FIDE President visits Uzbekistan
At the end of October, 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. Upon arriving in Samarkand on October 27, the FIDE delegation met with local authorities, inspected the construction of the EXPO Center, and reviewed hotel capacity to ensure compliance with FIDE requirements. The 46th Olympiad will follow Samarkand’s successful hosting of the 2023 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships. The next day, October 28, the FIDE delegation continued to Tashkent, where they held a productive meeting with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, who is also President of the Uzbek Chess Federation, as well as the Minister of Sport Adham Ikromov, and Alisher Sa’dullayev, Director of the Youth Affairs Agency and first deputy chairperson of the Uzbek Chess Federation. The discussions covered various aspects of the preparation for the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand and highlighted ongoing efforts to develop and promote chess throughout Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has quickly 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.
World Amateur Championship 2024 begins in Rhodes
On Sunday, October 27, Rhodes warmly welcomed 245 amateur chess players from 54 countries for the start of the 2024 World Amateur Chess Championship. The event is being held from October 27 to November 4 at the De Roses Hall of the Rodos Palace 5* Hotel. Participants are competing across four categories: U2300 (open category up to 2300 Elo), U2000 (open category up to 2000 Elo), U1700 (open category up to 1700 Elo), and W1700 (women’s category up to 1700 ELO). The tournament officially kicked off with the presence of the Deputy Governor of the South Aegean for Sports, Akis Delaportas, and the Honorary Chairman of the FIDE Events Commission, Ozgur Solakoglu. Mr. Delaportas made the ceremonial first move on the first board in a game between FM Alejandro Castellanos Gomez and Georgia Grapsa. Greece has the largest representation with 41 players, followed by Mongolia with 27, India with 15, Germany with 14, and Kazakhstan with 13. Although this is an amateur championship, it has attracted 21 titled players (11 FMs, 4 WFMs, and 6 CMs), setting the stage for exciting and competitive battles. The first round was already full of surprises and produced several upsets, with quite a few favorites either losing or settling for a draw. Detailed results for each category are available here: U2300, U2000, U1700, W1700 The games are broadcast live on the Lichess platform and can be followed via these links: U2300, U2000, U1700, W1700 Photos, content, and additional materials from the Championship can be found on the social media pages of the Rhodes Chess Club “Ippotis.” Website: ippotis.comFacebook: facebook.com/rhodeschessevents/Instagram: instagram.com/rhodes_chess_events/TikTok: tiktok.gr/@rhodes_chess_evenYouTube: youtube.com/@rhodes_chess_events The World Amateur Championship is an official event of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), co-organized by the Rhodes Chess Club “Ippotis,” the South Aegean Region, the Municipality of Rhodes, and the Hellenic Chess Federation (ESO). Our gratitude goes to the South Aegean Region, Governor George Hatzimarkos & Deputy Governor for Sports Akis Delaporta, RODOS PALACE Hotel 5*, Antonis Kampourakis of Xenakis Mobility, Melissokomiki Dodecanese, J@D Rent a Car, At Holidays, the accounting firm “Papadimitriou & Partners,” and Ilektrodome S.A. for their unwavering support. Photos: nikpvasilakis
From a school in Chennai to the World Championship match in Singapore
Gukesh Dommaraju, often referred to simply as Gukesh D, is the youngest person in the history of chess to become the contender for the title of World Champion, achieving this feat at just 17 years of age. Born on May 29, 2006, in Chennai – the birthplace of several of India’s top players, including the five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand – Gukesh learned chess in school at the age of seven. This ignited a passion for the game that would see him rapidly advance his FIDE rating and title, achieving remarkable tournament successes in only a decade. Gukesh earned his FIDE Master title in 2015, after winning the Under-9 section of the Asian School Chess Championships. In March 2018 – just 11-year-old – he became an International Master. Gukesh clinched Grandmaster title at the 17th Delhi International Grandmaster Open on January 15, 2019, at the age of 12 years, seven months and 17 days, becoming the second-youngest person in history at the time (and the third-youngest ever) after