratitude goes to the Government of Kazakhstan and the President of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the Chess Federation of Kazakhstan and its President, Timur Turlov, Freedom Holding Corp., and to everyone whose support made this tournament possible—with a record number of participating countries.” 2025 World Cadet Chess Championship winners and top finishers: Girls U8 (94 players) Alisha Bissaliyeva (1704, Kazakhstan) – 9½ points Zhu Jiahe (1630, China) – 9 Bold-Erdene Tselmeg (1661, Mongolia) – 8½ Open U8 (150 players) Adinur Adilbek (1935, Kazakhstan) – 9½ points Fedor Sidelnikov (1720, FIDE) – 8½ Wang Yuxuan (1728, China) – 8½ Girls U10 (115 players) WCM Sharvaanica, A S (1971, India) – 9 points WCM Chinzorig Nandinjiguur (1887, Mongolia) – 9 Kiyanna Parihaar (1728, India) – 8½ Open U10 (185 players) Yuan Shunzhe (1805, China) – 9 points CM Le Phan Hoang Quan (2031, Vietnam) – 9 AFM Mani Sarbartho (2072, India) – 8½ Girls U12 (123 players) Lacey Wang (1883, USA) – 8½ points WFM Laurie Qiu (1994, USA) – 8½ Milana Sokolova (1870, FIDE) – 8½ Open U12 (175 players) CM Danis Kuandykuly (2211, Kazakhstan) – 9 points CM Ali Poyraz Ozdemir (2196, Turkey) – 9 CM Ethan Guo (2330, USA) – 8½ Full standings (chess-results) “Kazakhstan managed to take first place in the team standings at the World Cadet Championship for the second year in a row. Last year in Italy we won two golds. This year in Almaty, we won three out of six. One gold each went to the undisputed global leaders—China, India, and the United States. This success is especially pleasing because it happened at home, in front of a record number of countries, 88 in total. It is a tremendous achievement, and we are very proud of our talents,” said Darmen Sadvakasov, First Vice President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. Photos: KazChess
FIDE Director for Chess Development visits Antigua and Barbuda
The Antigua and Barbuda Chess Federation warmly welcomed Nigel Short to Antigua. Greeting him on arrival were Hannibal Fleming (President), Matthew Bailey (Vice President), and Julian Piper (Media Manager and PR). Shortly after, the delegation joined a social gathering at the Cedar Valley Golf Club with Sir Vivian Richards (National Hero and legendary cricketer) and Leon “Kuma” Rodney (President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association). Conversing with Sir Vivian Richards During the evening, Sir Vivian Richards reflected on his connection to chess, recalling a visit from Viswanathan Anand during a tour of India and sharing the inspiration he drew from the 1972 Fischer–Spassky match. The following day, Nigel Short hosted a simultaneous exhibition against some of Antigua’s strongest players, including members of the national team representing the country at Chess Olympiads. He also encouraged the country’s female players, as Antigua plans to send its first women’s team to the 46th Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. Short won all eight of his games. The event was attended by His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams and his wife, Sonja Williams, as well as Sir Vivian Richards and Kuma Rodney. Next, Nigel Short and Hannibal Fleming appeared live on ABS Television to discuss the growth and future of chess in Antigua and Barbuda. Meeting with the Prime Minister, Hon. Gaston Browne Afterwards, they met with several government officials: the Honorable Darryl Matthew (Minister of Education, Sports, and Cultural Affairs), the Honorable Paul “Chet” Greene (Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the National Olympic Committee), the Honorable Prime Minister Gaston A. Browne (Minister of Finance, Investments, and Corporate Governance), and the Honorable Charles Max Hernandez (Minister of Tourism). Each minister expressed strong support for the federation’s initiatives and pledged assistance with future events and resources. The visit also included a stop at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, where the delegation met with Principal Professor Justin Robinson. He emphasized the importance of using chess to strengthen campus life through tournaments and instructional programs. To conclude his trip, Nigel Short visited the Island Academy and Cobs Cross Primary School, where he introduced students to the fundamentals of chess and encouraged them to continue learning the game. Text and photos: Antigua and Barbuda Chess Federation