Sergey Karjakin. His coach at the time, Indian GM Vishnu Prasanna, noted that Gukesh’s “strategic supremacy and unique understanding”, as well as his work ethic, set him apart from others. Over a 16-month period, Gukesh played an impressive 276 games in 30 tournaments across 13 countries to achieve his GM norms, underscoring his determination. His early successes include winning the Under-12 World Youth Chess Championships as well as taking five gold medals at the Asian Youth Chess Championships, excelling in various formats (classical, rapid, blitz and team events). Gukesh captured global attention in 2022 when he won the individual gold at the FIDE Chess Olympiad, scoring an outstanding nine points out of 11 games and helping India to secure bronze in the event. That same year he crossed the 2700 ELO mark, becoming the third-youngest chess player to achieve this level (after Wei Yi and Alireza Firouzja), thus entering the realm of super-Grandmasters. In 2023, he went even further, clearing the 2750 ELO bar in August and becoming the youngest player ever to do so, and then in September, he reached the world number eight, overtaking Viswanathan Anand as India’s top-rated player, a title which Anand held for more than 37 years. That year, Gukesh finished second in the 2023 FIDE Circuit – a series of tournaments over the year – which secured him a spot at the 2024 Candidates (the winner, Fabiano Caruana had already qualified through the World Cup 2023). In April 2024, in Toronto, Gukesh again surprised the chess world: in his first-ever appearance at the Candidates tournament, he won the event with a remarkable score of 9/14, becoming the youngest-ever challenger for the title of World Champion. Gukesh’s final grand appearance before the title match, was at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest where, playing on board one, he scored a phenomenal nine points out of ten, winning individual gold leading his team to their first-ever team gold in the event. Beyond chess, Gukesh devotes significant time to meditation. As a child who would get “very upset after a game” if he lost, Gukesh worked hard to find his inner balance. In an interview with the British Chess Magazine in May, after his victory in Toronto, he reflected on how important mediating has become for his mental stability: “I started taking mental health seriously. Started doing yoga and meditating. Once I started doing that, I made sure it was done regularly, and it made a difference.” As the match in Singapore approaches, the question on the table is: can Gukesh defeat the reigning World Champion Ding Liren? Despite recent successes, Gukesh doesn’t have a favorable head-to-head record against the World Champion, Ding Liren. Out of five classical games, Ding has won two (both as Black, in 2023 and 2024), while the other three ended in draws, including a draw at the 2024 Sinquefield Cup. Gukesh’s sole victory came in a Fischer Random game in 2024, but that format differs from classical chess he will be playing in Singapore. In a press conference ahead of the match, Gukesh shared his thoughts on his opponent: “Ding is quite universal. Almost all the players at the top level have to be universal at this point. So, there are minute differences between all the players, and I’m trying my best to analyze them and use them to my advantage.” As for predictions, the young Grandmaster remained pragmatic: “I don’t believe in predictions and who are the favorites. I just think that whoever is able to show up every day as the best will win the game eventually.” Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Michal Walusza, Lennart Ootes and John Saunders
European Chess Club Cup: Novy Bor and TAJFUN SK Ljubljana win titles
Novy Bor Chess Club and TAJFUN SK Ljubljana emerged victorious in the 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Chess Club Cup, respectively. Both competitions, held as 7-round Swiss tournaments, took place in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia, from October 20-26. Entering the decisive seventh round one point ahead of six teams tied for second, Novy Bor Chess Club faced off against top-seeded SuperChess. The Czech team clinched a crucial victory, thanks to David Anton Guijarro’s win over Jorden Van Foreest on board five, while all other games ended in draws. This win secured the title for Novy Bor, who finished the tournament with six wins and one draw. Alkaloid claimed second place with a dominant 5-1 win over C’Chartres Echecs, while Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club drew with Turkish Airlines, and Sentimento Ajka BSK split points with TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana. Four teams ultimately tied for third, with Vados Chess Club, having defeated Beer Sheva Chess Club in the final round, taking the bronze medal on the strength of superior Olympiad-Sonneborn-Berger tiebreaks. Final standings: 1 Novy Bor Chess Club 13 2 Alkaloid 12 3 Vados Chess Club 11 4 Turkish Airlines 11 5 TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana 11 6 Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club 11 7 SuperChess 10 8 Beer Sheva Chess Club 10 9 Kavala Chess Club 10 10 Sentimento Ajka BSK 10 The final round of the women’s event saw the clash of leaders TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and the top seed Cercle d’Echecs de Monte Carlo. The Slovenian team captured the title with a 2.5-1.5 victory, courtesy of Olga Badelka’s win over Sarasadat Khademalsharieh. The second seed, Garuda Ajka BSK, trailing the leaders by one point before the final round, swept Gambit Bonnevoie (3.5-0.5) to claim silver, while SuperBet, the only team to defeat the champions, finished in third place. Final standings: 1 TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana 12 2 Garuda Ajka BSK 11 3 SuperChess Club 10 4 Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica 9 5 Crvena zvezda – Data Driven Lab 8 6 Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo 8 7 MSK CENTAR 8 8 Gambit Bonnevoie 7 9 Rudar Kostolac 7 10 Schachgesellschaft Solingen A 7 The players achieving the best individual results were also awarded. Open section: Board 1: 1.GM Arjun Erigaisi, 2.GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, 3.GM Sanan SjugirovBoard 2: 1.GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, 2.GM Vincent Keymer, 3.GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov Board 3: 1.GM Yu Yangyi, 2.GM Amin Tabatabaei, 3.GM Kobo OriBoard 4: 1.IM Ilinca Felix-Antonio, 2.GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 3.GM Aravindh Chithambaram Board 5: 1.GM Volodar Murzin, 2.GM Maxime Lagarde, 3.GM David Anton GuijarroBoard 6: 1.GM Markus Robert, 2.GM Aleksandar Indjic, 3.GM Javokhir Sindarov Women’s section: Board 1: 1.GM Nana Dzagnidze, 2.GM Nino Batsiashvili, 3.IM Alina BivolBoard 2: 1.GM Zhu Jiner, 2.GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, 3.IM Dinara Wagner Board 3: 1.IM Olga Badelka, 2.IM Leya Garifullina, 3.WFM Anna ZhurovaBoard 4: 1.WIM Zsoka Gaal, 2.GM Elisabeth Paehtz, 3.IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva The closing ceremony of the event took place yesterday evening in the playing venue with the attendance of the ECU Vice Presidents Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson and Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire, President of the Serbian Chess Federation Mr. Dragan Lazic, the President of the Touristic Organisation of Vrnjacka Banja Mr. Ivan Trifunovic, ECU Tournament Director Mr. Petr Pisk and other distinguished guests. Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
FIDE Circuit: Erigaisi regains lead, Caruana moves to second
Only two tournaments counted toward the FIDE Circuit 2024 race in October, but both brought significant changes to the standings. Arjun Erigaisi earned 25.4 circuit points following his strong performance at the WR Chess Masters Cup, overtaking Nodirbek Abdusattorov to regain the lead. Meanwhile, newly crowned U.S. champion Fabiano Caruana picked up 25 points from his victory and moved up to second place, pushing Abdusattorov down to third. It’s worth noting that Erigaisi’s total is based on seven tournament results, with room for improvement. Two of his results, from the Grenke Chess Open and Sharjah Masters, contributed only 6.99 and 5.24 points, respectively. Abdusattorov, Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja are close behind Erigaisi but have played fewer tournaments, giving them a potential advantage. Most likely, one of this quartet will punch a ticket to the Candidates 2026. Looking ahead, the upcoming Chennai Grand Masters Tournament (November 5-11) is crucial for Erigaisi. A strong performance there could help him solidify his lead. Similarly, Abdusattorov might be focused on the 3rd President Cup to stay in the race, while Firouzja may aim for the point-heavy 2024 European Championship. With all this in play, the FIDE Circuit 2024 race remains wide open, and the winner could very well be decided in the final days of the year at the 2024 Rapid and Blitz Championship. We maintain a dedicated page on our website for the FIDE Circuit, offering the latest information on eligible tournaments, the current standings, and regulations.Visit: FIDE Circuit 2024.
U.S. Championship 2024: Fabiano Caruana and Carissa Yip claim titles
Fabiano Caruana and Carissa Yip are the new U.S. chess champions. Both successfully defended their titles, winning their fourth and third overall, respectively. The U.S. Chess Championship and U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, 12-player round-robins with classical time control featuring a combined prize fund of $250,000, took place in the Saint Louis Chess Club from October 10-24. Players were not allowed to offer draws. Fabiano Caruana seized the lead in Round 4 after defeating Abhimanyu Mishra, and maintained his top position until the very end. Going into the final round a half-point ahead of Awonder Liang and Ray Robson, he gradually outplayed Sam Shankland in the Sicilian Defense, finishing with a solid 7/10 to secure his fourth national title. Awonder Liang had a great chance for silver when he achieved a very promising position against Leinier Dominguez, while Ray Robson had a bye (see below). However, Liang eventually overstretched and lost. As a result, six players tied for second place, sharing the prize money equally. The only blemish on the tournament was the disqualification of Christopher Yoo. According to an official statement from the Saint Louis Chess Club: “After his game against Fabiano Caruana, Yoo crumpled his scoresheet, stormed out of the tournament hall, and struck a videographer from behind. Chief Arbiter Chris Bird expelled Yoo for gross violations of our Code of Conduct and the US Chess Play Safe Policy.” Yoo’s results from Rounds 1-5 were annulled, and the tournament standings were adjusted accordingly. Carissa Yip dominated the women’s event, starting with eight straight wins, reminiscent of Bobby Fischer’s incredible performance in the 1963/1964 U.S. Championship. Although Carissa did not manage to match Fischer’s record of 11/11, she left no doubt about her championship run, clinching her third title with a round to spare. Begim Tokhirjonova pulled off a crucial victory over Tatev Abrahamyan in the last round of the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, earning her the silver medal and qualifying for the FIDE Women’s World Cup. Alice Lee, who shared second place with Tokhirjonova going into the final round, managed only a draw against the champion, which left her to settle for the bronze medal. Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club | Crystal Fuller and Lennart Ootes Official website: uschesschamps.com/
European Chess Club Cup 2024 crosses half-way mark
The 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Chess Club Cup have passed the midpoint. After the top-table clashes, four teams jointly lead the Open tournament with 8/8 points, while TAJFUN SK Ljubljana has emerged as the sole leader in the Women’s competition. Top-seeded SuperChess in the Open tournament suffered an upset, losing to fifth-seeded Turkish Airlines. Dmitry Andreikin (2729, Turkish Airlines) defeated GM Gukesh D (2794, SuperChess), and Amin Tabatabaei (2702, Turkish Airlines) emerged victorious against GM Praggnanandhaa (2746, SuperChess). Additionally, Volodar Murzin (2648, Turkish Airlines) beat Jorden Van Foreest (2697, SuperChess). The only player to score a win for SuperChess was Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2783, SuperChess), who got lucky in a completely lost position against GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2719, Turkish Airlines). Maghsoodloo was just a few moves away from victory but tragically opted for an unsound queen sacrifice, leading to a loss. Alkaloid pulled off a narrow 3.5-2.5 victory over TAJFUN SK Ljubljana. Chithambaram Aravindh (2698, Alkaloid) and Narayanan S.L. (2640, Alkaloid) defeated Ivan Saric (2673, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) and Ante Brkic (2626, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana), respectively, while Nodirbek Yakubboev (2654, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) scored for the Slovenian team. The other games, including Arjun Erigaisi’s encounter with Alexandr Predke, ended in draws. Novy Bor Chess Club won their match against Sentimento Ajka BSK thanks to Vincent Keymer’s (2721, Novy Bor Chess Club) victory over Alexey Sarana (2717, Sentimento Ajka BSK), as the other five games were drawn. Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub triumphed over Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club, despite having a lower average rating. Pavel Eljanov (2672, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub) prevailed over Bu Xiangzhi (2690, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club), Benjamin Gledura bested Anton Korobov, and Ihor Samunenkov (2533, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub) defeated Nijat Abasov (2619, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club). Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2733, Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club) bounced back with a win against Maksim Chigaev (2624, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub), but with the other games ending in draws, Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub secured a 4-2 victory. Standings after Round 4 Open In the Women’s section, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana emerged as the sole leader following an overwhelming 3.5-0.5 victory over Garuda Ajka BSK. Nana Dzagnidze (2513, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) beat Bibisara Assaubayeva (2487, Garuda Ajka BSK), Zhu Jiner (2499, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) defeated Divya Deshmukh (2501, Garuda Ajka BSK), and Olga Badelka (2430, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) prevailed over Bella Khotenashvili (2423, Garuda Ajka BSK). The game on the fourth board between WIM Zsoka Gaal (2398, Garuda Ajka BSK) and IM Laura Unuk (2304, TAJFUN SK Ljubljana) ended in a draw. SuperChess Club toppled top seed Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo thanks to Dinara Wagner’s (2436, SuperChess) victory over Vaishali Rameshbabu (2487, Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo), while the other three games ended in draws. Four teams are tied for second place in the Women’s event with 6 match points each: SuperChess Club, Garuda Ajka BSK, Crvena zvezda – Data Driven Lab, and Napredak Zenica. Standings after Round 4 Women Round 5 starts on October 24 at 15:00 and live broadcast can be followed through the ECU TV platform. Live video broadcast is also available on the ECU YouTube channel with commentaries by GM Alojzije Jankovic and Dragana Nikolovska. Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
Chess king from China who defies the odds
World Champion Ding Liren is a symbol of perseverance in chess. Rising from humble beginnings in the chess-loving city of Wenzhou, his journey to the world title is marked by numerous accomplishments and firsts, as well as significant challenges. Born on October 24, 1992, in China, Ding was introduced to chess by his mother at the age of four. Destiny seemed to favor him, as he was coached early on by Chen Lixing, who also trained former Women’s World Champion Zhu Chen. This led to Ding’s first notable successes on the global chess stage: tying for first place in both the Under-10 and Under-12 World Youth Championships (2003, 2004), though finishing second on tiebreaks in both events. In 2009, at just 16 years old, Ding became the youngest-ever Chinese champion, announcing to the world what was to come. Thanks to his stellar performance at the national championship, he earned the Grandmaster title later that year. He would go on to win the Chinese championship two more times, in 2011 and 2012. Photo: Andreas Kontokanis After conquering the national scene, Ding set his sights on the global stage. In 2014, he helped China win a gold medal at the Chess Olympiad, and again in 2015 at the World Team Championships. That same year, he became only the second Chinese player, after Wang Yue, to enter the world’s top 10. Ding’s consistent, solid play led him to the finals of the 2017 and 2019 Chess World Cups, though he fell short in both. Despite these setbacks, his reputation as a world-class player continued to grow. Photo: Kirill Merkuryev A major milestone came in 2018 when Ding won individual and team gold at the 43rd Chess Olympiad. That year, he also became the first Chinese player to surpass a 2800 Elo rating, peaking at 2816—the joint tenth highest in chess history. His strong, consistent play earned him a reputation as one of the toughest players to beat. From August 2017 to November 2018, Ding went unbeaten in 100 consecutive classical games, a streak broken only by Magnus Carlsen in 2019. Though 2018 marked the height of Ding’s success, it also introduced new challenges. In his first shot at the world title during the 2018 Candidates Tournament in Berlin, he drew 13 of his 14 games, winning just one. He silenced critics the following year by winning the Sinquefield Cup with a performance rating of 2845, securing the 2019 Grand Chess Tour title. Photo: St-Louis Chess Club | Lennart Ootes Ding’s second attempt at the Candidates Tournament came in 2020 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Despite being one of the favorites, he secured only 2.5 points after seven rounds before the tournament was postponed due to the pandemic. When it resumed in April 2021, Ding improved his form, winning his final three games to finish with 7 points, placing fifth overall. His real shot at the title came in 2022 at his third Candidates Tournament in Madrid. Despite an underwhelming start, Ding found his stride in the second half, securing key wins over Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura to finish second behind Ian Nepomniachtchi. Under normal circumstances, this would not have qualified him for the World Championship match, but with Magnus Carlsen stepping down, Ding found himself in a championship match against Nepomniachtchi. The World Championship match in Astana, Kazakhstan, was closely contested. After 14 classical games, the score was tied 7-7, leading to a rapid tiebreak, where Ding triumphed 2½-1½, becoming the first Chinese player to win the Classical World Chess Championship. Photo: David Llada However, his monumental achievement in 2023 was soon overshadowed by personal struggles. After winning the title, Ding took a nine-month break from chess in 2024 to focus on his mental health, citing personal difficulties and depression. He skipped major events during this time but returned to competition later that year at the Tata Steel tournament and the Olympiad, showing that he remains a formidable presence in the chess world. In an interview before the World Championship match, Ding reflected on his state of mind: “My current state is neither exceptionally good nor bad, as I’ve felt over the past one and a half years. I’ve moved past the deepest or worst moments. I know I’ve been playing great chess—I just couldn’t win certain positions. I still believe I can turn that around, maybe during the match.” Photo: Mark Livshitz Ding’s mental strength and resilience have defined his career. As he faces rivals whose recent performances have been more consistent, only time will tell if he can maintain his reign as World Champion. Regardless of the outcome, Ding Liren has secured his place among the greatest names in modern chess. Written by Milan Dinic A piece about the Challenger, Gukesh D, is coming next week
European Chess Club Cup: Multiple leaders after Round 3
The 39th European Chess Club Cup and the 28th European Women’s Club Cup are in full swing in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia. Both events with classical time control, brought together 102 teams (84 in the Open section and 18 in the Women’s section). Teams in the Open section consist of 6 players + 2 reserves, while the Women’s tournament features 4 players + 1 reserve. After three rounds of tough battles in the Open section, the top eight seeded teams are tied for the top position, winning all three matches. These teams include SuperChess (headed by Gukesh D and Abdusattorov), Alkaloid (led by Erigaisi and Wei Yi), Novy Bor Chess Club (with Vidit and Keymer on top boards), Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club (headed by Bu Xiangzhi and Radjabov), Turkish Airlines (led by Andreikin and Maghsoodloo), Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub, Sentimento Ajka BSK, and TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana. Round 4 promises to be exciting, with clashes between the leaders across the top four tables. Standings after Round 3 Open In the Women’s section, the rating favorites Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo (led by Goryachkina and Vaishali) drew their second-round match with the fifth seed Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica and now share third place with their opponents. Meanwhile, second and third-seeded TAJFUN SK Ljubljana (headed by Dzagnidze and Ju Jiner) and Ajka BSK (with Assaubayeva and Deshmukh on the top boards) lead the field, both scoring three straight wins. Since TAJFUN SK Ljubljana and Ajka BSK will face off in Round 4, we can expect a sole leader to emerge in the women’s competition. Standings after Round 3 Women Photos: European Chess Union Official website: clubcup2024.com/
Grebnev and Shukhman win 2024 Asian Junior Championship
GM Aleksey Grebnev and WIM Anna Shukhman (both FIDE) emerged as the winners of the 2024 Asian Junior Chess Championship in the open and girls sections, respectively. The competitions, 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control, took place from October 13-19, 2024, at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City, Philippines. The championship, hosted by the Tagaytay Chess Club under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, Asian Chess Federation and FIDE in cooperation with the City of Tagaytay, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, brought together 54 juniors from thirteen countries. The open section was dominated by the defending champion, top seed Aleksey Grebnev, who grabbed the lead in Round 3 and never looked back. Going into the final round, a full point ahead of IM Munkhdalai Amilal of Mongolia, he drew his game with Aswath S and clinched the title with an excellent score of 7.5/9. The champion became the only unbeaten participant in the event. Amilal finished on 7/9 and took silver, while Aswath S earned bronze. Final standings Open: 1 GM Grebnev, Aleksey FID 2530 7½ 2 IM Amilal, Munkhdalai MGL 2388 7 3 IM Aswath, S IND 2473 6½ 4 IM Rohith, Krishna S IND 2474 6 5 IM Uskov, Artem FID 2428 6 6 FM Akhilbay, Imangali KAZ 2282 6 7 IM Dau, Khuong Duy VIE 2422 6 8 FM Arca, Christian Gian Karlo PHI 2199 6 9 IM Concio, Michael Jr. PHI 2368 5½ 10 Kodithuwakku, K K Dinujaya SRI 1933 5½ The girl’s sections saw an even more commanding performance by the champion. Anna Shukhman took a great start, winning five straight games and, despite losing to Tejaswini G in Round 6, finished strong with another three victories to capture the title. Halder Sneha and Tejaswini G (both representing India) netted 7/9 and tied for second place, with the former claiming silver thanks to a superior Buchholz. Final standings Girls: 1 WIM Shukhman, Anna FID 2163 8 2 Sneha, Halder IND 2063 7 3 WIM Tejaswini, G IND 2207 7 4 Khairmode, Dhanashree IND 1876 5½ 5 WFM Popandopulo, Kristina KAZ 2069 5½ 6 ACM Mohd Afif, Ainul Mardhiah MAS 1867 5 7 WFM Bristy, Mukherjee IND 1965 5 8 WFM Rindhiya, V IND 2005 4½ 9 Luong, Hoang Tu Linh VIE 1907 4½ 10 WFM Gunawardhana, Devindya SRI 2069 4½ In addition to classical events, rapid and blitz tournaments in both sections were held in the 2024 Asian Junior Championship. The classical champions, Grebnev and Shukhman, confirmed their status, winning double crowns in the rapid tournaments. Artem Uskov (FIDE) triumphed in the Blitz Open, while Mukherjee Bristy (India) came out on top in the Blitz Girls. Final standings Rapid OpenFinal standings Rapid GirlsFinal standings Blitz OpenFinal standings Blitz Girls Photos: Asian Chess Federation